Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Operations Managers in Tacoma

Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Operations Managers in Tacoma

Current Environment

Operations management is the act of controlling and directing the design, production, and delivery of products. 

An important part of the role is using both project and quality management systems for mapping, improving, and monitoring operations processes. Although operations management has typically dealt with the manufacturing process, the growth of the service industry and product development has increased demand. 

Quality and project management systems are popular in today’s operations profession. It includes systems for mapping, improving, and monitoring operations processes. A variety of quality and process management systems are in use among top firms, the most notable systems being the ISO systems and Six Sigma. These systems aim to increase the efficiency of business processes. Although operations management has typically dealt with manufacturing, the growth of the service industry and product development has increased demand.

History

Although people have been producing and selling products since the very beginning of civilization, the implementation of operations management is a relatively new phenomenon. Operations management came to prominence in the 20th century, but its roots can be traced back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Operations management has obviously been through a significant transformation since the industrial revolution; however, much of what was initially implemented is still, in one way or another, held in place over the years.

How will Recruiting operations managers Help Your Company?

How will Hiring operations managers Help Your Company?

The hiring of an operations manager can affect both your existing team and your bottom line. A great operations manager will be drawn to details, help with delegation, and help with communication – internally and externally.

The ROI of a good leader within your business can be massive – from increased sales and productivity to a lower employee turnover rate. The far-reaching responsibilities of a business operations manager is one reason finding the right candidate is so important.

Before we get to exactly how to hire the best operations manager, let’s review some of the details…

operations manager Details

Responsibilities

A strong operations manager will ensure projects are completed properly and on time and are staffed appropriately. With a keen eye for detail, the operations manager will help to identify when things are not being completed correctly and/or running properly. They will be able to not only identify existing problems but will spearhead efforts to provide solutions and work collaboratively to organize and manage teams and production schedules and more.

Before we get to exactly how to recruit the best director of operations in [city_name], here are some of the responsibilities of the job.

An operations manager is responsible for keeping track of the big picture and identifying potential areas of improvement. The average operations manager’s responsibilities include: 

  • Long-term planning to create initiatives that further the company’s overall goals
  • Coordinating different teams to foster the exchange of ideas and provide cross-team learning opportunities
  • Assessing and analyzing departmental budgets to find ways to minimize expenses and optimize profits
  • Inspiring and motivating employees to perform at their best through positive encouragement and incentive initiatives
  • Communicating with the board or other senior officials about shifting company priorities and projects
  • Identifying potential problems and points of friction and working to find solutions in order to maximize efficiency and revenue
  • Identifying opportunities to expand or shift course in order to take advantage of changes in the market

Looking for another position? View other positions we place in Tacoma, Washington.

Education

Typically, operations managers have at least a bachelor’s degree. While the degree may be in any field, many production managers have a bachelor’s degree in business administration or industrial engineering. Sometimes, production workers with many years of experience take management classes to become production managers.

At large organizations, where managers have more oversight responsibilities, employers may look for managers who have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a graduate degree in industrial management.

Top Schools – US News & World Report rankings

Top Schools

  •

    Stanford University

  • The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

  • The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

2019 U.S. National Data

Salary Range

operations managers in the U.S.

$45k
Low
$123k
Average
$208k
High

$128k

Average WA
Salary

$61.38

Average WA
Hourly
1058k

Total operations managers Employed in the U.S.

69.4%

Men

30.6%

Women

operations manager Salary Comparison

National

Operations managers will likely face strong competition for open positions, but those who have several years of experience and a bachelor’s degree in industrial management or business administration should have the best prospects. While competition can be fierce, once hired, candidates can expect to be well compensated.

Washington

The average annual salary for operations managers in Washington was 128k in 2019. The hourly wage averaged $61.38.

For more detailed compensation information for operations managers in Tacoma, download our free compensation/salary report below.

Working in Tacoma

Tacoma is a picturesque city in Washington on the banks of Puget Sound, located just north of its neighbor and “big sister” Seattle. But Tacoma is definitely a city with its own identity. Due to its thriving job market and progressive culture, Tacoma is also known as the City of Destiny.

Its natural beauty, ocean-front location, focus on arts and culture, and its proximity to the impressive Mount Ranier give Tacoma a ton of character.

Here are a few additional “pros” for living and working in Tacoma.

