General Manager Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a general manager job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a general manager. Feel free to use our general manager job description template to produce your own general manager job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a general manager.
Who is a General Manager?
A general manager (GM) is an executive staff member who is in charge of a company’s day-to-day operations, including operational expenses and income. A general manager can also be said to be a senior position within a firm, and their responsibilities include problem-solving, managing daily operations, and approving marketing plans. General managers substantially influence the culture of the workplace because they are crucial in overall business management and strategic planning. General managers have high expectations because they are part of the team in charge of seeing that business strategies are carried out and that the firm is profitable. It is the executive’s total role, or “profit & loss responsibility,” to manage both the revenue and cost components of a company’s income statement.
A general manager typically handles the majority, if not all, of the company’s marketing and sales initiatives in addition to the regular day-to-day operations of the company. For an organization to achieve desired profit-making objectives, the general manager is frequently in charge of efficient planning, delegation, coordination, staffing, organizing, and decision-making. The daily operations of their company are observed by the general manager. By establishing operational budgets and policies, they achieve the strategic objectives for their division and teams. They also oversee workers to ensure that they complete their responsibilities efficiently throughout the day. To guarantee that their staff members successfully fulfill all of their assignments, general managers are charged with a variety of duties. These responsibilities include selecting employees, maintaining a budget, and adhering to marketing plans.
A general manager is in charge of a business or a division of a firm inside a bigger organization. The position is particularly prevalent in sizable international or multinational corporations where enterprises are arranged according to product categories, clientele, or geographic regions. The unit’s top executive is often the general manager. The general manager is in charge of overseeing operations and achieving business objectives. An individual in a general manager position is a generalist who is knowledgeable about every facet of the company and can coordinate activities throughout the entire organization. A general manager typically needs to be fluent in the languages of operations, sales, marketing, human resources, R&D, and engineering. People who are seen as having general management potential in larger organizations frequently work in a series of positions, cycling across the different departments and gradually expanding their expertise and responsibilities over a long period. A general manager is in charge of a company’s overall operations, including daily operations, financial choices, and administrative facets. They are a part of the hierarchical structure of a corporation and supervise normal managers while adhering to the directives of senior executives. Businesses need team members at all levels, including general managers, to organize their constituent parts, assign responsibilities, and run smoothly.
To make sure employees perform their duties and live up to company requirements, they collaborate with several departments, including human resources managers.
Bachelor’s degrees in business administration, finance, economics, or a similar discipline are typical educational requirements for general managers. They might also be certified in the field they operate in, such as engineering or information systems. Other applicants might hold a master’s degree in business administration or another related field. The majority of candidates for general manager positions have held leadership positions and prior relevant experience in the field or a related organization or industry, making them well-trained and prepared to start working right away with minimum extra training. A strong general manager must oversee corporate objectives for numerous departments, and they must be able to effectively communicate with all levels of staff. They also need dynamic organizational skills and strong leadership qualities to maintain everyday operations. The ideal applicant for this position will have great leadership abilities, superior business function knowledge, exceptional budgeting and finance skills, and excellent communication skills. The outstanding general manager should oversee all business operations, encourage employee growth, improve productivity, boost sales and increase revenue, uphold client connections, improve the company’s reputation, and achieve overall growth goals.
General Manager Job Descriptions
What is a general manager job description? A general manager job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a general manager in an organization. Below are the general manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a general manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
A general manager typically has a wide range of duties and responsibilities, which include the following:
- Planned, organize, and supervise all business operations to accomplish corporate objectives.
- Create and implement a profitable company plan.
- Manage tasks and help with budgeting and spending.
- Analyze the marketing program’s success and suggest any needed improvements.
- Create plans to increase output and quality overall.
- Provide management with business, cost, and employee reports.
- Oversee the business unit’s top executives and functional managers directly.
- Make sure that tactical programs are created to pursue certain goals and objectives.
- Ensure the completeness and calibre of the unit’s client offers.
- Participate in important or focused consumer actions.
- Control important hiring and talent-development initiatives.
- Hire people, ensure availability of goods, purchase equipment, and attend social events.
- Keep an eye on the accounting department and the company’s finances.
- Execute marketing and sales strategy.
- Create company policies and procedures and promote their adherence.
- Evaluate and keep each department of a company operating at a high level while receiving adequate money.
- Provide direction and objectives to department heads and lower-level managers.
- Determine the most important investments in infrastructure, talent, and equipment.
- Inform the staff of the unit’s strategy and outcomes.
- Inform corporate officers of important results.
- Participate in broader organizational strategic planning with corporate leaders.
- Set up regular team meetings to discuss company updates, problems, and suggestions.
