Operations Manager CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Operations manager CVs are screened for process, people and cost keywords. Hiring managers look for efficiency gains, cost savings and team size, backed by numbers.

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Operations Manager hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Operations managementProcess improvementLeanSix SigmaSupply chain managementInventory managementKPI managementBudget controlHealth and safetyWorkforce planningContinuous improvementVendor management

Operations Manager tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

SAPOracleMicrosoft DynamicsPower BIExcelTableauWMSERP systemsSmartsheet

Operations Manager certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

Lean Six Sigma Green/Black BeltAPICS CSCP / CPIMIOSH Managing SafelyNEBOSH General CertificateCMI Level 5 Management

Operations Manager soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

People leadershipDecision makingProblem solvingCommunicationResilienceChange leadership

Operations Manager action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

ReducedStreamlinedLedImprovedImplementedCutScaledStandardisedDeliveredOptimised

Weak vs strong operations manager CV bullets

Managed the warehouse team.

Led 45 staff across 2 shifts in a 120k sq ft warehouse, raising pick accuracy from 97.2% to 99.6%.

Reduced costs.

Delivered £380k annual savings through Lean process redesign and carrier renegotiation.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview.

ATS tip for operations manager CVs

Include "Lean", "Six Sigma" and "continuous improvement" only where you can back them with a result. Recruiters probe these in interviews.

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "SAP", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

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