Preparation for the Operations Manager role requires a shift in mindset from "doing" to "enabling." You must demonstrate that you can build high-performing organizations while managing the technical intricacies of industrial operations.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement – You must demonstrate a deep understanding of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies, and process optimization. Interviewers will evaluate your ability to identify waste, implement corrective actions, and foster a culture where continuous improvement is a daily behavior, not just a buzzword.

Strategic Leadership & Talent Development – ABB places a heavy premium on leadership. You will be evaluated on your ability to build capable teams, drive competence assessments, and manage organizational effectiveness. You need to show how you guide, motivate, and develop talent across diverse geographies, often managing remote or matrixed teams.

Financial Acumen & Project Control – This is a business management role. You will be tested on your ability to manage operational budgets, oversee project progress, and address cost-related issues. Expect scrutiny on your experience with P&L management, forecasting, and resource allocation to ensure operations stay within budget while meeting targets.

Change Management & Transformation – Since this role involves driving modernization strategies, you must show how you navigate change. Interviewers look for evidence of "business transformation experience"—how you have taken an existing facility or process and elevated it to world-class standards through grit and strategic vision.

The interview process for the Operations Manager role at ABB is rigorous and structured designed to assess both your technical operational expertise and your cultural alignment with ABB’s values of courage, care, curiosity, and collaboration. The process typically moves from a high-level screening to deep-dive functional interviews, often culminating in a panel discussion or presentation.

Initially, you will undergo a screening with a Talent Acquisition Partner to verify your qualifications, such as your experience in Field Service Operations and your authorization to work in the US. This is followed by a hiring manager interview—often the Regional Manager—which focuses on your background in manufacturing, supply chain, and leadership style. Following this, you will enter the panel stage. This stage involves meeting with key stakeholders, such as HR leaders, peer Operations Managers, and potentially Business Controllers.

ABB interviews are known for being competency-based. You should expect a mix of behavioral questions (STAR method) and situational scenarios specific to operations, such as handling supply chain disruptions or safety incidents. For senior operational roles, you may be asked to present a "30-60-90 day plan" or a case study on a past business transformation you led. The process is thorough but transparent, aiming to ensure you have the grit required for the role.

This timeline illustrates the typical flow from application to offer. Use the gap between the Hiring Manager Screen and the Panel Interview to prepare your "success stories" related to cost savings, safety improvements, and team development. Note that for regional roles involving Latin America oversight, language skills or cross-cultural management experience may be tested during the panel rounds.

To succeed, you must be prepared to discuss specific operational competencies in depth. Based on the job description and candidate reports, these are the primary areas where you will be tested.

Operational Strategy & Modernization

You will be evaluated on your ability to translate the ELSE (Electrification Service) strategy into actionable business plans. Interviewers want to know how you align local operations with global targets.

Be ready to go over:

• Modernization Strategy: How you upgrade legacy systems and processes to meet modern standards.
• KPI Implementation: How you define, track, and report on key performance indicators across different regions.
• Project Management: Methodologies you use to ensure projects are delivered on time and within scope.
• Advanced concepts: Implementing Industry 4.0 or digital monitoring tools in a traditional manufacturing environment.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you developed a business action plan that aligned with a global strategy but required significant local adaptation."
• "How do you track deviations in your action plans, and what is your process for implementing corrective actions?"

Financial Management & Supply Chain

This area assesses your "business head." You must demonstrate that you can manage the bottom line while navigating complex logistics.

Be ready to go over:

• Budgeting: Managing operational budgets (OPEX/CAPEX) and addressing cost overruns.
• Supply Chain Management: leveraging deep knowledge to optimize procurement, logistics, and planning.
• Cost Reduction: Specific measures you have taken to address cost-related issues without sacrificing quality.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through how you manage your operational budget. How do you handle unexpected resource constraints?"
• "Tell me about a time you leveraged supply chain strategies to resolve a fulfillment crisis."

Continuous Improvement (CI) & Quality

With a preference for Six Sigma Green Belts, ABB expects you to be a practitioner of Lean.

Be ready to go over:

• Methodologies: Specific experience with Kaizen, 5S, DMAIC, or Lean Six Sigma.
• Culture Building: How you foster CI behaviors in your team so that improvement comes from the bottom up.
• Quality Assurance: Your approach to maintaining quality standards in a service and manufacturing environment.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement in a team that is resistant to change?"
• "Give an example of a process improvement you initiated that resulted in measurable efficiency gains."

Leadership & Organizational Development

Since you may have oversight of workshops in Canada and Latin America, your ability to lead diverse teams is critical.

Be ready to go over:

• Talent Development: How you drive competence assessments and skill upgrades.
• Remote Management: Strategies for managing indirect reports and workshops across different countries.
• Safety Leadership: Promoting a safety-first culture (HSE) in high-risk environments.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you had to guide and motivate an underperforming team to become a high-performing organization."
• "How do you share leading practices and success stories across a geographically dispersed region?"

As the Operations Manager, your day-to-day work is a blend of strategic planning and hands-on execution. You are responsible for developing business action plans that align with the Americas and Modernization strategy. This involves not just setting targets but actively monitoring implementation and tracking deviations to ensure the organization stays on course.

You will manage the operational budget, overseeing progress and determining measures to address cost-related issues. This requires a proactive approach to resource allocation and financial stewardship. A significant portion of your role involves "indirect strategic oversight" of workshops in Canada and Latin America, meaning you must be adept at influencing without direct daily presence, ensuring these sites implement KPIs and drive project completion effectively.

Collaboration is key. You will work closely with project engineering, manufacturing, procurement, quality, and logistics teams. You are accountable for building an effective organization through talent development, conducting competence assessments, and driving continuous skill upgrades. Ultimately, you are the champion of "continuous improvement behaviors," ensuring that the methodology of Lean and Six Sigma is embedded in the DNA of your team.