- Develop and execute rules and regulations for personnel based on industry norms and legal requirements.
- Assess employee performance and decide on dismissing, promotions, and pay raises.
- Planned and coordinated departmental tasks including allocating funds, selecting personnel, placing orders for supplies, creating advertising campaigns, and maintaining inventory levels.
- Chose candidates for employment after reviewing their applications and conducting interviews.
- Ensure the smooth running of the company’s day-to-day activities.
- Monitor departmental heads.
- Review sales records to assess how well products are doing and whether adjustments are required.
- Examine the company’s financial statements and budgets to see if it is running profitably and effectively.
- Establish objectives for the business in terms of sales volume, product quality, client satisfaction, staff retention rates, and other success indicators.
- Create and maintain budgets for each department or the organization as a whole.
- Help train, and manage each employee’s performance.
- Organize, supervise, and regulate all business operations to accomplish corporate objectives.
- Analyze the systems and processes used in the company today.
- Assist sales teams and key account managers in maintaining current customers.
- Establish long-term strategic objectives and create detailed plans to carry them out.
- Establish the necessary staffing levels and make sure that open positions are filled as soon as possible.
- Approve spending for pertinent departments based on data and reasoning.
- Enhance internal procedures and make sure that workers cooperate as a team.
- Respond to employee concerns promptly.
- Provide staff with instruction and direction regarding their allocated job obligations.
- Establish the number of employees needed and make sure office roles are filled quickly.
- Organize employee orientations and departure interviews.
- Make sure that staff members adhere to corporate rules and regulations.
- Manage administrative, logistical, human resource, and accounting services to support business operations.
- Respond to consumer questions quickly and professionally, and make sure they are satisfied.
- Recognize commercial opportunities with both existing and new clients.
- Create and put into action growth strategies.
- Train personnel and managers at lower levels.
- Establish and maintain budgets.
- Ensure an increase in revenue
- Analyze output and performance.
- Analyze financial and accounting data.
- Find prospects for advancement by doing some research.
- Create reports and present your ideas.
Qualifications
- Business management bachelor’s degree or a master’s in business administration (MBA).
- Practical experience as a General Manager or any other similar executive role.
- Planning and budgeting experience.
- Good knowledge of how different businesses operate.
- Understanding of the functions of finance, HR, procurement, and operations areas of business.
- Outstanding leadership qualities.
- Good communication skills.
- High organizational abilities.
- Effective work ethic.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Ability to pay attention to detail at all times.
- Computer literacy.
- Applicants must be naturally proactive.
Essential Skills
- Communication skills: Effective communication skills with their staff, clients, and other stakeholders are required by general managers. To effectively communicate information and provide thoughtful answers to inquiries, one must possess both verbal and written communication skills as well as nonverbal communication abilities. General managers need to be able to communicate complicated concepts to their teams in a way that they can grasp, and they also need to be receptive to suggestions and criticism from those teams. When negotiating contracts or discussing company strategy with higher management, general managers also use their communication abilities.
- Problem-solving skills: The capacity to recognize and resolve problems may develop in your capacity as a general manager. Your ability to recognize problems and create solutions to solve them depends on your problem-solving abilities. General managers frequently have to deal with difficulties that come up at work, like employee conflicts or workplace safety concerns. You might need to find solutions to issues with customer service, production procedures, or employee relations. Additionally, you can use your problem-solving abilities to identify strategies to raise sales and enhance the functioning of the business.
- Leadership skills: Strong leadership skills are frequently possessed by general managers, and these abilities can be used to inspire their teams and boost output. General managers are in charge of directing all business operations. They must be able to inspire and motivate their staff to put in extra effort, accomplish goals, and enhance procedures. A general manager who is skilled in leadership can inspire team members to work together and lead by example. Additionally crucial is their capacity to act decisively and boldly when called upon. Your ability to lead others can also help you create and carry out corporate-wide projects. Effective managers may motivate their staff to collaborate and support one another.
- Organizational skills: Having organizational skills is being able to manage several duties and obligations. Having good organizational abilities can assist general managers in properly managing their time and duties. Since general managers frequently have a variety of responsibilities, the organization is crucial. By doing so, individuals can accomplish their work promptly and access information as needed. A general manager can give tasks to workers who are most qualified for them by having organizational skills. Additionally, having good organizational abilities will help you assign assignments to team members efficiently and make sure that everyone is working on the appropriate projects at the appropriate times.
- Decision-making skills: General managers always make decisions, and the profitability of their company can be greatly impacted by the quality of those decisions. Effective decision-makers can analyze the possible outcomes of each option and make wise decisions based on the facts at their disposal. General managers can use their decision-making abilities to choose wisely on the operations, marketing plans, human resources, and other aspects of their company.
