Operations Program Manager Role and Responsibilities

Name: Henry Cubillan
Job Title: Sales Operations Program Manager
Where: Round Rock, TX
Employer: Dell, Inc.
Years of Experience: 3
Education: Goucher College, BA; Thunderbird School of Global Management, MBA; Project Management Institute, PMP Certification
Salary: Use the PayScale Research Center to find the median Sales Manager Salary.

Sales Operations Program Manager Role and Responsibilities 

Henry Cubillan is one of the best inspirations for customer service we’ve interviewed. He has gotten to the top levels of a global company like Dell by working hard and utilizing effective customer service. In a chief role of operations program manager, Henry has been able to help customers from all over the world. In this interview, he discusses the functions of the operations manager and offers some sage advice for anyone pursuing a career in sales management.

What are the functions of an operations manager?

Henry: My main responsibility is to support fulfillment programs for some of our largest public and Fortune 500 customers. It's my job to craft a response plan that meets the customer's expectations in terms of procurement, SLA levels, product fulfillment and delivery. I am the face of operations in front of our customers and I ensure that all support teams throughout the organization work to meet the customer's requirements. For example, we may have a customer that needs 20,000 notebooks delivered to 550 locations around the world within a very short time frame. It's my job to work with the customer to understand their capabilities/limitations at each location, craft a delivery schedule that meets their needs, work with our fulfillment teams to ensure that (once a purchase order is received) we are building the product in a timely manner, comply with all of the customer's specific requirements, and deliver within the agreed-upon time frame at each and every location.

What were your steps toward becoming sales operations program manager?

Henry: My career at Dell started out in sales, as an account manager for relationship customers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This gave me great visibility to our core business, but I wasn't too involved with the inner workings of the company. I then transitioned into a solutions architect role, managing deployment services for large corporate customers. It was in this role that I started to get interested in sales operations. When I had an opportunity to interview for a program manager role, I jumped at it, and here I am, three years later, supporting some of our largest customers around the globe.

What do you like best about your program manager role? 

Henry: I love that every day is a challenge, and every day is different. Even though I sometimes have to spend time on documentation and governance, the challenges that I field from customers - internal and external - are what keep my blood going and bring me to work every day, ready for battle. Whether it's coming up with a creative way to meet a customer's unique requirement or pushing our support teams to the limit in order to deliver to a customer's expectation, every day is different. I also love the fact that, despite being a large corporation, Dell still operates like a much smaller company and we pride ourselves in our flexibility and ability to react quickly and decisively to deliver a great purchasing experience. I probably have a lot more leeway than my counterparts at other firms of this size, and I appreciate the responsibility that I am given to go execute. A couple of years ago I was tasked with delivering a replacement notebook to a USMC corporal deployed to the Green Zone in Baghdad. It took a lot of creative thought and the dedication of many different people in the organization to get this done in a very aggressive time frame, but we rose to the challenge and accomplished our mission. At the time, our delivery confirmation came from the carrier and the generic acknowledgment from the marine's unit, but about six months later, I received a battered envelope at my desk. Inside was a hand-written note from this brave warrior, thanking us for all our efforts and telling us that his new notebook allowed him to keep in touch with his family throughout his deployment. It was one of the proudest moments of my career, and that letter is still on my desk, as a reminder that we don't just manufacture product and deliver it.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as an operations program manager?

Henry: Wow, where do I start? We live in a world of limited (and often competing) resources and it's often a struggle to find a balance. Customers can sometimes take three months to plan an IT refresh, which allows us a robust procurement, fulfillment and delivery plan, but sometimes we get notified that we've received a large, previously un-forecasted purchase order and that can really impact our supply chain planning. Multiply this by thousands of customers and you realize how difficult this can get! Another challenge I often encounter is scope creep; we craft a plan around known variables and - sometimes within hours of pulling the trigger - additional variables are presented and we have to modify the plan on the go. That usually keeps things interesting! Finally, our company's expanding global footprint can also be very challenging. You can have a customer in Europe buying equipment for their operations in the Middle East and Central America, with our own resources based out of Texas, Panama and Quezon City in the Philippines. Bringing everyone together and overcoming language barriers and cultural nuances can be very challenging.

Can you recall any sobering moments from your program manager job?

