The operations manager carries out the operational management of the enterprise, including the value creation processes, ensures the entire PDCA cycle (planning, execution, control, analysis and development of corrective actions). In essence, he ensures the normality of daily production processes, striving for maximum profitability while reducing costs as much as possible without compromising quality.
Operational management is in demand in all areas of business. According to the HH.ru website, 4,687 employers from various industries have posted the corresponding vacancy – from mining to consumer services. The salary of these specialists is from 100,000 rubles.
In addition to the main function, the operational manager also solves other tasks:
Implementation of operational spain email list management into the enterprise management system. The manager continuously optimizes auxiliary processes that can reduce costs and maximize profitability.
Definition of business strategy. The manager sets goals and determines the criteria for achieving them, develops a business plan and implements strategic planning. Based on the data obtained, control is carried out.
Project and team management. The manager not only defines the goals of the concept and plans its economy, but also ensures all interaction with the team, forms a motivation system.
Sales management. The manager develops effective sales tools that allow you to sell more products and increase profits.
Creation of financial models. The manager plans the unit economy and calculates the enterprise's profitability taking into account financial performance indicators and market conditions. Operational risks are also managed and minimized.
Requirements and tasks of an operations manager
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Let's look at an example. Let's say a fast food restaurant makes takeaway pizza. In one shift, cooks can prepare 500 pieces, assemblers can make 470 orders. But there is a problem. The capacity of the existing ovens is no more than 350 pieces per shift, as a result, a considerable part of the profit is lost. The obvious solution is to replace the equipment with more productive one, but this is a capital expenditure that the company simply cannot afford.
In this situation, the operational manager faces the following problems:
Furnace productivity per unit of time.
Duration of the work shift.
Number of places in the oven.
Total cycle duration.
The manager can analyze the current state of affairs by measuring the relevant indicators. Otherwise, without precise metrics, it will be impossible to understand whether the changes have had any effect or have been useless.
For all factors, it is possible to develop measures that will improve labor productivity:
Number of oven positions: Options include changing the size of the pizza; installing additional baking trays; purchasing new devices (this option is optimal in terms of efficiency, but the least preferable in terms of cost).
Cooking cycle: it is necessary to work out the possibilities of reducing its duration by removing or speeding up some auxiliary actions.
Net working hours: you can introduce a 24-hour work schedule or hire a cook during the main specialist’s break.
By making changes to several factors, a multiplier effect will be achieved.
Factor 1: Adding baking spots to the oven:
4 seats (instead of 2).
15 pizzas per day.
6 hour shift.
Total: 360 pizzas per day (+180 to the base level).
Factor 2. Increased productivity:
2 places.
20 pizzas per shift (instead of 15).
6 hour shift.
Total: 240 units per day (+60 to the base level).
Factor 1 + 2. Adding oven spaces and productivity per shift:
4 seats (instead of 2).
20 pizzas per day (instead of 30).
6 hour shift.
Total: 480 units per shift (+300 to the base level).
As can be seen from the presented calculations, changing several factors gives a more significant effect.