Operations Manager Jobs for OPT Students
Operations Manager roles are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in business, supply chain, industrial engineering, or management. Most positions qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B standards, which matters when you're thinking beyond your 12- or 29-month OPT window.
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Experience
a place of energy, passion, and excitement. A place where the joy of discovery and uncommon artistry blend to create exhilarating buying experiences—for true beauty enthusiasts. At Ulta Beauty, we’re transforming the world one shade, one lash, one cut at a time. Because beauty is powerful.
If you seek greater purpose—a place of vision, mission, and lived values—where voices are heard, contributions valued and recognized and growth opportunities abound, consider Ulta Beauty. Nowhere else are the possibilities quite this beautiful.
GENERAL SUMMARY & SCOPE
The Operations Manager (OM) is responsible for leading through Ulta Beauty’s mission, vision, and values in order to develop a high-performing team that consistently delivers top-line sales growth for the store. The OM leads a team of Task Associates and the Merchandise Manager (MM), and is responsible for supporting the management of the operations of a retail store, including realignments, planograms and inventory life cycle-related processes (e.g., cycle counts, damages, testers, Return To Vendors (RTV), Destroy in Field (DIF) and inventory adjustments). This leader drives the store’s retail business through a focus on performance (sales, inventory results, and operational compliance), people (talent acquisition, training and development), and process (standard operating procedures and compliance standards). This position requires a passion for operational excellence, a drive for results, the ability to quickly and efficiently lead through unforeseen complexity, and the ability to lead, influence, and develop their team.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (Essential Job Functions)
Performance
- Promote a culture of accountability to meet or exceed the store’s goals related to retail and service sales, guest loyalty (including credit), payroll, omni-channel, and retail shrink as set by Ulta Beauty for the store.
- Drive company profitability through operational excellence, top-line sales growth, and expense control.
- Leverage store forecast and payroll budgets to support with store scheduling needs and communicate the needs to the GM to maximize productivity, achieve sales and payroll goals, and complete workload (e.g., realignments, planograms, and ad set processes) on time, and within the payroll budget.
- Review, analyze and react to Ulta Beauty’s financial and operational reporting, including store visit and audit results, regularly and in a timely manner.
- Leverage company programs, tools, and resources to drive improvements to meet Ulta Beauty’s goals for the store.
- Perform makeup applications, skincare analysis, and product demonstrations with guests to drive sales and guest service experience.
- Take the initiative to stay informed regarding new and existing industry trends, products, and services during work time and be knowledgeable about the ingredients and benefits of these trends, products, and services to better serve guests.
- Maintain prompt, regular attendance as the OM and hold store associates accountable to the Ulta Beauty attendance policy.
People
- Attract, hire, and retain a diverse team of top talent, and efficiently address any staffing needs and open positions for the store.
- Build a highly engaged team at the store that embodies the Ulta Beauty brand through effective collaboration, open and honest communication, and prioritization of work.
- Create an inclusive environment that inspires and encourages the growth and engagement of associates.
- Support all aspects of manager and associate professional development, including training, providing individualized competency-based feedback and coaching, performance reviews, succession planning, and individual development plans to enable continuous development and drive sales performance.
- Regularly participate in ongoing training, including brand and category education, to enable continuous professional development and drive sales performance.
- Ensure direct reports regularly participate in ongoing training, including brand and category education, to enable continuous professional development and drive sales performance.
- Establish professional vendor partnerships that foster a shared interest in collaboratively delivering on shipment and planogram expectations.
- Model a culture of operational excellence by working alongside the leadership team and by establishing priorities, providing clear direction and support, and sharing best practices.
- Execute the Guest Engagement Leader program flawlessly through business ownership, associate coaching and leading a helpful and friendly guest experience to drive business results across all Annual Performance Goals (APGs) metrics for the store.
Process
- Be knowledgeable of and ensure compliance with Ulta Beauty’s policies, procedures, and standards for the store.
- Adhere to and enforce Ulta Beauty’s dress code.
