Questions and answers on the subject of plant management in the skilled trades
What is an operations manager in the skilled trades?
A plant manager is the technical manager of a craft enterprise.
Which craft enterprises need an operations manager?
Handicraft enterprises that are legal entities (for example, GmbH) or partnerships (for example, GbR) require technical management in accordance with the Handicrafts Code. This also applies to businesses with owners who do not meet the requirements for the Crafts Register.1
What does a technical operations manager in the skilled trades earn?
The salary for technical management according to the Crafts Code ranges on average between 44,000 and 77,000 euros gross per year.2
What are the tasks of the management in the craft?
Operations managers in the skilled trades have many responsibilities. These include, for example:
- Personnel management and control
- Financial planning
- Monitoring compliance with occupational health and safety
- Quality assurance
- General business organization
Aspirants to the post of plant management must be capable of technically managing the craft enterprise in accordance with the principle of competence3. This means that they must be qualified for this task. Normally, the master craftsman's certificate is considered proof of suitability, but plant management can also be taken over by:
- Engineers
- Industrial foremen and forewomen
- State-certified technicians in the relevant field.
Hiring operations managers? This is what you need to consider
You would like to hire a manager for your company? In addition to formal qualifications, you should pay attention to the following aspects when selecting personnel:
- Experience in a management position
- Communication and leadership skills
- Flexibility
- Readiness for further training
- Entrepreneurial thinking
- Industry knowledge
This diversity of requirements is due to the comprehensive tasks that the person responsible for operations management has to deal with in their day-to-day work. This is also reflected in the salary.
What operational managers earn
The salary of plant managers depends both on the sector of the craft enterprise and on the size of the enterprise. Due to the high level of responsibility, it is usually significantly higher than that of salaried Tradesmen and craftswomen without management or leadership duties. Various salary figures can be found online. According to gehalt.de, the average salary for company managers is between 44,000 and 77,000 euros gross per year.4
Your duties as an operations manager may, of course, vary and depend on:
- Size of the craft enterprise
- Company form
- Branch
Typically, however, the range of activities includes these areas of responsibility:
- Personnel management: Are all employees deployed appropriately and is the company operating at full capacity in accordance with personnel requirements planning?
- Financial planning: What sales are forecast for the next quarters and how can the available budget be invested in a targeted manner?
- Monitoring of occupational safety: Are all measures with regard to occupational safety implemented and protection specifications adhered to?
- Quality assurance: Is the work or service in compliance with the law and customer requirements?
- Operational organization: Is the operation running efficiently and smoothly?
In addition, tasks from the areas of customer acquisition or marketing can be added.
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