Overview
As the title suggests, the operations director manages the activities of the leisure business. Their remit is to guarantee the commercial profitability of the operation while ensuring that safety rules for people and property are observed. A manager first and foremost, the operations director defines and implements human resources policy and leads their team closely. They also oversee the administrative, budgetary and logistical running of the business.
What is an operations director?
This professional is also a commercially minded figure who plays an active part in the site's marketing policy. Developing new offers and new products is one of the most important aspects of the role. To keep the business commercially dynamic, the operations director builds and nurtures partnerships with private and public sector players alike, and carries out extensive market research. To keep the project on track, they also define the site's communications strategy.
What skills & qualities does an operations director need?
- Management, commercial and logistics expertise
- A sound administrator
- Command of communication and information tools
- Strong interpersonal and writing skills
- An excellent level of English
What career prospects and salary can an operations director expect?
Progression towards a general management position.
An operations director's salary depends on the size and type of the organisation that employs them.
How do you become an operations director?
The role of operations director is not an easy one to reach. It is generally taken on after several years spent in departmental management positions. Only by demonstrating strong hospitality and management skills in the field does it become possible to step into this role.
So if you hope one day to become an operations director, you will need to start with a course in hospitality and catering, then work your way steadily up the ladder. It can be wise to begin with a hospitality and catering baccalaureate, then continue at a hotel management school such as CMH, open to students straight after the baccalaureate and through direct entry, leading to the "MBA International Hospitality and Luxury Brand Management" degree. Over five years, the school awards an RNCP Level 7 qualification, preparing students to become future managers of luxury establishments. This programme also leads to a "European Bachelor in Hotel and Tourism Management": a career-focused, internationally oriented course that will give you solid foundations in modern foreign languages and, above all, genuine hands-on experience.
Taking these programmes as a work-study programme can add real value to your CV, since each of them must be rounded off with several periods of professional experience within an establishment before you can take on the responsibilities of an operations director.
