Operations Manager Resume Example
Starting a career as an operations manager gives you the chance to gain experience in overseeing daily operations and managing cross-functional teams. For a successful operations manager application, you'll want to submit a professional resume that showcases your relevant skills. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your operations manager applications.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft an operations manager resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your operations manager resume.
Main sections of an operations manager resume
A successful operations manager resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
For junior and entry-level operations manager positions, you may be short on work experience to include in your resume. Select a resume layout that emphasizes your skills and qualifications, such as a functional format. Focus the content of your resume on your soft and transferable skills, and any hard or technical skills you've learned from your studies or career to date. You can also mention any relevant internships, training courses or voluntary roles you've taken on.
When applying for mid-level operations manager positions, it's typically best to opt for a reverse-chronological resume format. This is because work experience tends to be the most important resume section for this level. Rather than simply listing your responsibilities in each role, show the impact you made and offer evidence that demonstrates the skills and experience listed in the job description.
Senior job applications require a slightly different approach to mid-level or junior operations manager roles. Use a reverse-chronological format focusing on your work experience, with a particular emphasis on the impact you've made. Senior resumes are often longer than resumes for junior roles. This is because you may choose to include extra sections, such as awards, professional memberships, publications, conferences or certifications on your resume.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header with Contact Details
Your operations manager resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Violet Ramirez
violet.ramirez@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
29 Acacia Road, Nutwood, CA
linkedin․com/in/violet–ramirez123
Resume Objective
Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in operations manager roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for operations manager roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.
Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.
A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for operations manager roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. Take a look at some strong examples of how to approach a operations manager resume summary in the graphic below.
Good example:
Results-driven Operations Manager with a BBA in Operations Management and extensive experience as Director of Operations. Proven track record in streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and driving organizational growth through strategic planning and execution. Skilled in resource management, team leadership, and optimizing operational workflows to achieve business objectives. Adept at implementing cost-saving measures and enhancing overall productivity
Bad example:
Operations manager with some background in managing operations and leading teams. Previously worked in roles where I helped improve processes and efficiency. Experienced in handling resources and working with teams to meet goals. Tried to save costs and boost productivity in various ways
Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your operations manager resume summary
Work Experience
Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of an operations manager. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.
Good example:
Director of Operations, January 2022 - Present
Pinnacle Logistics Solutions, Atlanta
- Spearheaded a $5M cost reduction initiative, improving operational efficiency by 15% through strategic process optimization and resource reallocation
- Led a cross-functional team to successfully launch a new product line, achieving a 25% market share within the first year
- Implemented a data-driven inventory management system, reducing excess inventory by 30% and improving order fulfillment accuracy to 99%
Bad example:
Director of Operations, January 2022 - Present
Pinnacle Logistics Solutions, Atlanta
- Managed various projects to enhance team performance and company growth
- Improved processes to increase overall efficiency and productivity
- Led initiatives to optimize resource utilization and operational effectiveness
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.
Education
The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as an operations manager.
To work as an operations manager, employers tend to require candidates to have a specialist degree, such as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). If you have this degree, focus on it in your education section, while also mentioning any educational achievements that show your data analysis proficiency or ERP systems knowledge.
Include any qualifications relevant to the role. For each, add the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Operations Management, 2017 - 2020
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Skills
In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to operations manager positions. Consider adding LEAN methodologies expertise, communication and collaboration or any other necessary skills for the job. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as an operations manager.
Highlighting your hard skills
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for operations manager jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, these skills are essential for an operations manager resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
For an effective resume hard skills section, focus on the technical skills that are most essential in the job description, and that match your specific expertise. Some examples of the best hard skills for an operations manager resume are listed below.
- Project management skills
- Supply chain optimization
- LEAN methodologies expertise
Soft skills on your operations manager resume
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for an operations manager position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for an operations manager resume, see below.
