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General and Operations Managers Occupation Detailed Description

General and Operations Managers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for General and Operations Managers

The main tasks and work activities of General and Operations Managers are to direct organizational operations, projects, or services, direct sales, marketing, or customer service activities, provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients, implement organizational process or policy changes. In general, for the General and Operations Managers, speaking, active Listening, coordination, social Perceptiveness and other 17 skills are required.
General and Operations Managers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for General and Operations Managers jobs. 15.20% of General and Operations Managers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 9.00% of General and Operations Managers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
15.20%
Post-Secondary Certificate
9.00%
Some College Courses
19.18%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
8.59%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
48.03%

Tasks and Work Activities of General and Operations Managers

  • Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  • Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.
  • Develop or implement product-marketing strategies, including advertising campaigns or sales promotions.
  • Direct non-merchandising departments of businesses, such as advertising or purchasing.
  • Recommend locations for new facilities, or oversee the remodeling or renovating of current facilities.
  • Plan store layouts or design displays.
  • Implement or oversee environmental management or sustainability programs addressing issues such as recycling, conservation, or waste management.
  • Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
  • Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
  • Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
  • Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits.
  • Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.
  • Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
  • Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
  • Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand.
  • Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGetting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProviding guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Direct organizational operations, projects, or services.
  • Direct sales, marketing, or customer service activities.
  • Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.
  • Implement organizational process or policy changes.
  • Develop marketing plans or strategies.
  • Recommend organizational process or policy changes.
  • Manage construction activities.
  • Determine resource needs.
  • Plan facility layouts or designs.
  • Manage environmental sustainability projects.
  • Analyze financial records to improve efficiency.
  • Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
  • Prepare staff schedules or work assignments.
  • Monitor performance of organizational members or partners.
  • Direct financial operations.
  • Develop organizational policies or programs.
  • Develop organizational goals or objectives.
  • Hire personnel.
  • Conduct employee training programs.
  • Determine pricing or monetary policies.

Skills and Abilities for General and Operations Managers

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Management of Material ResourcesObtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Management of Financial ResourcesDetermining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Mobile phonese.g. Cell phones
  • Scannerse.g. Computer scanners
  • Magnetic stripe readers and encoderse.g. Credit card processing machines
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital cameras
  • Hand trucks or accessoriese.g. Handtrucks
  • Temperature and humidity walk in environmental chambere.g. Humidity test chambers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Magnetic stripe readers and encoderse.g. Magnetic card readers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Photocopierse.g. Photocopying equipment
  • Point of sale POS terminale.g. Point of sale POS systems
  • Surface testerse.g. Profilometers
  • Spectrometerse.g. Spectrometers
  • Security camerase.g. Surveillance cameras
  • High vacuum equipmente.g. Vacuum test chambers
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Personnel and Human ResourcesKnowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.