Henry: Supporting some of our Department of Defense customers, we regularly encounter situations that challenge our logistics capabilities. Without getting into details for privacy/security reasons, we're often called upon to deliver product to very remote locations, during military operations, under very challenging circumstances. It is a sobering task that we take very seriously, and focus on meeting these challenges head on, acknowledging the seriousness of the mission, and the potential impact of failure. As we - and our biggest customers - globalize our operations, we're often caught juggling global challenges and having to craft very creative solutions. As such, it may take a conference call between an engineer in Singapore, a program manager in Texas, a support team in Panama and a logistics team in Poland to address an issue for a customer in Brazil that is trying to expand operations into South Africa!

Do you have any advice for those interested in a program manager career?

Henry: The best advice I can give you is to be open-minded! Throw away your preconceptions about the role of program manager, be willing to be flexible, to adapt, to absorb and accept the opinions of others. Don't spend all your time crafting the perfect plan, because variables that you don't control can often throw the plan into disarray in a matter of minutes, and your success will be measured on your ability to modify the plan to meet the new environment. Don't keep your head in the weeds! While our performance plan may be focused on tactical execution, it's often your ability to see and think and plan strategically that allows you to execute. Be aware of the business environment around you. Don't ignore corporate politics, but don't get bogged down by them either. Most importantly, enjoy what you do! Seek satisfaction in the interaction with peers from all over the world, take pride in what your company stands for, and try to have fun every day!

Want to know more?

• More Salary Stories - Salaries of Business Managers
• Find Your Market Value - PayScale Salary Calculator
• Share your Salary Story

Secrets of a Discount Designer Clothing Boutique Owner

Name: Betty Lin
Job Title: Small Business Owner, Discount Designer Clothing Boutique
Where: betty lin - Seattle, Washington
Years of Experience: 25 years of fashion experience
Other Relevant Work Experience: retail, department store, specialty store
Education: BS Business Administration, Marketing San Francisco State University
Salary: Research Retail Salaries by job title.

Retail Careers - Owning Your Own Discount Designer Clothing Boutique 

Betty Lin has been in retail for over for over 25 years. She owns betty lin, Seattle's premier discount designer clothing boutique. Her boutique is famous for the excellent customer service they provide. The interview below provides great information on what to expect from a long term career in retail.

PayScale: What is the job description for an owner of a designer clothing boutique?

Betty Lin: As the owner of a small retail clothing store, I take care of everything having to do with inventory from sourcing designer clothes, buying designer clothing, processing inventory, merchandising and selling. I take care of all administrative tasks too, such as bookkeeping, paying all business taxes, accounting and payroll. I also take care of the everyday duties of running a discount designer clothing boutique such as cleaning, and shop keeping, which means being in the boutique! Of course, I would not have anything to manage if we were not selling our discount designer clothing. Therefore, I spend the majority of my time selling. I am in charge of the marketing of my store. The best form of marketing is through word of mouth. We try to impress our customers with the great service they receive here in the store so that they tell their friends about us.

PayScale: How did you begin your career in designer clothing? What motivated you to open your own discount designer boutique?

Betty Lin: Retail was an accidental career for me. It was a suitable part time job throughout high school and college because the hours were flexible. I continued to work in retail because I found that I love working with people. Most of my career has been dressing women. I love to dress women. I know how to make women look great. This is what motivates me to continue working in retail and designer clothing after all these years. I love helping women look great through dressing for their age, body type and expressing their individual personality through clothing. After 20 years of working for others, I decided to open my own discount designer clothing boutique.

PayScale: What do you love about your career in retail and discount designer clothing?

Betty Lin: When customers come back to my designer clothing boutique because they love the way I dress them, that is the ultimate compliment. I love making a woman feel good about herself with a great outfit. Even for myself, when I feel good, I stand taller, smile broader, and feel more powerful. That's what I aim to do for my customers every day. Just yesterday, I met a new customer for the first time. She hated her body. She has gained about 20 pounds in the last few years. She is striving to lose the weight. She wants the body she used to have. Her clothes are all fitting too tightly. She is frustrated every morning when she tries to get dressed. Two hours later, we found two complete outfits which she can mix and match that makes her feel great. I feel so fulfilled! I feel privileged to dress her and help her feel better in the body she has.

PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as an owner of a discount designer clothing boutique?

