General and Operations Managers Green Job Profile

Posted on Sep 4, 2012 in Energy Efficiency Jobs by Anh Speer, Ph.D. 0 Comments

General and operations managers work in nearly every industry including green industries. These green job holders’ primary duties are planning, directing and or coordinating the operations of public or private sector organizations such as power companies, utility companies or companies that produce or sell green products. General and operations managers’ responsibilities include overseeing activities directly related to making green products or providing services such as renewable energy or weatherization services. They direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of green products. General and operations manager also review financial statements, sales and activity reports, and performance data to measure productivity, goal achievement and to determine areas that need cost reduction and program improvement.

As part of their duties, general and operations managers oversee staff, assign specific tasks and work schedules. They direct and coordinate financial and budgetary activities for the organization to fund operations, maximize investments, and increase operational efficiency. General and operation managers also establish and implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, and procedures, consulting with board members, organization officials, and staff members when needed. They determine staffing requirements based on the demands for green jobs within the organization and even interview, hire and train new employees. These managers plan and direct activities such as sales promotions of green products, and coordinating with other department managers as necessary. They determine the type of green products or services to be sold, and set prices and credit terms based on forecasts of customer demands on applicable products and services. They also locate, select, and acquire green products for resale, and representing management in purchase negotiations.

General and operation managers may use the following technologies in their jobs:

Accounting software such as Bookkeeping or Intuit QuickBooks software
Customer relationship management CRM software such as FrontRange Solutions Goldmine, Salesforce.com CRM, Vanguard Sales Manager, and vtiger CRM
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software such as Deacom ERP or SAP software

Green Job Summary

General and operation managers duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources – those activities that are diverse and general in nature and are not classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services
General and operations managers jobs in green industries are growing at 3 to 9 % in the next 10 years – about the same pace as top executive in other areas.
General and operations managers are among those green job holders who have a bright outlook because of the growing demand in green jobs and other government funded initiatives such as the Solar Tax Credit or Clean Energy Loan Program

Work Environment for General and Operations Managers

General and operations managers typically work in offices and have numerous support staff. Their work is often stressful because they are under intense pressure to bring success to the organization. General and operation managers may travel a lot to attend meetings and conferences or to visit their company’s local, regional, national, and international offices. In large organizations, general and operations managers may occasionally transfer jobs or move between local offices or subsidiaries. General and operations manager typically work long hours, including evening and weekend, but some may have the ability to set their own schedules.

Education, Training and Licensing

Education and training requirements for general and operations managers are varied by position and industry. Many general and operations managers have a bachelor’s degree or a master degree in business administration or in an area related to their field of work, and a significant amount of work experience. General and operations managers in some companies are promoted from within their organization. However, other companies may prefer to hire from outside the organization. General and operations managers who are promoted from lower level managerial or supervisory positions within their own organization often can substitute experience for education. General and operations managers hired from outside an organization need lower level supervisory or management experience in a related field. For green careers, general and operations managers are often required to have experience in the organization area of specialty. For example, for solar panel installation companies, general and operations managers are required to have knowledge and prior experience working with solar panel installations.

Employment Figures, Projections, Outlook and Earnings

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment of this field to grow between 3 to 9 percent from 2010 until 2020; slower than the average for all green jobs. The BLS projected 410,100 general and operations manager job openings between 2010 and 2020, and noted 1,767,000 jobs are currently filled. Titles included Operations Manager, General Manager (GM), Director of Operations, Plant Manager, Store Manager, Facilities Manager, Plant Superintendent, Vice President of Operations, Warehouse Manager, and Chief Operating Officer (COO). The BLS further reports that the median annual wage for salaried general and operation managers was $95,150 in 2011 with median hourly wage of $45.74.