Operations manager interview questions

Operations managers make the business run smoothly and keep improving how it runs. A first round should show whether a candidate finds the real cause of a problem, measures what matters and can change a process without losing the team along the way.

10 questions for a operations manager first round

Pick three to five that fit your role, rather than all ten: a short first round gets more finished interviews. All ten together take about 24 minutes to record. The time limits suit a one-way video interview, where each answer is recorded once.

  1. 1

    Tell us about a process you improved. What was wrong with it, and what changed?

    Listen for: A clearly described problem, a change based on its cause and a measured result.

    3 min to answer
  2. 2

    Describe a time something went seriously wrong in your area. What did you do in the first hour?

    Listen for: Calm prioritisation, communication to the right people and a fix followed by a lasting change.

    3 min to answer
  3. 3

    Which numbers do you watch to know your operation is healthy?

    Listen for: A few meaningful measures, why each matters and what they do when one moves.

    2 min to answer
  4. 4

    How do you introduce a change that the team is unsure about?

    Listen for: Explaining why, involving the people who do the work and adjusting based on their feedback.

    3 min to answer
  5. 5

    Tell us about a time you had to cut costs without hurting quality.

    Listen for: Finding waste rather than cutting corners, with an example of what they kept on purpose.

    3 min to answer
  6. 6

    How do you decide what to fix first when there are many problems?

    Listen for: Weighing impact against effort and urgency, and saying no to the rest for now.

    2 min to answer
  7. 7

    Describe a time you worked with a supplier or partner who wasn’t delivering.

    Listen for: Clear expectations, a fair conversation and a back-up option.

    2 min to answer
  8. 8

    How do you make sure work keeps running when someone is away?

    Listen for: Documentation, cross-training and simple processes that don’t depend on one person.

    2 min to answer
  9. 9

    Tell us about a team member you helped improve.

    Listen for: Specific feedback, support and an honest account of the outcome.

    2 min to answer
  10. 10

    What would you want to understand first about our operations?

    Listen for: Listening and observing before changing, with sensible first questions.

    2 min to answer
Scoring

Signs of a strong candidate

  • Finds the cause, not just the symptom
  • Measures before and after a change
  • Brings the team along with changes
  • Stays calm when things go wrong

Agree what a 3 and a 5 look like for each question before anyone watches, and save your own rating before reading your colleagues’.

Use them

Run these as a video interview

  1. Save your chosen questions as a question set in AsyncView, with the minutes for each.
  2. Create an interview for the role, import the set and pick a deadline.
  3. Paste your candidates’ names and emails. Each gets a private link.
  4. Watch, rate and compare answers with your team, then shortlist.
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Send these questions to your operations manager candidates today.

Candidates record their answers in their own time; your team reviews together. The Free plan includes 5 interviews and needs no card.

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