Betty Lin: The biggest challenge for me as a manager of a designer clothing boutique is to find employees who share in the same passion I have for dressing women. Since it's hard for me to dress every woman who walks through the store, I need a team of knowledgeable employees who also have the ability and share in the passion to dress women. Retail is a people business. It takes a special "service-oriented" person to want to serve and meet the needs of every potential client who walks through our doors. The reality of retail is that the store must be open during certain hours consistently. I have known shop keepers who close their doors on a whim, go home early, or open the shop late. These are not acceptable practices in running a retail store or discount designer clothing boutique. A storekeeper must be ready to greet with a smile, rain or shine, weather feeling happy or sad, when business is good or bad. If you are not a person who can do that, you should not run a retail store.

PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?

Betty Lin: If you want to be in retail, you need to love working with people, and love to sell. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you love what you are selling, the job will come easily. Retail is a patient business. It takes time for customers to know you and to trust you. I think retail is a tough business. I do it because I love it. I think there are easier ways to make money. But, I would not trade selling beautiful, discount designer clothing to appreciative customers for anything. Additionally, it takes time to build a customer base for your store or designer clothing boutique. Make sure you have enough money to support many months of slow business.

PayScale: What are some interesting moments that you’ve experienced in your retail career or running your discount designer clothing boutique?

Betty Lin: The most amazing experience I've had in this business is when customers spend money with me and then thank me for being here. I am completely humbled by this experience. I love my customers. I want to offer them the best designer clothing I can find, at the best price, and give them the best service they have ever received in any clothing store or buying discount designer clothing. I am also starting a new adventure to allow my customers to buy womens designer shoes online. All my customer keep saying that we have the lowest prices anywhere for women’s designer shoes, so I decided to start selling our shoes online. Since this is very different from my traditional retail experience, it has been extremely interesting. I am even starting to work on my own fashion blog, so I can share my clothing tips and help women everywhere look great through dressing for their age and body type.

Want to know more?

• Average Retail Store Manager Salary
• Average Retail Associate Salary
• Visit Betty Lin's Discount Designer Clothing Boutique
• Share your Salary Story

Expert Searchologist - Salary for a Seattle SEO Specialist

Name: Jon Lanman
Job Title: Expert Searchologist / SEO Specialist
Where: Seattle, WA
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 3 years in Marketing
Other Relevant Experience: Marketing Assistant, Event Marketing, Publicity Intern
Education: B.A. in Communications
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find SEO Specialist Salaries.

In this Salary Story we take a look at the day-to-day duties of a Seattle SEO Specialist. Self-proclaimed Searchologist, Jon Lanman shares his passion for SEO, and gives advice on how to begin a career in SEO.

Cosmetic Salesperson - Job Description & Salary

Name: Julie Olen

Job Title: Salesperson for Retail Cosmetics

Where: West Hollywood, CA

Employer: Janet Sartin

Years of Experience: 25

Education: Berklee School of Music, Boston MA, two-year course. Sawyer College of Business, diploma in Instrumental Performance. University of Vermont, diploma in Photography. Trinity College of Vermont, graduated from Women's Small Business Program.

Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find the median starting salary for sales associates.

What is a Cosmetic Salesperson's Job Description?

Whether you're a hairstylist, clothing designer or cosmetic sales rep, working in the world of beauty and fashion is all about helping people to look and feel good. For those who work at department stores, helping customers first-hand can be fun, but also challenging - and working at the cosmetics counter can be an especially demanding job. With many people passing through, a cosmetic salesperson manages a high volume of clients.  Plus, a cosmetics line regularly introduces new products and discontinues others, and competition is just a few feet away.

Job for Math Majors - Quantitative Research Coordinator

Name: Amber Dean
Job Title: Quantitative Research Coordinator & Business Owner
Where: Macon, GA – United States
Employer: Private Club Associates Continuum
Years of Experience: 25 years
Relevant Experience: 2
Education: Took some classes at Griffin Technical College; computer programming courses for 1 year at Macon State College; degree in art, took statistic courses and research methodology at Mercer University; degree in math, took statistics and math courses. 
Annual Salary: Use PayScale’s Research Center to find median marketing research analyst salaries.

What can you do with a math or statistics degree? As it turns out, there are jobs for math or statistics majors in many fields. For math lovers like Amber Dean, a quantitative research coordinator, it's possible to find great satisfaction in a job that uses math on a regular basis. In this Salary Story, Amber describes the many advantages to a job in quantitative research. 

