Business Development Manager vs Operations Manager

Measured from each occupation's own live postings: related jobs with a real gap between them. Posted pay favors the business development manager by about $16k at the midpoint.

The short answer

$62k–$165kBusiness Development Manager
+$16kBusiness Development Manager, at the midpoint
$61k–$135kOperations Manager

On pay, business development managers come out ahead by about $16k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $62k–$165k against $61k–$135k for operations managers. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates.

On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does. The readiness numbers further down say how far a typical profile on each side already reaches into the other, and which direction is the easier move.

Business Development Manager

Posted pay, middle half$62k–$165k
FieldBusiness
Postings read1,170
Open right now560 (196 remote)

Operations Manager

Posted pay, middle half$61k–$135k
FieldBusiness
Postings read2,043
Open right now917 (269 remote)

Switching, both directions

Business Development ManagerOperations Manager

45% skill readiness

What operations manager postings ask for that business development manager profiles usually lack: Operations, Lean / Six Sigma, Data Visualization, Project Management.

Run this direction on the instrument

Operations ManagerBusiness Development Manager

Not scored: the two sets of postings share too few skills in this direction for an honest number. Run the instrument with your own skill set for a personal read.

Open business development manager roles

See all 560 business development manager jobs

Open operations manager roles

See all 917 operations manager jobs

See the whole board for both

1,477 open roles across the two.

Related comparisons

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Quick answers

Which pays more, business development manager or operations manager?

On pay, business development managers come out ahead by about $16k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $62k–$165k against $61k–$135k for operations managers. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates. By seniority and country: business development manager salary and operations manager salary.

Are business development manager and operations manager the same job?

On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does.

Can a business development manager become an operations manager?

Yes, and the numbers say how far along you already are: a typical business development manager profile covers 45% of what operations manager postings ask for. The instrument lists the exact skills that make up the rest.

How many business development manager and operations manager jobs are open right now?

Right now our board has 560 business development manager openings and 917 operations manager openings, each linking to the original posting. The board refreshes every night, so the counts move with the market. Hiring the most business development managers at the moment: Ebury (12), OpenAI (8), Shieldai (8). For operations managers: Enpal (14), Stripe (12), Hellofresh (11).

Pay is the posted middle half; readiness is how much of the other role’s skill demand a typical profile covers. Refreshed nightly.

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