- Ensure the execution of all operational focuses, inclusive of ad set processes, visual sets, planograms, realignments, and inventory life-cycle related processes (e.g., cycle counts, damages, testers, inventory adjustments, RTVs, and DIFs).
- Use the company’s scheduling tool as directed to adjust schedules and manage attendance in-the-moment during manager-on-duty shifts to ensure accurate schedules and reporting.
- Use the company’s task management tool as directed to prioritize and execute store workload, including product and marketing resets, pricing updates, inventory related tasks, cleaning, and replenishment.
- Manage service, boutique, and store supply inventory and ordering processes, ensuring allocated budget is adhered to, and necessary products for services and retail are on hand.
- Protect company assets and minimize loss by ensuring all store standards and operating procedures are met, including workplace safety, inventory control, cash management, and loss prevention.
- Execute day-to-day inventory control processes (e.g., known theft, damages, hazardous waste, inventory adjustments, product returns) and complete theft reporting as necessary.
- Support continuous improvement by influencing the adoption of company initiatives and technology, communicating expectations, and ensuring the execution of all store tasks.
- Utilize company programs, tools, and resources to drive store improvements.
- Regularly communicate and provide feedback to field leadership on business trends and opportunities, events, operational challenges, merchandise needs, and competitive landscape for their store.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Bachelor’s degree is preferred
Experience
- 2-3+ years of fast-paced, retail management, or other relevant work experience
- Financial management: success with driving top-line sales, interpreting reporting data, managing payroll budgets, and controlling expense
- Retail management: proven ability with monitoring inventory levels, achieving operational excellence, driving a service culture, and executing merchandising directives
- Leadership management: experience with attracting, developing, and motivating top talent, swiftly adapting to change and leading others through the change-curve, developing collaborative relationships with others, and leading and influencing a team
Skills
- Proficient with basic technology (e.g., Point of Sale system, Microsoft Office programs, and Apple devices)
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks
- Ability to react under pressure, use good judgment in ambiguous situations, and be flexible/adaptable
SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS
- Work a flexible, full-time schedule to include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Must be available to work shifts on Sundays and Mondays
- Attend corporate business meetings and conferences
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Continuous mobility throughout the store during shift, including twisting
- Frequent bending, pulling, pushing, crouching, stooping, and reaching during shift
- Continuous lifting and/or moving up to 25 lbs. during shift
- Continuous coordination and manipulation of objects during shift
- Frequent use of a computer, telephonic devices, and related office supplies
If an associate has a disability that prevents them from performing an essential function of the job, the Company will engage in the interactive process with the associate to determine whether there is a reasonable accommodation that will enable the associate to perform the essential functions of the job.
COMPENSATION
The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $35.00 / Hour with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.
At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make-up services.
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.
Overview:
Experience
a place of energy, passion, and excitement. A place where the joy of discovery and uncommon artistry blend to create exhilarating buying experiences—for true beauty enthusiasts. At Ulta Beauty, we’re transforming the world one shade, one lash, one cut at a time. Because beauty is powerful.
If you seek greater purpose—a place of vision, mission, and lived values—where voices are heard, contributions valued and recognized and growth opportunities abound, consider Ulta Beauty. Nowhere else are the possibilities quite this beautiful.
GENERAL SUMMARY & SCOPE
The Operations Manager (OM) is responsible for leading through Ulta Beauty’s mission, vision, and values in order to develop a high-performing team that consistently delivers top-line sales growth for the store. The OM leads a team of Task Associates and the Merchandise Manager (MM), and is responsible for supporting the management of the operations of a retail store, including realignments, planograms and inventory life cycle-related processes (e.g., cycle counts, damages, testers, Return To Vendors (RTV), Destroy in Field (DIF) and inventory adjustments). This leader drives the store’s retail business through a focus on performance (sales, inventory results, and operational compliance), people (talent acquisition, training and development), and process (standard operating procedures and compliance standards). This position requires a passion for operational excellence, a drive for results, the ability to quickly and efficiently lead through unforeseen complexity, and the ability to lead, influence, and develop their team.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (Essential Job Functions)
Performance
- Promote a culture of accountability to meet or exceed the store’s goals related to retail and service sales, guest loyalty (including credit), payroll, omni-channel, and retail shrink as set by Ulta Beauty for the store.
