This free Operations Manager job description template is ready to use — copy it, replace the {{placeholders}}, and post your role in minutes. It includes a company intro, a role summary, responsibilities, requirements, nice-to-haves, and compensation, with writing tips and FAQs below to help you tailor it to your team.
When to use this template
Use this when you're hiring an operations generalist to keep the company running smoothly — owning the processes, systems, and projects that don't fit neatly into one team. It's a broad, high-leverage role common at growing startups.
Ops candidates want to understand the scope, since 'operations' can mean anything from finance and vendors to internal tooling and special projects. Be specific about the priorities for the first year.
If the role is really focused on people and HR, use the People Operations Manager template; if it's a senior cross-company role, use the Chief of Staff template.
Writing tips
- Define the scope and the priorities for the first year — ops roles are broad.
- Emphasize building lightweight, scalable process over bureaucracy.
- Clarify the overlap with finance, people ops, and other functions.
- Highlight cross-functional work and comfort with ambiguity.
- Include the salary range and reporting line.
The job description
Copy the template below and replace the {{placeholders}} and [bracketed notes] with your specifics.
About {{company}}
{{company}} is [what you do]. As we scale, we're hiring an Operations Manager to keep things running smoothly and build the systems that let us grow.
The role
As an Operations Manager, you'll own the processes, systems, and projects that keep {{company}} running — the high-leverage work that doesn't fit neatly into one team. You'll bring order and help us scale. This role reports to {{hiring_manager}} and is based {{work_type}} in {{location}}.
What you'll do
- Own and improve the operational processes that keep the company running.
- Manage tools, vendors, and systems across teams.
- Run cross-functional projects that don't have an obvious owner.
- Bring data and structure to decisions and reporting.
- Spot what's slowing the company down and fix it.
What we're looking for
- 3+ years in operations, consulting, or a similar cross-functional role.
- A track record of building process and bringing order to chaos.
- Comfort with ambiguity and a strong bias to action.
- Strong analytical and project-management skills.
- Clear communication across every team.
Nice to have
- Experience at a high-growth startup.
- Familiarity with [your operational tooling].
- Exposure to finance, people ops, or revenue operations.
What we offer
- Salary range: {{salary_range}}, plus equity.
- [Comprehensive benefits].
- Flexible {{work_type}} working and [PTO policy].
- A broad, high-leverage role with real impact on how we run.
How to personalize
Replace these placeholders before posting:
- {{company}}
- {{location}}
- {{work_type}}
- {{salary_range}}
- {{hiring_manager}}
The bracketed notes — like [your benefits] or [your primary language(s)] — are prompts to swap in your own details. The more specific you are about the actual work and stack, the stronger your applicant pool will be.
Frequently asked questions
- What does an Operations Manager do?
- An Operations Manager keeps a company running smoothly by owning the processes, systems, and projects that don't fit neatly into one team. They build lightweight process, manage tools and vendors, run cross-functional projects, and remove the bottlenecks that slow the company down.
- What's the difference between an Operations Manager and a People Operations Manager?
- An Operations Manager is a broad generalist covering company-wide processes and systems. A People Operations Manager focuses specifically on the employee experience — onboarding, benefits, and HR. At small companies one person may cover both; as companies grow, the roles separate.
- What skills should an Operations Manager have?
- A track record of building process and bringing order to ambiguity, strong analytical and project-management skills, comfort with a broad and shifting scope, and clear communication across every team. A bias to action matters more than deep expertise in any single function.