Career Options
General
Operations is a broad term that includes everything from the end of a production line all the way until a product is delivered to a customer. Examples include warehousing (raw materials and products), distribution management, logistics, transportation, supply chain management, and customer service. For many companies, Operations is their new competitive advantage in getting the right product to the right customer at the right time for the right price and using the most cost-effective means. Companies who focus on effective Operations are seeing dramatic improvements in the service they provide to customers.
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, companies must find ways to optimize their operations, minimize costs, and meet customer expectations more effectively. The competitive advantage for any company is getting the right product, to the right customer, for the right price, at the right time by using the most cost-effective means.
In the webcast below, we’re fortunate enough to bring back four former JMOs and Cameron-Brooks Alumni who are leading in the Operations and Supply Chain Management Career Fields to discuss their experiences, common misconceptions, and concepts like the integrated supply chain and why it is essential for sustainable growth and gaining the competitive advantage.
Key Connecting Points
Team Leadership
Operations leaders lead teams of 10 to 100 associates who are involved in moving products through the supply chain. They coach and develop their teams to achieve quality, quantity, cost, and process improvement goals.
Cross-Functional Leadership
While they supervise a team, they also interface with many different functional areas of a company.
Technical skills
Many logistics operations now use robots, RFID (radio frequency identification) scanning, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and more to efficiently track and move materials.
Logistics Experience
Companies value military officers who bring experience with scheduling, logistics, transportation, inventory control, resource management, contracting and procurement.
Possible Job Titles
- Team Leader
- Operations Manager
- Operations Facilitator
- Maintenance Team Leader
- Distribution Manager
Sample Job Description
Operations: Please keep in mind the following job descriptions are just two of many possible Operations job descriptions.
You will start your career as a Team Leader, supervising 20-75 distribution associates in one of the departments in the distribution center (receiving, warehousing, order fulfillment, shipping, etc.). You will be responsible for motivating and leading your team to provide high quality and cost-effective service to the next customer in the logistical chain, with ultimate responsibility to customers. Distribution is sophisticated in its use of advanced systems, both mechanical (gravity flow conveyors) and computerized (inventory control/automation). They use state-of-the-art systems for managing mass distribution of low cost goods obtained from a broad array of suppliers. The distribution center is the key link in the “raw materials to finished product” chain. You will be responsible for motivating, training and counseling your team to meet the standards of the distribution center. This is an extremely fluid, flexible environment, and a close working relationship with your team is vital. The complexity and intricacy of the entire distribution process are such that any knowledge you have of statistical methods, sampling techniques, and accounting and finance principles are beneficial.
You will start your career as a Service Team Leader, where you will lead a team of 10-14 service technicians who perform the service of sophisticated company products. You will plan and manage the day-to-day service operation to fulfill customer requirements and maximize profitability. You will interface with customers to understand their service needs, develop and negotiate service agreements tailored to those needs, schedule resources to meet workload, and monitor and interpret service agreement contracts. You will work closely with your technicians to plan activities, help identify and troubleshoot customer problems and develop training programs addressing policies, procedures, and other business requirements. You will take part in developing market plans and coordinate with the sales force to support area and regional objectives and meet customer demands. This is a unique position in that you will need excellent leadership skills to motivate your team of technicians, good technical skills to understand maintenance on sophisticated equipment, and strong customer interface skills to grow the business.
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