Job Responsibilities
An operations analyst has a challenging job at hand. His job is to find faults in the current working process of the organization and give suggestions on effective ways of setting it straight. For doing so he needs to have exceptional analytical skills, to weigh the pros and cons of each available alternative, before presenting it in front of all the other members. He can work singlehandedly or as a member of a team.
Whichever way one chooses to work, first he needs to get acquainted with the working mechanics of the organization. One can start with meeting the members and checking the account books. This helps the analyst in getting a clear picture of all the transactions and the operations of the company. This further helps in analyzing and pointing out the deficiencies or areas where there is scope for improvement and to increase the profits further. Once the problem areas have been listed it is definitely easier to start working in a planned manner. Suggestions can be given and explained mathematically, through diagrams, references or by giving examples. The whole idea is to find a better alternative which will help in optimum utilization of money and man power. The responsibility surely does not end here. The analyst is also expected to implement his ideas and make sure that it is clear to all the other people involved. One might come across a few points in the process which were overlooked and need to be changed or adjusted. Making these changes in time is also important and has to be handled efficiently.
Educational Qualifications Needed and Skills Required
Having an MBA degree is essential along with a work experience of 2-5 years. An alternative specialization degree in finance, operations research, management or accounting does give one the required edge over others.
The job itself defines the skills that one is expected to have. An operations analyst should have excellent analytical and mathematical skills. He should have a knack at solving difficult problems and situations. An operations analyst should possess the ability to see a pattern in an apparently random sequence of operational procedures. The job profile of Operations analysis does not mean finding flaws all the time but also introducing new ways of doing a task. This becomes easier provided the person has good communication skills so that he is able to explain his operations strategy effectively. One also needs to remain updated with the new techniques and methods of analysis.
Job opportunity
If one has a strong academic record then they are often taken in by the firms during campus recruitment. This helps in gaining the much needed experience and paves their way to apply to bigger organizations in future. One can also apply online for jobs. There are numerous sites offering jobs and recruitment offers. One can even check the newspapers to look for placements.
Salary
Though how much one earns depends upon the post he holds, an average operation analyst earns about $50,000 per annum. The figure varies and depends to a large extent on experience and personal skills.
