Executive Assistant to Operations Manager: the realistic version.
How Australian executive assistants move into operations manager roles. Transferable skills, training, timeline, and what to do first.
Why this transition works.
EAs are shadow operations managers. You already manage competing priorities, coordinate across teams, handle sensitive information, and keep a senior leader organised. The step to ops manager makes the coordination work your primary role instead of a support function.
Skills that transfer.
What you already have that this role needs.
- Executive communication
- Project coordination
- Calendar and priority management
- Stakeholder management
- Confidential information handling
What you need to learn.
No formal requirement. PRINCE2 Foundation or short project management course helpful.
Realistic timeline.
Salary comparison.
First three moves.
What to do this week.
- Rewrite your resume to lead with operations outcomes: 'coordinated cross-functional projects' not 'managed executive diary'.
- Target companies where the EA-to-ops path is recognised (professional services, tech).
- Ask your current executive for a reference that speaks to your operational judgement.
Related.
Common questions
Take the free Career Change Check. Three minutes.
The Career Change Check is free and takes three minutes. It shows Australian roles people from your kind of work have moved into, and the skills you already have for each. You put in your email at the end, and we email you the link when your result is ready.
Start the free check