Manages with work period setback (8)
I believe the answer is:
operates
'manages' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'with work period setback' is the wordplay.
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'work' becomes 'op' (abbreviation for opus).
'period' becomes 'era' (era is a kind of period).
'setback' becomes 'tes' (I've seen this in other clues).
'op' put next to 'era' is 'opera'.
'opera'+'tes'='OPERATES'
(Other definitions for operates that I've seen before include "Performs sugery" , "Functions" , "Directs or controls, machinery say" , "[TREAT] s with a knife" , "Acts" .)