Operations Manager Cover Letter Examples & Templates
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When you find a job you want, submitting a well-written resume is the first step, but it’s not enough alone. You also need to include a persuasive cover letter that fills in the gaps and illustrates your fit for the role.
This guide to writing an effective cover letter for an operations manager position will help you highlight your administrative oversight knowledge, time management and communications skills to improve your chances of getting an interview.
Operations manager cover letter (text version)
Janet Gray
Denver, CO 80230
(555) 555-5555 – example@example.com
May 12, 2023
Van Fuller, Hiring Manager
Fuller Propane
Denver, CO 80525
555-555-5555
example@example.com
Dear Van Fuller,
As an accomplished operations manager, I read your posting for a new operations manager with interest. My experience aligns well with the qualifications you are seeking at Fuller Propane, in particular my role as operations manager at National Gas Company, and I am certain I would make a valuable addition to your organization.
With more than 12 years of experience as an operations manager, I am adept in administrative and financial oversight, team building and revenue generation. Moreover, while my on-the-job experience has afforded me a well-rounded skill set, including first-rate analytical and problem-solving abilities, I am proficient at meeting or exceeding benchmarks and delivering exceptional results.
Highlights of my achievements include:
- Increased productivity by 20% while simultaneously reducing headcount by 10%.
- Developed safety programs that reduced incidents by 80% in one year.
- Grew company market share by 25% in just six months.
- Maximized driver time and efficiency by revamping delivery schedules and workloads.
In addition to my experience and personal qualities, I have a solid educational foundation and a passion for maintaining efficient and profitable operations. I am extremely enthusiastic about Fuller Propane’s focus on expansion and would welcome the opportunity to contribute to your ongoing growth and success.
Please review my attached resume for additional details regarding my expertise and career achievements. I will follow up to request an appointment to discuss how my experience and background meet your needs.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Janet Gray
How to format your cover letter
A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to a hiring manager. It allows you to expand on your resume skills, connect with the hiring manager and show them why you’re the one for the job.
Your cover letter should highlight your budgeting and project management skills, as well as attention to detail and technical skills. Operations managers need to demonstrate these skills in their cover letter to show that they are a great fit for the role.
Include specific examples of how you’ve managed people or projects in previous positions, how you’ve used problem-solving skills and how you prioritize multiple tasks. That’s a lot for one page, but we’re here to help! It all starts with the correct cover letter format.
Use the business letter format
A cover letter is a business letter, so use the layout of a standard business letter to guide your operations manager cover letter format.
Use 1 and ¼ inch margins on all sides, single spacing and left alignment on your one-page document.
As our operations manager cover letter sample shows, your cover letter must also include:
- A header with your name, city, state, ZIP code and telephone number.
- The recipient’s address and contact information.
- A greeting, like “Dear Alice Walters,” “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear HR Department.”
- A simple closing, like “Best regards” or “Sincerely.”
In addition, it’s best practice to use 1 and ¼-inch margins on all sides, single spacing and left alignment on your one-page document.
Using an operations manager cover letter template is the best way to ensure your cover letter is formatted correctly and won’t be rejected by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Plug your letter into our Cover Letter Generator, and we’ll give you step-by-step guidance and job-specific phrases to use.
Discussing relevant skills in your cover letter shows hiring managers that you are a great fit for the role. We’ll offer ready-made content ideas for your cover letter that target essential skills such as time management, operations management and administration.
How to write your cover letter
Start with a compelling introduction
A hiring manager will spend seconds scanning job applications, so you must immediately hook them with your operations manager cover letter.
Think of your cover letter introduction like an elevator pitch and be as clear and convincing as possible.
Mention why you’re interested in the job and highlight why you’re the best candidate for it. Convey passion and confidence in your skills.
Use accomplishments to explain why you’re a great fit for the role
When you review our operations manager cover letter examples, you’ll see that the body paragraphs paint an in-depth picture of the applicant’s career history while also offering insight into their interests and values.
In one or two paragraphs, give potential employers a sense of who you are and what you’re capable of.
Use strong action verbs and numbers to describe your past work accomplishments. For example, “At XYZ Company, I improved productivity across multiple teams by streamlining documentation processes, saving 10% in labor costs.”
Remember to highlight both hard skills and soft skills that are relevant to the role throughout your cover letter.
Close with an invitation
As our sample operations manager cover letter shows, the final paragraph should be used to thank the hiring manager for their time, and also reiterate both your love of data and your eagerness to be considered. Close the cover letter by inviting them to contact you to learn more about your qualifications.
Pair your operations manager cover letter with a matching resume
FAQ
How do you write a successful operations manager cover letter?
As mentioned, your cover letter should follow the standard business letter format, with a header outlining your contact information, a formal greeting and a professional sign-off.
It should also highlight specific relevant qualifications you have for the role. Be sure to show enthusiasm by noting specifics about the job and company that appeal to you.
Finally, before you send off your cover letter, proofread it to pick up and fix any mistakes.
Who should I address my cover letter to for an operations manager role?
As our operations manager sample cover letter shows, it is best practice to use the hiring manager’s name in your cover letter salutation.
Write out their name in full (for example, “Dear Linda Smith,”) and only use titles like “Miss” or “Mrs” if you are absolutely certain of the person’s gender.
If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name, do some research to try to find it — check the company’s website, LinkedIn and other professional networking sites.
If you still can’t locate it, then use “Dear Hiring Manager” or the reader’s job title (for instance, “Dear Director of Business Operations”).
You can also address your letter to a whole department — “Dear HR Department” or “Dear Operations Department,” for example — if that feels more appropriate.
How do you start a cover letter for an operations manager job?
Start your operations manager cover letter with a compelling opening paragraph that encourages the hiring manager to keep reading. Briefly introduce who you are, note the job you’re applying for, explain why you’re interested in the position (and the company), and highlight what you can offer and why you’re an ideal candidate.
To make these first three-to-four sentences intriguing you might have to get a bit creative — tell a short story about how you first came across the company, include an anecdote that highlights your enthusiasm for the role or reference a unique fact about the organization to show you’ve done research.
Be sure to emphasize how your skills and experience make you uniquely qualified for the job. If you can, mention an impressive past accomplishment, quantified with metrics, to show how you can add value in the future. The goal is to be clear and concise while conveying confidence and passion. Take a look at our cover letter for an operations manager sample for more ideas.
Best practices
- Address the recruiter or hiring manager directly.
- Explain what attracted you to the company in one or two sentences.
- Customize your operations manager cover letter for the job.
- Include keywords from the job description throughout.
- End with a clear call to action.
- Proofread your cover letter more than once.
- Write a generic operations manager cover letter.
- Write more than one page.
- Use generic salutations, like “To Whom It May Concern.”
- Regurgitate your operations manager resume.
- Rely on automatic grammar or spell-checkers.
- Write a fan letter, even if it is your dream job.
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Toni is a Career Expert who has been providing career advice to professionals for over 16 years. Her areas of expertise include interview prep, salary negotiation, resume writing and career change coaching.
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