How to Become a General Manager
Step 1. Obtain required educational qualifications
Getting a bachelor’s degree is the first stage in becoming a general manager. The minimum educational need for general managers is often a bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or a closely related discipline. Some employers will consider applicants who have a GED or high school diploma and suitable work experience. You can choose to pursue a variety of academic interests, but many people who wish to work as general managers major in business, finance, marketing, economics, or a comparable subject to develop their leadership and management skills. To learn specifically how to be a general manager, you can also study business administration or management. The global economy, e-commerce, human resources, teamwork, organizational strategies, cross-cultural management, leadership, market outcomes, communication, business law, information technology, accounting, and finance are just a few of the subjects you could study in these courses. To improve your business knowledge, expand your professional network, and develop abilities that will make you stand out in a job application, you might also think about pursuing an MBA, or Master of Business Administration. Having finished a formal business education program, such as a Master of Business Administration, is preferred by many businesses (MBA). Business management, accounting, finance, marketing, and economics education are normally covered in a two-year MBA program. You could gain a deeper understanding of topics like supply chain management, human resource management, and workplace ethics by pursuing postgraduate education.
Step 2. Gain work experience
Having job experience in your industry is a crucial step in becoming a general manager because GMs need to have a complete understanding of how businesses run. You can choose to work in a variety of industries, such as banking, information technology, or human resources. A candidate may gain the information and experience necessary to make wise decisions in diverse business scenarios by working for a long time in one position. Start as a manager or employee at the entry-level then you can eventually apply for positions at higher levels. Many general managers start in the hotel sector in entry-level jobs. They frequently progress from front desk representatives, servers, or kitchen staff to shift managers or assistant managers. Some general managers start in the military, where they pick up management and leadership abilities. You can develop your leadership and decision-making abilities, as well as your knowledge of business finances and strategic planning techniques, as you gain professional experience. A general manager’s employer will provide on-the-job training after they are employed. The company’s policies and procedures, the computer system they use to run their firm, and the inventory management system they employ may all be covered during this training. To learn how to run the company, the training program could also entail observing the present general manager.
Step 3. Earn certifications
Obtaining certifications can make you more competitive for a job vacancy even though employers may not require them. Employers may demand that candidates complete a certification exam unique to the business to demonstrate their general expertise. Getting professional certifications can demonstrate to employers your dedication to studying and staying current with business changes. You have the option of obtaining a certificate specific to your field of work or a more general one that focuses on leadership, teamwork, or another aspect of management.
Step 4. Build a professional network and make applications for GM positions
A strong professional network helps navigate the demanding hiring processes and job applications. Developing your professional network is essential if you want to become a general manager. Developing solid, long-lasting relationships with your coworkers and superiors will help you demonstrate your tenacious work ethic and inspire them to keep you in mind if a GM post becomes available. To network with and learn from more experienced individuals in your sector, think about joining a professional organization. You can confidently apply for a general manager position once you have sufficient experience. If you believe you have the qualifications to fill a position at your organization, you can even request a promotion. A group interview and further interview stages may be part of the application process for a GM position, which is often different from one for an entry-level position. With the right preparation, you can utilize these interviews to demonstrate to your supervisors that you have what it takes to succeed in the position.
Where to Work as a General Manager
General managers are needed in every establishment. General managers may operate in offices, shops, restaurants, businesses, factories, or other places since many industries employ them. They normally work standard business hours, though they might need to put in extra time if there is an urgent business matter. General managers put in a lot of overtime, including on the weekends. They frequently respond to corporate emergencies around-the-clock by being on call. They might travel regularly to check over the various offices of their business or to attend conferences or meetings.
General Manager Salary Scale
General Managers’ salaries may vary depending on factors such as their geographical location, type of company, years of experience, industry size, certifications etc. The average general manager salary in the USA is $58,360 per year. $47,500 per year is earned at entry-level positions, while experienced workers earn up to $100,000 per year. In the UK, the average general manager salary is £39,971 per year. Salary ranges from £32,000 to £62,024 per year.
In Germany, the average General Manager’s salary is €96,489, but the range typically falls between the sum of €80,684 and €105,829. In Australia, the general manager’s salary is $138,377 per year. The salary typically starts at $101,989 and can reach $200,000 per year. In Japan, the national average salary for a General Manager is ¥13,464,467 per year. In India, the average general manager salary is ₹ 1,333,333 per year. Entry-level positions typically start at ₹ 700,000, while most experienced workers can earn up to ₹ 2,781,000 per year. In Nigeria, A General Manager typically earns around 6,780,000 NGN per year. Salaries range from 3,528,000 NGN to 10,368,000 NGN.