By using math and statistics, Amber is able to learn consumers’ preferences and purchasing habits. A major part of the job involves using research and analysis to examine the most important information gathered from focus groups. If you love analyzing statistics as well as working with people, this can be both a fun and rewarding challenge. Overall, working as a quantitative research coordinator involves a mixture of marketing research and math analysis. Keep reading to find out if this job is right for you.

Spanish Speaking Jobs: Hispanic Marketing Manager

Name: Melissa Kopecko Meyer
Job Title: Hispanic Advertising Manager; Hispanic Marketing Manager; Bilingual Marketing Manager; Bilingual Advertising Manager
Where: Seattle, WA - USA
Employer: WaMu (Washington Mutual) & JPMorgan Chase
Years of Experience: 5
Other Relevant Experience: Six Sigma Green Belt training and an internship at the Spanish Council for Demographic Research in Madrid, Spain
Education: University of Phoenix MBA - Global Management, Summa Cum Laude; University of Wisconsin Madison - Bachelor of Science Spanish/Sociology/Business, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa; Universidad Complutense de Madrid - Various coursework completed all in Spanish, also worked at the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas in Madrid
Annual Salary: Median Marketing Manager Salaries range from $40,000 to $76,000. Use PayScale’s Research Center to compare Marketing Manager Salaries by City.

Whether you’re planning to work abroad or keeping your career stateside, there are countless career opportunities for bilingual job candidates. With the rising development of a world economy, bilingual fluency opens the door to greater career possibilities within various industries. And, as the Spanish-speaking population in the U.S. continues to grow, there is an increasing demand for employees who are bilingual.

In this Salary Story, Melissa Kopecko Meyer describes her career path as a Hispanic marketing manager. When asked how she got started as a bilingual marketing manager, Melissa says she simply followed her strengths and interests. If you’ve ever asked, “What job can I get with a Spanish degree?” here’s just one example of the many Spanish-speaking jobs awaiting you, along with some sound advice from a career insider.

What is the Average Salary for Marketing Careers?

Name: Ann Burgess
Job Title: Web Marketing Manager/Web Content Manager (Editorial, Promotions & Co-Branding)
Where: Calgary, Alberta – Canada
Employer: Shoptoit.ca
Years of Experience: 1.5 years in this position, and 6 Years of marketing in the oil and gas industry
Other Relevant Experience: Recreational shopping and fashion design
Education: International Academy of Design and Merchandising, Toronto, Ontario
Annual Salary: What is the average salary for marketing managers? Use PayScale’s Research Center to find Marketing Manager Salaries, Marketing Director Salaries, and Web Content Manager Salaries.

Over the past ten years, the Internet has noticeably altered traditional methods of shopping, thus launching a boom of companies setting up business through online store fronts. And with the rising cost of fuel, many shoppers are inclined to look online for their purchases rather than driving to the mall. But just like any successful retail store, online stores require teams of qualified professionals to keep them operating at their full potential.

For this Salary Story, we hear from Ann Burgess, an essential part of the team at Shoptoit.ca, a Canada based e-commerce website. Starting her journey in a fashion design career, Burgess eventually moved on to a brief stint as a receptionist before finding her way into her current position in online web marketing and content management. Read on to find some helpful pointers for launching your own online marketing career.

Salaries of Business Managers

Name: Hany Maurice
Job Title: Regional Business Development Manager
Where: Dubai, AL – United Arab Emirates
Current Employer: Grapheast Computers LLC
Years of Experience: 3 years
Education: B.S. in Information Technology from Cairo University, Egypt, School of Computers and Information. Oracle Certified Professional in Applications Development.
Other Relevant Experience: Over five years of working experience in the field of IT (System Analyst, Pre-Sales and Senior Account Manager).
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the median salaries of business managers and business management salaries by city. Also, learn how to increase your salary with an MBA.

Have you ever asked, “What is the role of a business manager?” The job description of a business manager depends for the most part on how a company is structured. In general terms, a business manager's job description can be summed up with one primary goal, to “grow the company." Of course, that kind of goal is always easier said than done. Business managers are responsible for increasing brand awareness, attracting new customers, and communicating with clients. In addition, the job description of a business manager involves managing employees and reaching company goals.

In this Salary Story, we hear from Hany Maurice, a business development manager for Grapheast Computers, the sole distributor of Adobe and other design products for the Middle East. Maurice answers the question, “What is the role of a business manager?” and shares what skills will lead to earning the most rewarding business management salaries. Learn more about the job description of a business manager and the salaries of business managers at PayScale.com.