- Communication and collaboration
- Problem-solving abilities
- Time management skills
Certifications
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional operations manager certifications, licenses or qualifications. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for an operations manager resume:
- PMP Certification, 2022
- Six Sigma Black Belt, 2022
- CPIM Certification, 2022
Optional Sections
In addition to the core sections of an operations manager resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Take a look at the sections below and add any that help you show how and why you're right for the job.
Hobbies and Interests
Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.
Volunteering
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your operations manager resume. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard operations manager resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.
References will be available upon request.
Best strong verbs for your an operations manager resume
Using strong action words to make your resume resonate with the employer. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.
- Coordinate
- Optimize
- Streamline
- Implement
- Oversee
- Manage
- Analyze
- Develop
- Execute
- Supervise
For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.
Sample operations manager resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your operations manager resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
29 Acacia Road, Nutwood, CA
•
violet.ramirez@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/violet–ramirez123
Results-driven Operations Manager with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and extensive experience as a Director of Operations. Proven track record in optimizing processes, enhancing productivity, and driving operational excellence. Skilled in strategic planning, team leadership, and project management to achieve organizational goals and improve efficiency. Adept at managing budgets, implementing cost-saving initiatives, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations. Strong communicator with a focus on fostering collaborative work environments and delivering exceptional results.
Director of Operations
2020
-2022
Skyline Ventures, Inc (Norfolk)
- Increased operational efficiency by 30% through process optimization, reducing costs by $1.5M annually
- Led cross-functional team to implement ERP system, improving data accuracy and decision-making, saving 500+ man-hours per month
- Spearheaded supply chain overhaul, cutting lead times by 40%, enhancing customer satisfaction, and boosting on-time delivery rate to 98%
Project management skills
Supply chain optimization
LEAN methodologies expertise
Communication and collaboration
Problem-solving abilities
Time management skills
PMP Certification
Six Sigma Black Belt
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Do's and don'ts of an operations manager resume
Key tips to help you craft a strong resume
- List your qualifications in your education section, including any necessary degrees or certifications, along with high grades.
- Tailor your resume to make it as relevant as possible to the role you're applying for. Consult the job description and adapt your resume to reflect the required skills and experience.
- Keep your operations manager resume as brief as possible. A single page is ideal for junior applicants, while two sides is acceptable for senior jobs.
- Review your resume thoroughly and correct any errors before sending it, to avoid unnecessary harm to your chances.
- Mention key skills that show you're suited to the job throughout your resume, as well as in the dedicated skills section.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't use elaborate formatting or layouts. These can make your operations manager resume less readable and harder for applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan.
- Don't use an email address with offensive, funny or casual connotations. Instead, create a professional email address based on your name.
- Don't use jargon or acronyms when you can use simple, straightforward language to say the same thing.
- Don't forget to keep your header up-to-date with every application, to make sure you don't include old contact information.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. When writing your operations manager resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
- Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
An operations manager resume FAQs
After writing your operations manager resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Check the job description to see whether a full, formal cover letter is necessary. In some situations, it might be more suitable to simply send a brief email to introduce yourself and accompany your resume.
If you choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to operations manager roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
For help creating an eye-catching cover letter that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, use Jobseeker's professional cover letter templates.
Even if you have little or no relevant work experience, it's still possible to write an operations manager resume that makes a strong impression on employers. Choose a resume structure that best showcases your key skills for the role, such as a functional format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. Utilize additional sections at the end of your resume to show you've got what it takes to do the job. These include hobbies and interests, voluntary roles, certifications and internships.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your operations manager application, a resume headline can help. A well-constructed resume headline can help your resume rank highly with ATS screening tools by referencing some of the key information from the job description. Write a concise headline including the job title, a reference to your experience or track record and one or two key skills.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Aspiring Operations Manager Specialist
- Expert Operations and Efficiency Leader
- Seasoned Operations Management Professional
The top resume format for your applications will vary according to a couple of factors. First, how much professional experience you have. Second, what type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Key takeaways for your operations manager resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
