A day in the life of an operations manager

Operations managers make the enterprise processes of their organizations—from sourcing uncooked supplies to manufacturing and distribution—litter free.

They analyze the processes and enhance or redesign them to attain smoother operations. They might redesign enterprise processes or suggest the introduction of latest programs or counsel worker coaching or motivation to attain their objectives.

Let’s attempt to stroll within the footwear of an operations supervisor at an FMCG firm to search out out what his work day is like.

After all, in case you are an operations supervisor, your day might not precisely observe the sample under, however might embrace many of the traits described.

There could also be surprises throughout the day, too, like an sudden new order or a significant tools breakdown. However that’s when you’re anticipated to grow to be a clean operator.
 

A day within the lifetime of an operations supervisor

7 am-9 am

On the commute to work, you could wish to test your e mail to see whether or not there are any SOSes from any staff or pressing directions or requires conferences out of your boss. You could favor to reach fairly early, and far earlier than everybody else.

Typically, you’ll shout a hello or good morning to your colleagues coming in, since you must preserve finest relations with them and never let grudges fester, to make sure their cooperation and be capable to do your job effectively.

After breakfast at your organization cafe, you as soon as once more take a look at your inbox. You begin planning your day, and your week, if it’s a Monday.
 

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9 am – 10 am

You maintain a weekly assembly together with your colleagues, all managers, to recap what occurred final week and learn how to take away deficiencies, in order that issues don’t recur. You additionally look forward at what’s coming for the week, and the way your groups are positioned for attaining targets.

On the assembly, the standard assurance (QA) supervisor flags the slight improve within the proportion of faulty merchandise from the manufacturing line.

The manufacturing supervisor responds by mentioning the upper targets set for his staff, and factors out that his individuals are struggling to satisfy the targets within the wake of workers scarcity and the elevated demand for merchandise throughout the vacation season. There have been additionally just a few tools breakdowns, he factors out.

Referring to the present assembly, the tech-savvy upkeep supervisor asks whether or not this weekly effort at problem-solving will be accelerated by the introduction of an app for managers and staff leaders, in order that issues will be introduced to note and options discovered extra rapidly.

Can Gantt charts (which illustrates product schedule, standing, and progress) or alternate options even be created for departments?

You suppose these are good concepts, however you, together with the advertising / communication supervisor, want to talk to your organization’s IT marketing consultant first.

On the assembly, you notice that you’ve 4 points to resolve already: product high quality, manufacturing goal, workers scarcity, and technical/engineering/IT stuff.

The remainder of the assembly, fortunately, is event-free, as you and the others evaluation day by day/weekly experiences from varied departments.
 

10 am – 11 am

You have got a scheduled assembly together with your most well-liked transporter at 10.30 am, and you must get organized to have the ability to record out the issues.

The principle challenge appears to be delays in delivering your consignments to your distributors, who’re, in flip, dealing with a delay in transporting your items to malls and different buying facilities.

You increase the problem on the assembly, and the transporter, represented by a senior logistics supervisor, factors out that your organization doesn’t have an unique contract with them, and they’re compelled to share truck capability with one other firm.

The transporter provides that due to this fact, any delay in provides from the opposite firm delays dispatch of your items, too.

Later, after the transporter leaves, you focus on the matter together with your provide/distribution supervisor. He agrees that an unique contract might assist and could also be properly definitely worth the further price. It could additionally assist in emergencies, when your distributors usually are not in a position to ship uncooked materials on time due to transport points.

You make a remark of the problem for a dialogue together with your normal supervisor (GM) and hopes to resolve it by the top of the week. The finance supervisor (FM) may even should be concerned, since an unique contract with the transport will entail the next funds for transportation.

You name the transporter and request fast submission of a citation/contract. You alert the FM concerning the proposed unique contract and charges, and asks for his evaluation and presence at a gathering with the GM tomorrow.
 

11 am – 12 midday

As soon as again in your workplace cabin, you request the human assets (HR) supervisor for a dialogue on what will be carried out with workers scarcity.

She is well-prepared, and factors out that in a month with many non secular festivals, it’s tough to request staff to not go on go away. ‘Can extra time allowance be considered for staff who could make themselves obtainable?‘ you ask.

The HR supervisor says she’s going to work out a plan and likewise mentions compensatory holidays, since just a few staff are already on extra time and it will be counterproductive to ask them to increase their hours additional.

She additionally mentions {that a} coaching/refresher program would possibly assist carry the brand new workers in control quicker.
 

12 midday – 1 pm

One other scheduled assembly: a brand new buyer, the proprietor of one of many largest and hottest malls within the metropolis, desires to debate distribution and advertising. Your provide/distribution supervisor and advertising supervisor additionally attend the assembly.

The mall proprietor sends a senior supervisor and aide, who increase the issue of immediate provide. You guarantee them that steps to enhance provide are being taken with higher transport.

The mall representatives additionally ask whether or not an introductory low cost will be provided to them since your merchandise are being bought on the place for the primary time and there’s powerful competitors from a bigger group.

You are feeling it is probably not potential so that you can provide an unique low cost to only one buyer channel, however you promise to debate with advertising/communication the potential for launching a particular marketing campaign to spice up gross sales of your product on the mall. The mall individuals are pleased with the thought.

The advertising/communication supervisor is able to meet round 4.30.
 

1 pm – 2 pm

You consider grabbing some lunch from “Meals on Wheels,” a meals provider who visits your group twice a day. Then you definately all of the sudden recall that at the moment’s lunch is on the month-to-month occasion that HR has organized for workers whose birthdays fall this month.