Job description of a Business Manager:

My job responsibilities include: creating a channel of partners to increase our sales network, training country managers to establish a good knowledge in the new enterprise product base, managing sales activities with the key accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, increasing market share, preparing for events in order to spread awareness of our new business line, building business prospects, preparing sales and marketing material, and studying the market competition.

PayScale: How did you get started as a business manager?

How to Increase Your Salary in Business Management.
Education is the key to increasing your salary as a Business Manager. There are degrees and certifications that will increase your salary and make you a more valuable employee. In this economic downturn, education is a key strategy for a successful career in Business Management. Click here to Research Business Degrees.

I enjoy this career, and was attracted to it because it matches my extroverted character type. That adds value to me, plus I enjoy practicing the excellent communication and presentation skills which are heavily required in this kind of job.

I originally started as a pre-sales engineer. Since I have that strong technical knowledge, it helps me to be able to talk technical with IT managers, and CIO's.  Additionally, I have a strong business knowledge that enables me to efficiently communicate with business decision makers, and justify the solutions in terms of ROI (return on investment) and TCO (total cost of ownership).

Executive Recruiter Career - How to Become a Headhunter

Name: Ryan Cook
Job Title:Job Recruiter/Headhunter/Direct Hire Consultant
Where: Overland Park, KS
Employer: Personnel Connection (A Division of Spencer Reed Group, LLC)
Years of Experience: Almost one year
Other Relevant Experience: Started in the mortgage business.
Education: Avila University - B.A. in Corporate Communication.
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center to find the median income for an executive recruiter, including management-level executive recruiter career compensation.

Ryan Cook doesn't mind being called a "headhunter." It might sound harsh, but the term has become synonymous with working as a recruiter. In his role as a professional recruiter, companies give Ryan specific positions that they need to fill. He then hunts down and delivers qualified candidates for those positions. The task may sound straightforward, but a career as a job recruiter is multifaceted. At one moment Ryan is networking to find potential candidates. At the next moment, he's interviewing candidates to match their interests with job positions. When he finds a good match, Ryan will market and pitch his candidates to employers, highlighting their qualifications.

In this Salary Story, Ryan shares the inside thrills, challenges, and lighter side of headhunting. If you're interested in playing "career matchmaker," but not too keen on the sales aspect of being a job recruiter, check out careers in human resources. You'll find info on a human resources salary and income as an executive recruiter at PayScale.com.

How would you describe your work as a Job Recruiter?
Ryan Cook: I provide a free service to people looking to make a career move. I have businesses that pay me fees for talented candidates that would not be found if it weren't for me. Basically, I network over the phone all day scouring the business world for people that my clients need to make or save their company money. It is the most rewarding inside sales position I have ever had, and will ever have. I am a Job Recruiter, a Headhunter, and I love it. I wheel and deal people. It is a lot of fun and when you place somebody that absolutely loves their new position, it is hypnotizing. You know the Monster.com commercials? I feel like I am writing the script to those every time I complete the process.

PayScale: How did you get started as a Job Recruiter?
Ryan Cook: I knew if there was any resource I could sell, that would never run out, it would be people. A family friend who was a marketing manager in the telecom industry exposed me to it when I was in college. From then on I was hooked. I knew it would be my career, it was just a matter of when, where, and how I would get into it.

Sales Engineer Salaries

Name: Dan Holmes
Job Title: Sales Engineer
Where: Seattle, WA
Employer: Siemens
Education: University of Idaho, Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for median sales engineer salaries, including sales engineering starting salaries and post-graduate salaries in engineering sales.

Engineering is one of those fields that has enormous growth potential within various specialty areas. "Engineer" can mean anything from petroleum engineer to computer engineer. While all engineering jobs focus to some degree on solving technical problems, most of us probably don't associate engineering with customer relations and sales. However, Dan Holmes, a Sales Engineer, fills a key area within his company, combining his technical knowledge with his outgoing personality to serve and build customer relationships. He gave us a few tips on the benefits of working as a Sales Engineer, plus advice on how to succeed in this type of engineering career.

Sales Engineer Job Description:
Dan: I manage strategic customer relationships and provide a strategic plan for customer equipment migrations and maintenance.

PayScale: How did you get started as a Sales Engineer?
Dan: I went to college with a plan to get this type of job. I have never enjoyed working in one place, and I have always wanted to be out working with customers. My engineering degree opened the door for a technical sales role, which was ideal for me.