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Operations Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for an operations manager is $114,400 per annum, before tax, up $23,600 since 2018.
Operations manager pay follows the size of what you run: the budget, the headcount and the number of sites under you. Manufacturers, transport companies and construction firms often pay above the award through an enterprise agreement or an annual bonus, while smaller service businesses rely on a salary package alone. Coverage outside ordinary hours is usually built into the package rather than paid as penalty rates.
Roles that pay more than operations manager
The largest typical pay rise is $85,800 a year, moving into Chief Operating Officer.
- Chief Operating Officer+$85,800/yr
- Corporate Services Manager+$38,100/yr
- Transport Manager+$23,500/yr
How to negotiate a higher operations manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time operations manager salary is $114,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Operations management and Process improvement tend to command a premium over general operations manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $85,800 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Operations Manager salary questions
How much do operations managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for an operations manager is $114,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is operations manager pay rising or falling?
The median operations manager salary is up $23,600 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than operations manager?
Chief Operating Officer pays a typical $85,800 a year more and draws on similar skills to operations manager.