What Is a Vice President of Operations? How to Become One, Salary, Skills.

The vice president of operations is responsible for overseeing an organization’s operations tasks and activities. Here’s what to know about a vice president of operations’ salary, needed skills and how to become one.

What Is a Vice President of Operations?

Vice presidents of operations contribute to the overall profitability and success of a company by leading business operations and working closely with other company leaders to set goals, analyze business needs and understand the company’s success. Operations management and business operations are often used in tandem to ensure supply chains, marketing, sales, finance and HR are running smoothly. 

What Do Vice Presidents of Operations Do?

The vice president of operations is responsible for planning and implementing operations strategy. They collaborate with the company’s executives to determine business needs and analyze operational data. 

Vice President of Operations Responsibilities

• Plan, oversee and implement operations strategy. 
• Develop and implement the budgets for multiple departments and projects. 
• Interview, hire and train operations employees.
• Analyze and improve business operations.
• Ensure compliance with local and federal business laws. 
• Communicate project progress and any issues that arise with company leadership. 
• Make recommendations and ensure the company’s allocation of resources align with business needs and goals.  

Vice Presidents of Operations Within a Company

The VP of operations often works closely with executive leaders and the heads of several departments, such as finance, IT, sales and HR. They may have an operations manager or operations associate report directly to them, depending on the structure of the company. This role usually reports directly to the CEO or COO.

Importance of Vice Presidents of Operations

Vice presidents of operations are vital to both the day-to-day and long-term success of an organization. A successful vice president of operations analyzes operational data and informs company leadership of business needs and changes that can be made to optimize processes and budgets. 

What Skills Are Needed to Be a Vice President of Operations?

Qualifications to Be a Vice President of Operations

• Familiarity with the tools and software used by direct reports. 
• Ability to plan and think strategically for the company’s big picture goals. 
• Previous experience managing and scaling teams. 
• Familiarity with documentation software. 
• An understanding of operations management best practices. 

Vice President of Operations Prerequisites

• Vice presidents of operations usually have a bachelor’s degree in operations management, business administration or a related field. 
• Some people in this role may have a master’s degree in operations management. 
• At least 10 years of experience working in operations and 3 to 5 years in a people management role. 

Vice President of Operations Hard Skills

• Leadership skills. 
• Business acumen. 
• Critical thinking and problem solving. 
• Data entry and documentation skills.
• Financial and budget planning. 

Vice President of Operations Soft Skills

• Communication and presentation skills. 
• Time management and organizational skills. 
• Interpersonal skills. 
• Collaboration and team building skills. 
• Public speaking skills. 

Tools and Programs Vice President of Operations Use

• Zoom 
• Notion
• PandaDoc
• Microsoft Suite 
• Google Suite
• Trello
• Asana
• Slack
• Pipedrive

How to Become a Vice President of Operations

Vice President of Operations Education and Experience

Vice presidents of operations often have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations management or a related field. Those aspiring to this role may also want to earn a master’s degree in operations management to further their career opportunities. Since vice president of operations is a senior role, people looking to hold this position should have around 10 years of experience. 

Vice President of Operations Certificates and Courses

• Accounting: From Beginner to Advanced!
• Bookkeeping Basics #1: Understand the Fundamentals
• Certified Program Management Professional
• ITIL Certification
• Supply Chain Management Certification

Vice President of Operations Career Path

Vice presidents of operations can span many industries and may begin their careers as an operations associate. Some commonly held titles before this role include project manager and operations manager. Many vice presidents of operations go on to become chief operating officers. 

Vice President of Operations Salary and Job Outlook

The job growth rate for vice presidents of operations is expected to grow by 6 percent between 2018 and 2028. 

The full compensation package for a vice president of operations depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s experience and geographic location. See below for detailed information on the average vice president of operations’ salary.