Top Operations Manager Interview Questions

Many skills are required for supervising and organizing daily operations for a team, department, manufacturing facility, or corporation. Interviewers ask operational, situational, and behavioral questions to determine the best candidate for an operations manager position. Prepare adequately for your interview by reviewing the operations interview questions in this guide. 

Business operations managers make sure everything in an organization runs as smoothly as possible. The duties of an operations manager often involve coordinating day-to-day business operations, supervising various financial processes, and creating new recruit training programs. If you’ve received a call for an interview for the role of operations manager, it’s important to know what questions to expect. 

Learning about the possible interview questions beforehand will help you relax on the big day and have a more productive interview. This guide discusses some of the top interview questions recruiters ask.

Operations Interview Questions

Operations managers carry out a variety of behind-the-scenes responsibilities that foster the operation of the company. They’re involved in regular business operations, planning and strategizing product roadmaps. 

When selecting an operations manager, hiring managers consider the ability to think strategically, comprehend financial and budgetary procedures, and make sound decisions. They also pay attention to candidates with project management and leadership expertise and the capacity to adjust to changing circumstances.

Below are some questions to expect when interviewing for the operations manager position.

1. What abilities do you draw upon to address business issues?

Operations managers are employed by commercial organizations, governmental entities, and nonprofit groups to oversee their everyday operations. And reduce any operational bottlenecks the organization may experience. 

Recruiters ask this question to assess your skills and qualifications as an operation manager. Demonstrate how your expertise and skills helped you excel in your previous role. And mention the techniques you use to solve business problems.

2. Why do you want to be an operations manager at this company?

Before your interview, research the company and discover something unique about their services/products. This will help you provide a suitable response to this question. 

When answering the question, state that you looked at their portfolio and learned about their everyday operations and objectives. Point out how it struck a chord with you powerfully. Mention that you believe you are the ideal operations manager for the specific economic or market sector.

You can also praise the company’s stellar reputation, great workplace culture, employee perks, and others. 

3. What do you picture as a regular workday?

How you respond to this question will significantly influence whether the company hires you or not. Demonstrate to the interviewer, your independence and readiness for a demanding workday.

Also refer to the activities you’ll do while working.

4. How will you balance attaining your objective with assisting your team in accomplishing their objectives?

This question allows you to demonstrate your multitasking, organizational, and strategic planning abilities. Emphasize how you can contribute to the organization’s productivity and efficiency using your skills.

5. How do you gauge a project’s success?

As an operations manager, you’ll be required to collaborate with department heads to ensure the smooth running of an organization. You’ll also be in charge of assessing the team’s performance.

Recruiting managers ask this question to analyze the success measurement techniques you employ. Emphasize the methods you use to evaluate performance and provide a brief explanation.

6. What makes you think that you can be a successful operations manager?

Hiring managers ask this question to learn more about your expertise. You may refer back to your previous positions. And showcase how the lessons you acquired from both your triumphs and mistakes have prepared you to become a great operations manager. Explain how you did an excellent job as a supervisor or manager of a team of employees.

Pinpoint your skills and strengths, for example, interpersonal skills, knowledge of the production cycle, numerical aptitude, leadership aptitude, and a keen sense of planning.

7. What is your approach to failure?

This is a frequently asked question that enables interviewers to assess the leadership style of an operations manager.

When answering this question, mention how a failed endeavor taught you something that changed your perspective. You might also mention how you overcame adversity to achieve success.

8. How do you assign tasks within the team?

One of the operations manager’s duties is distributing work among the team members.

Answer this question by stating that you identify the activities that must be prioritized before assigning tasks to team members. Say how you assign projects to persons with the required skill set to ensure efficiency.

Behavioral Interview Questions

• You’re tasked with hiring five new operations, but there’s minimal interest in the job market. What would you do next? 
• How have your suggestions enhanced a business’s general operations?
• What difficulties did you and your team previously encounter, and how did you resolve them? 
• What methods have you used to make presentations, and what was the outcome? 
• Describe a project you handled that had several teams participating. How did you handle the situation, and what part did you play in the project’s success?

Other Operations Interview Questions

• Do you have any experience with cost analysis tools? Mention any statistical instruments you have used before. 
• How would you collaborate with our IT staff to ensure the security of our private data? 
• What is your background in logistics management? 
• How do support services help businesses achieve their objectives? Give a few instances. 
• What approach would you take if your manager asked you to compile a report on manufacturing costs? 
• Have you ever bargained for a deal with a vendor? What strategy is the most successful? 
• What does effective communication between various organizational departments and functions mean to you? 
• How would you encourage staff members who are reluctant to change in working practices? 

Wrapping Up

Interviews can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the workforce. However, it’s something you cannot avoid.

Knowing some common questions you’re likely to be asked can better prepare you for the moment. Take the time to practice the operational interview questions in this guide and maximize your chances of getting the job.