And just to put the cat firmly amongst the pigeons, some of the WORST Ops Officers are also wannabe pilots, so don't assume ATPL = Good Ops Bod. I work in OPS at a large North-Western airport and I have learnt my stuff over a number of years, sticking it out whilst the wannabees come and go - I agree that the ATPL sets a high standard but there is no substitute for well-placed knowledge and years of job experience.
Off my soapbox now,
PHX