General and operations managers build coordination, people management and problem-solving skills that nearly every leadership role needs. Of the 25 careers below, Project Management Specialists, Administrative Services Managers and First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers all match at 90%.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project Management Specialists | 90% | $102,320 | −3% | None |
| 2 | Administrative Services Managers | 90% | $114,130 | +8% | None |
| 3 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 90% | $87,520 | −17% | None |
| 4 | Information Technology Project Managers | 89% | $116,580Pay for the broader BLS group “Computer Occupations, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Sales Managers | 89% | $148,270 | +40% | None |
| 6 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 88% | $107,230 | +1% | None |
| 7 | Industrial Production Managers | 87% | $126,060 | +19% | None |
| 8 | Construction Managers | 84% | $114,990 | +9% | None |
| 9 | Purchasing Managers | 84% | $148,080 | +40% | None |
| 10 | Financial Managers | 82% | $166,570 | +57% | None |
Compared with General and Operations Managers, median $105,770. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as general and operations managers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
Running operations means setting priorities, managing staff and fixing problems across departments at once. O*NET rates coordination at 3.88 out of 5 for this job, so project, logistics and specialty management roles rank high. Most of these moves keep your level and change the area you lead, such as sales, production or finance. Project management uses the same planning with a clearer scope. The main gaps are technical ones, such as systems analysis and programming.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
90% skill match · $102,320 · −3% pay
Programming · Technology Design
90% skill match · $114,130 · +8% pay
Time Management · Operations Analysis
90% skill match · $87,520 · −17% pay
Judgment and Decision Making · Time Management · Instructing
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Project Management Specialists (90%), Administrative Services Managers (90%) and First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers (90%), based on O*NET 31.0. Information Technology Project Managers (89%) and Sales Managers (89%) are also close, so most moves keep you at the same level.
15 of the 25 matches pay more than the $105,770 median for general and operations managers. Marketing Managers earn $166,790 (+58%), Financial Managers earn $166,570 (+57%) and Compensation and Benefits Managers earn $149,230 (+41%), according to BLS May 2025 data.
Not for the roles on this page: all 25 matches usually need no more education than an operations manager has, based on O*NET Job Zones. Some specialty roles, such as financial manager, still expect deep experience in that area, so plan for a bridge role.
Within top management, the nearest role is Chief Executives, with an 87% match by skills. Chief Sustainability Officers (70%) is a newer path for managers who want to lead environmental programs. Both build on the coordination and people skills you already use.