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Highlights • An overview of operational research methods used in global health • Multidisciplinary approaches are effective for infectious disease management • Operational research can strengthen health systems and support decision-making • Computational techniques advance our understanding of disease biology • Modelling aids intervention planning and implementation optimisation, Infectious diseases, both established and emerging, impose a significant burden globally. Successful management of infectious diseases requires considerable effort and a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the complex web of interconnected biological, public health and economic systems. Through a wide range of problem-solving techniques and computational methods, operational research can strengthen health systems and support decision-making at all levels of disease control. From improved understanding of disease biology, intervention planning and implementation, assessing economic feasibility of new strategies, identifying opportunities for cost reductions in routine processes, and informing health policy, this paper highlights areas of opportunity for operational research to contribute to effective and efficient infectious disease management and improved health outcomes.