- Drive company profitability through operational excellence, top-line sales growth, and expense control.
- Leverage store forecast and payroll budgets to support with store scheduling needs and communicate the needs to the GM to maximize productivity, achieve sales and payroll goals, and complete workload (e.g., realignments, planograms, and ad set processes) on time, and within the payroll budget.
- Review, analyze and react to Ulta Beauty’s financial and operational reporting, including store visit and audit results, regularly and in a timely manner.
- Leverage company programs, tools, and resources to drive improvements to meet Ulta Beauty’s goals for the store.
- Perform makeup applications, skincare analysis, and product demonstrations with guests to drive sales and guest service experience.
- Take the initiative to stay informed regarding new and existing industry trends, products, and services during work time and be knowledgeable about the ingredients and benefits of these trends, products, and services to better serve guests.
- Maintain prompt, regular attendance as the OM and hold store associates accountable to the Ulta Beauty attendance policy.
People
- Attract, hire, and retain a diverse team of top talent, and efficiently address any staffing needs and open positions for the store.
- Build a highly engaged team at the store that embodies the Ulta Beauty brand through effective collaboration, open and honest communication, and prioritization of work.
- Create an inclusive environment that inspires and encourages the growth and engagement of associates.
- Support all aspects of manager and associate professional development, including training, providing individualized competency-based feedback and coaching, performance reviews, succession planning, and individual development plans to enable continuous development and drive sales performance.
- Regularly participate in ongoing training, including brand and category education, to enable continuous professional development and drive sales performance.
- Ensure direct reports regularly participate in ongoing training, including brand and category education, to enable continuous professional development and drive sales performance.
- Establish professional vendor partnerships that foster a shared interest in collaboratively delivering on shipment and planogram expectations.
- Model a culture of operational excellence by working alongside the leadership team and by establishing priorities, providing clear direction and support, and sharing best practices.
- Execute the Guest Engagement Leader program flawlessly through business ownership, associate coaching and leading a helpful and friendly guest experience to drive business results across all Annual Performance Goals (APGs) metrics for the store.
Process
- Be knowledgeable of and ensure compliance with Ulta Beauty’s policies, procedures, and standards for the store.
- Adhere to and enforce Ulta Beauty’s dress code.
- Ensure the execution of all operational focuses, inclusive of ad set processes, visual sets, planograms, realignments, and inventory life-cycle related processes (e.g., cycle counts, damages, testers, inventory adjustments, RTVs, and DIFs).
- Use the company’s scheduling tool as directed to adjust schedules and manage attendance in-the-moment during manager-on-duty shifts to ensure accurate schedules and reporting.
- Use the company’s task management tool as directed to prioritize and execute store workload, including product and marketing resets, pricing updates, inventory related tasks, cleaning, and replenishment.
- Manage service, boutique, and store supply inventory and ordering processes, ensuring allocated budget is adhered to, and necessary products for services and retail are on hand.
- Protect company assets and minimize loss by ensuring all store standards and operating procedures are met, including workplace safety, inventory control, cash management, and loss prevention.
- Execute day-to-day inventory control processes (e.g., known theft, damages, hazardous waste, inventory adjustments, product returns) and complete theft reporting as necessary.
- Support continuous improvement by influencing the adoption of company initiatives and technology, communicating expectations, and ensuring the execution of all store tasks.
- Utilize company programs, tools, and resources to drive store improvements.
