At some point, founders realize they cannot personally manage every project, vendor, and process. Sales are growing, but the business feels heavier every month. Vendors need approvals, clients need updates, and the team needs direction. This is usually when the idea of an operations manager first appears. The role is a force multiplier, but only if you hire with clarity and set them up with authority, guardrails, and metrics.

Start by defining the problem you want solved. Do you need tighter project delivery, cleaner financial rhythms, or better vendor management? An ops manager is not a catch-all administrator. They should own systems that drive predictability: task management, resource planning, meeting cadences, documentation, and vendor coordination. Write a brief scorecard with three to five outcomes you expect in the first six months, such as reducing delivery slippage, shortening invoice cycles, or getting SOP coverage above 80 percent of recurring work.

Next, clarify what they will not do. An ops manager is not a personal assistant, and they are not the CEO of the business. They orchestrate execution but need strategic direction from leadership. Define which decisions they can make independently, which require consultation, and which require approval. This prevents bottlenecks while avoiding surprises on high-risk moves like pricing, hiring, or tool changes with security implications.

Use a structured hiring process. A strong ops manager will show systems thinking, clear communication, and comfort with ambiguity. Ask for examples of a process they redesigned, how they measured improvement, and how they drove adoption. Consider a simple case exercise: give them a messy workflow (lead intake, onboarding, or billing) and ask for a 30-day improvement plan with metrics.

Look for a profile that matches your stage. Early on, you want a builder who can define systems from scratch, not just maintain existing ones. They should be comfortable writing SOPs, running meetings, and coaching people without formal authority. If they only thrive in mature, heavily structured environments, they may struggle in a growing company.

During the first 30 days, focus on listening tours and mapping. Have them shadow fulfillment, sales handoffs, billing, and support. Ask them to build a single operational map: what triggers work, who owns each step, what tools are used, and where work gets stuck. That map becomes the backlog for improvements. Pair it with a simple operating cadence: weekly ops meeting, monthly metrics review, quarterly planning to keep priorities visible.

A simple 30-60-90 plan helps. First 30: observe and map. Days 31-60: fix two or three obvious bottlenecks and establish reporting. Days 61-90: roll out one core SOP set and stabilize cadence. This provides early wins without overwhelming the team.

Tooling is another early decision. An ops manager can consolidate duplicate tools, but the goal is fewer systems with clearer ownership, not shiny replacements. Standardize on one task system, one documentation space, and one source of truth for customer and financial data. Each switch should have a migration plan, a training moment, and a success metric so adoption sticks.

Measure success with leading and lagging indicators. Leading: percentage of work with SOPs, on-time completion rate for tasks, incident response time, and the volume of unresolved blockers. Lagging: gross margin stability, on-time delivery rates, employee burnout signals, and customer churn. Review these weekly. If the ops manager is spending all their time firefighting, clear space by removing low-value projects or hiring targeted help like a coordinator.

Keep communication tight. The ops manager should publish a short weekly update: wins, risks, metrics, and next steps. This builds trust and prevents the role from becoming a black box of internal process work.

Finally, integrate them culturally. Give them authority to say no, escalate blockers, and request resources. Celebrate small wins like a simplified intake form or a cleaned-up calendar cadence. A good ops manager makes the business feel calmer and faster within a quarter. If the load feels heavier after 90 days, revisit scope, authority, or whether they are positioned at the right altitude. The right hire will reduce chaos, protect the founder's time, and create a repeatable engine for delivery.