Director of Operations OPERATIONS/PRODUCTION/ SKILLED TRADES DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS When you work at a company, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations without looking too far out in the future. Manufacturing plants are fast-paced environments with a lot of moving parts. If you don’t have someone to set long term goals, things can get swept under the table which could lead to disaster. It only makes sense that companies hire individuals with the foresight to look into the future and plan strategically. Who are these individuals? They are Directors of Operation (or Chief Operations Officers), highly experienced professionals with many years of work experience. A career to aspire to! 1. Directors of Operations Organize and Oversee Daily Operations The Director of Operations (DO) is a member of an upper management team that oversees the day-to-day operations of a food manufacturing plant. They ensure that a company moves smoothly while reaching long term goals. They are responsible for overseeing and optimizing production, supply chain management and logistical intricacies. To do so, they assign schedules and delegate tasks to staff and teams to complete daily activities. It is a DO’s responsibility to judge how efficiently and effectively the business operates. Tasks include reviewing business procedures (how staff perform tasks), business expenses (the cost of materials) and inspecting the efficiency of staff. Through analysis and collaboration, they improve business processes and ensure that plants work at the highest levels of operation efficiency. The duties that a DO performs is dependent on the company that they work for. For example, some DOs oversee manufacturing, sales and purchasing while others target specific areas. Overall, the director of operations provides leadership for operations, pushing the company forward. 2. Directors of Operations Use Key Performance Indicators The Director of Operations improves the efficiency of companies by developing ways of tracking progress. In the business world, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) track progress to evaluate the success of manufacturing processes and initiatives. Measuring KPIs allows the director to know what areas a company needs to improve. For example, production lines have a maximum amount they can produce during a period of time. A director of operations measures how much of the available capacity is being used on a production line because they want to maximize its time used. Therefore, one way to improve efficiency is upkeeping maintenance on machine parts. 3. Directors of Operations Have a Lot of Work Experience Due to the oversight needed for this profession, it is not uncommon for a company to require an individual to have at least 10 years of experience working in a senior management role within a manufacturing facility. Having extensive work experience allows the individual to have the insight to know which changes a manufacturing plant would benefit from and where to apply those improvements. It is almost always a requirement that the Director of Operations has a bachelor’s degree of some sort. Many companies do not specify what type of degree they require, but common educational backgrounds include operations management, industrial engineering, logistics and financial administration. Anyone interested in this position should also consider an advanced business-related degree such as a Master of Business Administration (also known as an MBA). 4. Directors of Operations Create Avenues for Employee Development For a company to grow, they need workers to grow with them. Worker growth comes from a culture of accountability and teamwork. The DO Director of Operations Building and managing operations Photo by pch.vector/freepik.com Photo by Uladzimir/stock.adobe.com 14
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