Are you a construction firm looking to recruit an operations manager? Or perhaps you are someone in search of a job in the role. In either case, you must familiarize yourself with the skills needed to do so. Keep in mind that the following are just three of the skills needed for this role. Many other skills, both hard and soft skills, will also be important.

Ability to Use Modern Construction Technology

With the rise of technology in construction, operations managers need to be familiar with the basics of using this technology. The right tech lets this position improve its job performance and efficiency.

While you do not necessarily need to know how to use a specific system, it is good to have familiarity with at least a handful of them. This should give you enough relevant skills to transfer to whichever system your construction company uses.

Including Understanding the Importance of Data

It isn’t enough for operations managers to be able to use the latest construction technology. They must also understand why the tech is so important. They should understand that having the right data will improve scheduling, productivity, safety, and efficiency.

How to Use the Data Provided

This skill also extends to the knowledge of how to best put the data to good use. For example, a good operations manager will look at the data to find key problems and inefficiencies.

Problem Solving

Another crucial skill for any operation manager is the ability to solve problems. After all, the ability to spot issues using data is only useful if you know what to do about it. This skill requires an element of creativity and adaptability. You must be flexible and willing to change your strategies as necessary.

Construction operations managers should be able to solve both long-term and short-term issues. For example, they typically direct daily project operations. On a small scale, they must be ready to adapt to unexpected issues, such as poor weather or sick workers. On a larger scale, they need to be able to adapt to supply chain shortages that drive up prices and make it harder to stick to the project budget.

Communication Skills

As is the case in any leadership position, construction operation managers must have excellent communication skills. They will have to communicate with team members, both those they manage and those above them. They will also have to communicate with vendors, key stakeholders, and others.

These communication skills must include the ability to share information and listen to it. For example, when an operation manager finds an inefficiency based on the data, they need to communicate the solution to workers who need to change their processes.

They also must be ready to listen to subordinates and others on the project about potential issues. Strong operations managers know that they are not the only person with insights. They know that valuable information can come from anywhere. As such, they encourage others to approach them with concerns or clarifications.

Conclusion

Familiarity with technology, problem-solving, and communication are all crucial skills for construction operations managers. This role also requires technical expertise, time management, organization, and leadership skills.

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