what is an operations support?
As an operations support specialist, you are crucial to the company's operations. Your job is to ensure business processes run smoothly. You provide administrative and technical support to the operations team and relieve the team to perform other important tasks. Your duties include supervising employees and ensuring technical proficiency. You also resolve operational issues and monitor daily workflows.
Operations support specialists work in various departments to meet production schedules. For instance, you ensure the equipment functions properly and that tasks are completed on time. The role combines various aspects of customer service, administration and operations research. That means you may be tasked with general customer or technical support duties. For instance, you help customers resolve issues associated with deliveries or products they've purchased from the company. You also assist customers with questions regarding the uses of products or services.
With the diversity of your duties in operations support, you require a range of skills. Your organisational skills are crucial in ensuring efficiency and smooth business operations. Having technical skills and experience with Microsoft Office, inventory management or enterprise resource planning systems is also important.
view vacanciesaverage operations support salary
As an operations support officer, you receive an average salary of $84,833 annually. In an entry-level position, you start with a salary of $74,473 yearly. The most experienced workers make up to $119,676 per year. The salary varies depending on your location, industry, and rank in the organisation.
how to increase your salary as an operations support
Your earnings in operations support depend on the industry you work in. For instance, if you provide support in manufacturing or mining companies, your remuneration package differs from that of operations support specialists working in other industries. The complexity of the tasks in information technology (IT) companies may also increase your earnings. Aside from the industry, your expertise influences your remuneration package. When you are new in the role, you have minimal experience. As you gain experience, your earnings also increase.
Working in metro areas in Australia improves your remuneration prospects. The demand for operations support is high since many companies are based in major cities. Working in smaller cities reduces your earning potential.
The size of the company also affects your earnings. Working as an operations support in a large company improves your salary prospects due to the size of projects they handle and the resources available. Operations support specialists in small companies typically earn lower salaries.
Want to know what you will earn as an operations support? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of operations supports
Operations support specialists work in diverse areas of specialisation. For instance, you can work in production operations, assisting in optimising processes involved in manufacturing goods. In production operations support, you ensure efficiency by handling all the administrative tasks and ensuring employees perform their duties according to the schedule.
In service operations support roles, you manage customer interactions and service quality. You are responsible for creating positive customer experiences and developing efficient service delivery. You explain the product functions to customers and deal with complaints.
As a project operations support specialist, you assist in running projects. You help plan and execute projects while ensuring adherence to budget constraints. Some of your duties involve coordinating resources, managing project timelines and ensuring the successful completion of projects.
Operations support specialists also assist in the supply chain to minimise costs and improve customer satisfaction. You oversee procurement and inventory management and assist with effective supply chain operations.
working as an operations support
Working as an operations support specialist combines research, customer service, and administration skills to improve efficiency in business processes. Let’s explore the tasks and daily activities associated with the role.
-
operations support job description
While the specific duties of an operations support specialist depend on the industry, some of the daily tasks include:
- providing administrative support: as an operations support specialist, you provide administrative support to the operations team. Your duties include scheduling meetings for various projects and taking minutes during the meetings. You also maintain records for the team and help monitor project costs.
- implementing new processes: when new business procedures and processes are introduced into the company, you ensure the systems and processes are implemented smoothly. You also help operations teams identify and resolve issues that arise during implementation.
- coordinating with other departments: as an operations support specialist, you work closely with various departments to ensure smooth business operations. You liaise with IT, finance and human resources (HR) departments to ensure business processes run efficiently.
- collecting and monitoring performance data: as an operations support specialist, you collect data from various processes and analyse it. You use the performance data to identify trends and issues in business processes. You then make recommendations for improvements.
- providing technical support: as an operations support, your duties include troubleshooting and resolving technical issues in business systems. You also provide training to users when you install IT systems.
- managing inventory and handling procurement tasks: it is your job to ensure the operations team has everything they need for efficient production. Hence, your duties involve managing the organisation’s inventory and procurement processes. You order goods or raw materials and maintain the inventory levels in the company.
-
work environment
The work environment of operations support specialists depends on the industry and organisation. Many operations support roles are office-based, and you will spend most of the day on your computer completing administrative tasks. You also collaborate with various professionals and work in a team environment. The fast-paced work environment may involve travelling to various locations to complete your tasks. As an operations support specialist, you can work remotely or find work-from-home and hybrid jobs.
-
who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include process workers, project coordinators and operations managers. You might also be working in close proximity to office administrators and analysts, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, advisors, controllers and project engineers.
-
work schedule
The typical work schedule of an operations support specialist is 40 hours a week. You work the traditional business hours from 9 AM to 5 PM. Since you work in a fast-paced work environment with tight deadlines, you are likely to work overtime. Aside from working evenings, you also work on weekends to complete projects on time.
-
job outlook
Operations support offers many opportunities for career growth. For instance, you can become the team leader or supervisor of the operations support team. With additional experience and qualifications, you can progress to an operations manager position or become a project manager. Other operations support specialists become directors and consultants.
-
advantages of finding an operations support job through randstad
Finding your operations support job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as an operations support is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract every year with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
To work in operations support, you require relevant skills in your industry. Complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration or commerce to assist you in managing business operations. If you want to work in IT, pursue a diploma in information technology. You may also require additional certifications, such as Six Sigma and CompTIA A+.
operations support skills and competencies
As an operations support, you require the following skills and qualities:
- technical skills: you need good technical skills to work on computer systems and databases. Your knowledge of inventory management, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and computer software will help you manage various operations.
- communication skills: you require strong communication skills to communicate with other departments and external partners. Your written communication skills also help you in writing reports and performing other administrative tasks.
- problem-solving skills: as an operation support specialist, you ensure efficiency and smooth business operations. You require problem-solving skills to handle any issues that arise and resolve them to ensure they don’t affect the production schedule.
- attention to detail: your attentiveness to detail is useful in ensuring smooth business operations and implementation of business processes. When you are detail-oriented, you can identify issues quickly.
FAQs about working as an operations support
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of an operations support.
-
what does an operations support do?
As an operations support specialist, you assist the company in the smooth running of business processes. You are part of the team responsible for optimising business processes and organisation operations. You handle various operations, from monitoring business systems to providing technical assistance. As an operations support, you collect data from various systems and ensure efficient workflows.
-
how much do operations support specialists make in Australia?
Operations support specialists in Australia earn $84,833 per year. When you work in an entry-level position, you start with a remuneration package of $74,473 annually. With experience and additional qualifications, you make up to $119,676 yearly. The earnings fluctuate based on the area of expertise and work experience.
-
what are the skills of an operations support officer?
As an operations support specialist, you require exceptional technical skills. Your computer skills are useful in analysing business data and managing computer systems. Problem-solving skills are crucial for identifying and resolving issues that arise in the company. Your project management skills are also useful in managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
-
what are the daily tasks of an operation officer?
The daily tasks of an operations support officer include planning and managing projects. You also keep track of the operational costs and find ways to improve efficiency. Aside from implementing the operational procedures, you collect and analyse the operational data and recommend areas of improvement.
-
what is the qualification of an operations support officer?
The qualifications of operations support specialists depend on the industry. However, most companies require a bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management or information technology. You can also join an apprenticeship and gain certification as you learn on the job. Internships help you gain the necessary experience to work in the role.
-
how do I apply for an operations support vacancy?
Applying for an operations support job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.