Pros

    • The crown jewel of Tacoma is Point Defiance Park, which some compare to  NYC’s Central Park as far as size and stuff to do.  The park has 760 acres of trails, gardens, forests, playgrounds, and waterfront activities like boating and swimming.
    • It’s also home to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.
    • Museums: The city boasts several world-renowned museums: the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum.
    • Tacoma Arts Live features three theaters, the Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma Philharmonic, Tacoma Symphony Orchestra, and Puget Sound Revels.
    • Tacoma gets good reviews on its food scene, and most locals would point to Ruston Way for the best seafood restaurants, or cross the Tacoma Narrow’s Bridge to the charming city of Gig Harbor for more waterfront dining options.
    • The cost of living is lower than in neighboring Seattle. This calculator estimates that Tacoma is 34% cheaper overall than Seattle, and the median home cost is 56% less.

While there are many good things people report about living and working in Tacoma, there are a few complaints.

Cons

    • When comparing Tacoma to Seattle schools, the school data shows that Seattle has better statistics for Pre-K-12 schools. Tacoma has more students per teacher and a lower high school graduation rate, and while 28% of students go on to get a 4-year degree, 62% achieve the same in Seattle.
    • The Tacoma Aroma. What?? It’s a rancid, unpleasant odor that occurs occasionally in the tidal flats. Describe it as that kind of sulfuric, rotten egg smell. It’s a byproduct of industrialization in the area.
Tacoma, Washington

Current Weather

Not your city? View other cities where we place operations managers.

Demand for operations managers in Tacoma

Demand for operations managers in Tacoma

Jobs for operations managers in most industries are expected to increase at a rate of about 9% by 2026. The BLS is making these projections based on the rapid expansion of many existing companies and the significant number of new startup operations that are forming. It’s expected that this will result in the need for more capable managers for operations processes and teams.

The supply of candidates and demand for open positions have a direct correlation to a company's ability to hire. Download a free Supply and Demand report for operations managers in Tacoma, Washington below.

How to Hire the Best operations managers

Finding and hiring the best operations manager candidates can save you money right away and well into the future.

The costs of making a bad hire are well documented. The cost can run as much as 30% of the employee's first-year earnings according to the US Department of Labor. Bad hires can cost a whopping $240,000 in expenses related to hiring, compensation, and retention per The Undercover Recruiter. 74% of companies who admit they've hired the wrong person for a position lost an average of $14,900 for each bad hire according to CareerBuilder. These statistics support our long-held position that behavioral questions are the best way to get to know your candidates and past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

Recruiting Best Practices

The information below comes from the best practices Amtec uses for finding the highest quality candidates.

Defining the Position

When defining the role you are creating, we recommend a position profile to fully evaluate the position you are hiring for. You must decide if the engineer can work remotely or must work in Washington. If working in Tacoma is essential, make sure you include that in your job posting so candidates can decide how many miles they can commute.

How to Source the Best Candidates

When you are looking to source the best quality candidates for your open positions, make sure you have done the legwork to hire an "A Player". You can do this by making sure your company's perspective is aligned with the current market, you have taken into account the job responsibilities, as well as what type of characteristics you are looking for to fit your company culture. Then proceed to write a job posting to attract high-quality candidates.

Characteristics of operations managers

The operations manager serves as a critical communication and project organization backbone, connecting and coordinating all the intersecting teams and business operations. Hiring the right candidate takes time and should include multiple interviews. Remember, when effective, this leader can ensure teams work together effectively which can increase your bottom line. This isn’t a hire that should be taken lightly.

For more detailed compensation information for operations managers in [city_name], download our free compensation/salary report below.

How to Screen Candidates

You wrote a job posting, posted the position online, and received a lot more resumes than you’d bargained for! Next comes the enormous task of sorting through those resumes to eliminate the ones that are clearly not a good fit. Now, you have a stack of resumes for candidates who have potential. So how do you go about screening the remaining candidates?

It starts on the phone! As a recruiter, the goal of your telephone screening is to learn more about your candidates. You can confirm that they have the educational qualifications and relevant experience, but you also need to determine if they would fit into your company's culture. To make this job easier, use a system to consistently evaluate results. This way you can equally and objectively compare candidates and evaluate their "soft skills", like communication and thinking process. Download Amtec's Professional Assessment Questionnaire below to help with screening candidates.

Free Professional Assessment Questionnaire

An individually customized questionnaire that helps assess a candidate's competence with written communication skills, thinking processes, and other relevant skills.

How to Interview Candidates

At Amtec, we believe in the power of behavoral interview questions to go beyond the experience and skills listed on the candidate's resume. Although you will want to confirm in the interview that the candidate does indeed have the experience listed on their resume, your assessment needs to go much deeper than that. An interview using behavioral questions can help you determine how well the candidate will fit with your company culture.

Download Amtec's best practices on conducting super effective interviews to find the best candidates and fill your open jobs.

Behavioral Interview Guide

Get the info you need to hire the best operations managers

Free Interview Guide