How Do I Become a Field Operations Manager?

A field operations manager oversees the day-to-day activities of company employees who work in remote locations or who spend the majority of their time on outside business calls or conducting other types of non-office based work. Someone wishing to become a field operations manager must have successfully graduated from high school and many firms require applicants for these roles to have also finished college. Additionally, due to the nature of the job anyone planning to become a field operations manager must have prior experience working in a supervisory role.

While the precise job functions of people employed in these roles vary between companies, these professionals are typically required to manage personnel and budgets. Consequently, employers in various different industries prefer to hire managers who have completed undergraduate degree courses in business administration or management. People who oversee large territories are often required to have completed an advanced degree course in business or a related topic.

Distribution firms employ field managers to oversee sales staff and transportation workers who are responsible for marketing new products and ensuring that shipments safely arrive at retail stores. Someone employed in one of these roles at an engineering firm may be tasked with managing a construction project and ensuring that structural designs are in compliance with industry standards. Consequently, aside from having a firm grasp of business practices and procedures, someone wishing to become a field operations manager may have to complete a college degree course in an industry related topic. Additionally, people working as supervisors in the finance and medical fields often have to pass regulatory examinations before accepting such posts.

Depending on the work location, someone planning to become a field operations manager may need to attend a first aid or safety training course since people who oversee construction sites and manufacturing facilities are often responsible for ensuring that safety procedures are followed. Someone overseeing a territory that crosses international borders may need to have second language skills in order to communicate with workers and business partners. As managers spend much of their time traveling, someone employed in one of these roles may need to possess a valid drivers license.

Operations managers normally oversee several work locations and most firms require applicants for these roles to have spent some time working as a departmental supervisor before assuming one of these multi-unit management jobs. Additionally, people in these roles often have to manage both sales focused and service oriented employees. Consequently, many firms require job applicants to have spent a certain number of years working in a variety of junior roles before transitioning into of these regional jobs.