- Regularly communicate and provide feedback to field leadership on business trends and opportunities, events, operational challenges, merchandise needs, and competitive landscape for their store.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Bachelor’s degree is preferred
Experience
- 2-3+ years of fast-paced, retail management, or other relevant work experience
- Financial management: success with driving top-line sales, interpreting reporting data, managing payroll budgets, and controlling expense
- Retail management: proven ability with monitoring inventory levels, achieving operational excellence, driving a service culture, and executing merchandising directives
- Leadership management: experience with attracting, developing, and motivating top talent, swiftly adapting to change and leading others through the change-curve, developing collaborative relationships with others, and leading and influencing a team
Skills
- Proficient with basic technology (e.g., Point of Sale system, Microsoft Office programs, and Apple devices)
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks
- Ability to react under pressure, use good judgment in ambiguous situations, and be flexible/adaptable
SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS
- Work a flexible, full-time schedule to include days, evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Must be available to work shifts on Sundays and Mondays
- Attend corporate business meetings and conferences
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Continuous mobility throughout the store during shift, including twisting
- Frequent bending, pulling, pushing, crouching, stooping, and reaching during shift
- Continuous lifting and/or moving up to 25 lbs. during shift
- Continuous coordination and manipulation of objects during shift
- Frequent use of a computer, telephonic devices, and related office supplies
If an associate has a disability that prevents them from performing an essential function of the job, the Company will engage in the interactive process with the associate to determine whether there is a reasonable accommodation that will enable the associate to perform the essential functions of the job.
COMPENSATION
The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $35.00 / Hour with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits.
At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make-up services.
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as an Operations Manager
Target companies with established OPT hiring pipelines
Larger employers in manufacturing, logistics, consulting, and tech operations hire OPT students regularly. Look for companies with STEM-designated internship programs or existing H-1B sponsorship history, as they're more likely to support your status long-term.
Frame your degree as directly tied to the role
Operations Manager positions require showing your degree field matches the job. Business, industrial engineering, and supply chain degrees map cleanly. Be ready to articulate that connection clearly in your resume summary and during interviews with HR.
Raise the sponsorship conversation after demonstrating value
Bring up visa sponsorship after you've proven yourself in the role, not during initial screening. Operations managers who show measurable process improvements or cost savings have a much stronger case when the H-1B conversation starts with leadership.
Understand what your employer actually needs to file
H-1B sponsorship for Operations Managers requires a Labor Condition Application and proof the role is a specialty occupation. Knowing this lets you help HR understand the process and reduces friction when your employer has never sponsored a visa before.
Prioritize roles with clear promotion paths into senior operations
Employers sponsor visas when they see long-term value. An Operations Manager role that leads to Director or VP of Operations makes sponsorship easier to justify internally. Ask about career trajectory in interviews to assess long-term fit.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work as an Operations Manager on F-1 OPT?
Yes, Operations Manager roles qualify for F-1 OPT as long as the position is directly related to your degree field. A business, supply chain, or industrial engineering degree typically satisfies this requirement. You must be employed within the field of your degree, so review your job offer against your degree program before accepting.
Do Operations Manager jobs qualify for STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not the job title. If you hold a STEM-designated degree such as industrial engineering, supply chain management, or management information systems, you can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Operations Manager roles at qualifying employers who agree to the training plan requirements through Form I-983 are eligible.
How likely is an employer to sponsor an H-1B for an Operations Manager role?
Operations Manager is a recognized specialty occupation under H-1B standards, which makes sponsorship legally straightforward for most employers. Your leverage increases when your degree directly matches the role and you've built a track record in the position. Companies in logistics, consulting, and manufacturing sponsor this title regularly. Browse verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate.
What degree fields are most relevant for OPT authorization as an Operations Manager?
Business administration, operations management, industrial engineering, supply chain management, and management information systems are the most common qualifying fields. Your DSO can confirm whether your specific program aligns with a given role. If your degree is in a related field like economics or data analytics, document the connection clearly in your employment records.
What happens to my OPT authorization if I'm laid off as an Operations Manager?
F-1 OPT students have a 60-day grace period after unemployment begins. If you're laid off, you must find new qualifying employment or take another authorized action within that window. OPT also has a cumulative unemployment limit of 90 days for standard OPT and 150 days for STEM OPT. Contact your DSO immediately and begin your job search right away.
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