The object of research is the management system of the gas transmission system (GTS) of Ukraine. The analysis shows that the GTS effectiveness is hampered by the information heterogeneity of the available automation means and the lack of automated data exchange on the vertical «process control – strategic management». The study applied the methodology proposed by the ANSI/ISA-95 standard, the reference model of the functional hierarchy of management of manufacturing enterprises. As a result of the research, the functions of the processes acting at the operational level, are determined. An approach to the phased automation of the management of GTS is developed. It provides for the preservation and development of existing means of automation of technological processes and existing systems for planning, optimization and management by gas pipelines and underground gas storage facilities. According to the proposed approach, an operational management system will be created on the basis of existing computerized systems as an MES system that will meet the requirements of this standard. The implementation of the proposed approach can be considered as a combination of two processes, each of which is implemented in three stages, performed iteratively. The first process: creation of operational management systems as MES systems, introduction of automatic monitoring of parameters of physical and technological processes, and the formation of a subsystem of information system responsible for ensuring operational management and control of technological processes. The second process includes: formation of a subsystem of information system responsible for ensuring of business processes, introduction of an automated system for management on the corporate level and the introduction of automatic monitoring of business processes. The interaction of these two processes can occur only in their final phases of final formation of the information system. Therefore, they can be implemented in parallel, which will ensure a reduction in the duration of the GTS reconstruction on the proposed approach. And this, in turn, will lead to a reduction in the period of recoupment of expenses for the introduction of the system. Implementation of the proposed approach as a whole will improve the controllability and efficiency of the GTS operation and create conditions for introducing of modern management models.