Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Operations Specialist II

🎯 Role Definition

The Operations Specialist II is a mid-level operations professional responsible for ensuring day-to-day operational excellence across fulfillment, logistics, vendor management, and internal service operations. This role combines process optimization, data-driven decision making, cross-functional coordination, and stakeholder management to improve efficiencies, control costs, and ensure consistent service delivery. The ideal candidate brings strong operational discipline, advanced data literacy, experience with ERP/WMS systems, and a proven track record of driving continuous improvement initiatives.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Operations Specialist I / Jr. Operations Specialist
Logistics Coordinator / Fulfillment Associate
Administrative Coordinator or Customer Service Lead

Advancement To:

Operations Manager / Senior Operations Specialist
Program Manager, Supply Chain or Fulfillment
Continuous Improvement Lead / Process Improvement Manager

Lateral Moves:

Supply Chain Analyst / Demand Planner
Project Coordinator / Vendor Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee daily operational workflows across fulfillment, inventory control, and logistics to maintain on-time delivery, reduce order errors, and meet service-level agreements (SLAs).
Manage and optimize inbound/outbound shipment processes including carrier selection, rate negotiation support, and exception handling to reduce freight costs and transit delays.
Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) — including order cycle time, fill rate, on-time delivery, and inventory accuracy — and create weekly/monthly dashboards for leadership.
Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions; drive consistent execution and compliance across sites or teams.
Lead root cause analysis for recurring operational issues using methodologies such as 5 Whys and Pareto analysis; implement corrective actions and monitor outcomes.
Coordinate cross-functional communication between customer success, sales, procurement, warehouse operations, and finance to resolve escalations and operational blockers.
Manage vendor and third-party logistics (3PL) relationships, including performance reviews, SLAs, onboarding, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Execute capacity planning and resource forecasting in partnership with workforce planning to align staffing with demand peaks and seasonal variability.
Perform regular inventory reconciliations, cycle counts, and discrepancy investigations to maintain inventory integrity and reduce shrinkage.
Drive process improvement projects using Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen principles to reduce waste, shorten cycle times, and improve throughput.
Support ERP and WMS administration by configuring workflows, creating transaction rules, and validating system changes to ensure accurate operational processes.
Prepare detailed operational reports, variance analyses, and executive summaries to support business reviews and strategic planning sessions.
Manage cross-border shipping requirements, customs documentation, and regulatory compliance for international orders when applicable.
Implement and enforce quality control checkpoints and sampling plans to prevent defects and maintain service standards.
Own incident management for operational outages or unexpected disruptions—coordinate rapid response, root cause investigation, and stakeholder communications.
Train, mentor, and develop junior operations staff and temporary teams on SOPs, safety standards, and operational best practices.
Lead small-to-medium scale projects (process redesign, system rollouts, automation pilots) from requirements through deployment and handoff to run-the-business teams.
Validate and reconcile billing and operational costs with finance, identify discrepancies, and support dispute resolution with vendors or customers.
Maintain operational documentation, runbooks, and playbooks for continuity planning and knowledge transfer across functions and shifts.
Support demand-sensing activities and collaborate with planning teams to reduce stockouts and improve forecast accuracy.
Implement and monitor compliance activities related to safety, regulatory, and internal audit requirements to mitigate risk.
Conduct periodic performance audits and site assessments to identify process gaps and recommend prioritized remediation plans.
Facilitate continuous feedback loops with frontline operators to capture improvement ideas and translate them into measurable experiments.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc operational data requests, exploratory analysis, and dashboards to answer business questions and inform decisions.
Contribute to the organization's operational strategy and roadmap by identifying capability gaps and proposing scalable solutions.
Collaborate with IT and engineering partners to translate business requirements into technical specifications for automation and system improvements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies when working on cross-functional system projects or operational tooling development.
Assist with change management activities, including communications, training, and stakeholder engagement during process or system transitions.
Provide backup support for related functions such as customer escalations, procurement coordination, or vendor onboarding during peak periods.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, PivotTables, Power Query) for data analysis and reporting.
SQL skills for querying operational databases, extracting data, and validating metrics.
Hands-on experience with ERP and WMS platforms (e.g., SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Manhattan, HighJump) — configuration and transactional support.
Familiarity with TMS (Transportation Management Systems) and carrier integration APIs for shipping orchestration.
Experience building dashboards and visualizations in Power BI, Tableau, or Looker to communicate operational performance.
Data-driven problem solving: ability to run RCA, A/B test improvements, and track leading/lagging indicators.
Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or equivalent continuous improvement frameworks.
Practical experience with inventory control methods (cycle counting, ABC analysis, safety stock calculations).
Understanding of SLA management and vendor performance scorecards.
Strong documentation skills for SOPs, playbooks, and audit trails.
Basic project management skills and familiarity with tools such as Jira, Asana, or Smartsheet.
Regulatory and compliance knowledge relevant to shipping, customs, or industry-specific requirements (as applicable).

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration across distributed teams.
Analytical mindset with attention to detail and a bias toward measurable outcomes.
Problem-solving orientation and resilience under operational pressure.
Time management and prioritization skills to handle competing deadlines.
Leadership and coaching ability to develop junior team members.
Adaptability and continuous learning mindset in dynamic operational environments.
Customer focus and commitment to service quality and reliability.
Negotiation skills for vendor and carrier interactions.
Ethical judgment and accountability in handling sensitive operational and financial information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree with relevant operational experience, or equivalent work experience (typically 2–3 years) in operations, logistics, or supply chain.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
Certifications a plus: Lean / Six Sigma (Green Belt), APICS/CPIM, PMP or Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Supply Chain Management / Logistics
Operations Management / Industrial Engineering
Information Systems / Data Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years in operations, logistics, or related roles; experience may vary by industry and complexity.

Preferred: 3–6 years working in operational roles with demonstrated ownership of process improvements, ERP/WMS administration, and proven ability to lead projects and mentor junior staff. Experience in multi-site or international operations is highly valued.