You are feeling responsible that you just haven’t visited the occasion venue, the cafeteria, to assist with the preparations, and rush off.

On the cafe, you observe that preparations are already nearly full, however you continue to attempt to assist somebody put up festoons.
 

2 pm – 3 pm

Now again to work! You higher name within the upkeep supervisor to debate tools breakdowns, which ought to not occur.

However you already know that the current breakdowns usually are not shocking and have occurred just a few occasions up to now six months. You’re about to understand that you’ve seen simply the tip of the iceberg.

The upkeep supervisor refers to discussions a few months in the past, the place he had identified to put on and tear and the necessity for restore/upkeep or substitute.

At the moment, you and the senior administration realized the difficulties: manufacturing must be partially suspended for at the very least a few months, which might carry issues comparable to unmet demand and provide backlogs, in addition to blows to advertising efforts attributable to decrease manufacturing.

Your scenario is way worse now, two months later! You have got an enormous downside.
 

3 pm – 4 pm

After the assembly with the upkeep supervisor, you set your thoughts to discovering options. However fairly providentially, you stumble on what appears to be like like a good suggestion.

Why not make the most of the spare capability of your manufacturing facility within the neighboring state? The one foreseeable issues: transport of the completed items from that state and high quality assurance.

Transport is just not a difficulty — in any case, you might be planning an unique contract together with your transporter, who will be persuaded to present you an excellent deal. You solely must depute a senior manufacturing man and QA supervisor to the opposite manufacturing facility to maintain high quality points.

You notice that that is the one sensible answer and are assured of convincing senior administration to approve a funds. If applied properly, this may very well be an excellent resolution on your firm and a private triumph for you.
 

4 pm – 5 pm

You have got earned your night cuppa. Often you even have a scone or sandwich, however lunch on the birthday bash was too heavy.

Simply then, buyer care/suggestions reroutes a name from an irate buyer complaining about faulty packaging of a product.

You ask the shopper to e mail you the main points and promise to resolve the problem in 24 hours. You make a remark to name high quality assurance very first thing tomorrow.

Your HR supervisor walks in with a plan for compensatory go away/extra time and employee coaching to resolve workers scarcity and high quality issues mentioned this morning. The plans look workable and also you praise her.

She leaves, and the advertising/communication supervisor arrives with a brand new promotional marketing campaign for the mall, additionally mentioned just a few hours in the past.

She has a budget-friendly strategy that includes the usage of advertising collateral comparable to indicators, banners, and billboards, ready by the corporate’s media company just a few months in the past on the preliminary launch of merchandise.

The plan includes the contemporary creation of just a few supplies comparable to brochures to make the marketing campaign appear unique to the actual mall, however she confirms that the marcom woman in her staff can simply put together them.

She additionally has concepts for the corporate’s social media outreach. Now the CEO and the GM solely must be briefed because the marketing campaign doesn’t entail excessive prices.
 

5 pm – 6 pm

The transporter emails the brand new quote for an unique contract together with your firm; your provide/distribution supervisor has been tagged.

You’re taking a fast look and communicate to him. He factors out that there can be a big increased outgo for those who settle for the charges, however there could also be room for negotiation. ‘Are you able to schedule a gathering with the transporter tomorrow?‘ he asks.

However you two want a run-down by the FM and the GM forward of the assembly with the transporter. That can be carried out very first thing tomorrow, adopted by the assembly with the transport firm. You name and repair up the assembly.

The IT marketing consultant wafts in, contemporary from a world journey, and says howdy. You’re taking the chance to counsel an app to assist workers to inform issues to their managers.

He says no downside, however would love you to specify what precisely you want. You’ll get collectively once more after sounding out the tech-savvy upkeep supervisor and the marcom woman.
 

6 pm – 7 pm

It’s time for the weekly briefing with the CEO and GM. You are ready and have notes.

You focus on high quality and workers scarcity; the HR plan on further hours, compensatory holidays, and coaching program; tools breakdowns and the urgency of upkeep; the plan to make use of the spare facility; workers deputation; the unique transporter contract; and the brand new promotional marketing campaign on the mall.

The CEO and the GM deal with the plan for the spare facility, and desire a detailed blueprint of the thought with the cost-and-benefit figures and the timeline.

They briefly focus on the transport contract and the coaching program and allow you to determine on these and different points in session with the managers involved. You inform the GM that you’ll meet him tomorrow with the transport contract charges.

In passing, the CEO reminds you of the managers’ evaluation assembly on KPIs (key efficiency indicators) scheduled for subsequent week.
 

7 pm – 9 pm

Lastly you may go away the workplace and catch the metro residence. Whereas shutting down your PC, you alert your self to a few duties that you just didn’t get round to do at the moment: preparation of your month-to-month plan and dialogue of marcom’s new branding technique with the authorized advisor.

You additionally haven’t began analysis to search out suppliers of company presents, however you might be already mischievously pondering of palming off the work to HR!

You attain residence. It’s the youngsters’ evening out with grandparents as a brief faculty trip has began.

Your spouse is already again from work and also you assist her make dinner. She has noticed a brand new romantic film on Netflix for you two to look at collectively — your binge-watching of “Fits” needs to be briefly suspended.

Simply earlier than calling it an evening, you test your cellphone for any missed name, SMS, or emails.
 

 
Additionally learn:
– Masters (MS / MBA) in Logistics and Provide Chain Administration
– Masters (MS) in Operations Analysis in USA
– Kinds of jobs after MBA in Operations & different specialisations
– Free on-line SCM sport
 
References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12