Throughout my career I’ve often been asked “what do you actually do? You’re always busy… but with what, exactly?”.
I’ve worked in Operations for almost 10 years and honestly still struggle to answer that question in a nutshell simply because, without blowing our trumpets, we really do get involved in everything (aside from the selling – we’ll leave that to the experts!).
We wear all the hats in the business and are generally considered the “go-to-person”. Need to roll out a new process or policy? Operations. Onboarding a new hire? Operations. Looking to implement a new system? Operations. Outgrown your office and need to move? Operations. Who will organise the Christmas Party?! Operations. The list goes on!
We work very closely alongside the Directors to help make their visions a reality so, no two days are ever the same; our roles adapt to the direction of the business. We’re not just glorified Administrators, we make data-informed strategic plans to improve business operations and maximise sales performance. We sit directly in the middle of the business and because of that, are perfectly positioned to be the eyes and ears for the business and can spot gaps, bottlenecks, or opportunities that might otherwise go amiss.
It’s a super varied role and a great career path for anybody who likes to be kept on their toes, and who enjoys solving problems and interacting with people. It’s an important role in the success of any business, no matter how big or small!
So, when is the right time to bring on board an Operations Manager?
If you’re running a small business or have founded your own start-up, you’re most probably thinking about how you will grow the business. The company culture, the first hires, implementing processes and procedures — it’s part and parcel of embracing that bootstrap mentality. But if you really intend on achieving long-term success as a business, I would highly recommend looking into bringing on board an Operations Manager early whose direct impact will be to take work off your plate, allowing you to focus on achieving your business vision.
