What is a general manager?
A general manager has broad, overall responsibility for a business or a business unit within a larger organization including generating revenue, training heads of departments, managing budgets, developing strategic plans, creating policies and controlling costs.
How to become a general manager?
You can become a general manager by earning an associate or bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. Employers may prefer that they hold MBAs and other high-level qualifications.
You must also have a high quality and successful record of achievement, years of experience and be able to demonstrate successful management of profit and loss within a business or business unit.
General manager duties
General manager duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Develops strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities, presenting analysis, and recommending objectives
- Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards
- Training low-level managers and staff
- Researching and identifying growth opportunities
- Prepare regular reports for upper management
- Provide solutions to issues (e.g. profit decline, employee conflicts, loss of business to competitors)
- Ensure the development of tactical programs to pursue targeted goals and objectives
General manager skills
To be an effective general manager, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Strategic planning skills
- Strong analytical ability
- Excellent communication skills
- Problem-solving aptitude
- Strong work ethic
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Developing standards, coaching, and team coordination
- Financial planning
How to find a general manager job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the general manager jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for general manager jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
General Manager Job Titles
When you search for general manager jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for general manager jobs include;
- Managing Directors
- Chief Operating Officers
- Branch Manager
- Operations Manager
What does a general manager do?
The job of a general manager varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of general manager job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a general manager include;
- Overseeing daily business operations
- Developing and implementing growth strategies
- Training low-level managers and staff
- Creating and managing budgets
- Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed
- Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards