General Manager: Job profile and role

A general manager supervises the operations of a business. The role involves setting strategic goals, managing teams, and ensuring efficient day-to-day functioning to achieve long-term success and profitability for your company. But what does it truly take to excel in this dynamic role? In this blog post, we will dive into the field of management, exploring the skills required, career paths, and daily life. By the end, you’ll understand what it takes to thrive in this challenging yet rewarding profession.

Short Summary

• The task of a general manager is to oversee and coordinate the various facets of a business, ensuring smooth operations and strategic alignment for success and profitability.
• In this position, you should possess strong leadership skills to guide and inspire teams, coupled with effective communication abilities to navigate diverse challenges and foster a cohesive working environment.
• Successful, general managers foster team collaboration and emphasise strategic thinking for long-term success while navigating diverse challenges with clarity and resilience.

Job description

A general manager supervises a company’s operations, steering strategic goals and ensuring day-to-day efficiency. Your responsibilities include managing teams, setting performance standards and implementing policies. Moreover, the role involves making critical decisions, fostering a positive work culture and adapting strategies to dynamic market conditions. 

General managers act as the link between the bigger picture and the finer details, ensuring the growth, profitability and sustainable success of companies through effective leadership and strategic management.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing Daily Business Operations
• Team Management
• Strategic Planning
• Decision Making
• Policy Implementation
• Setting Sales Goals
• Budgeting
• Staffing
• Marketing Strategies
• Investor Relations 

Salary

General managers earn about £40,000 to £100,000 annually, with higher salaries common in major cities such as London and Manchester. Furthermore, especially in industries like finance or technology, one can expect higher pay due to increased responsibilities and market demands.

Working hours

General managers work weekly 40 to 50 hours, but variations exist across industries. In high-pressure sectors like hospitality or retail, extended hours might be expected. Generally, overtime is common during peak periods.

Flexible working hours may be available, offering you a better work-life balance.

Employers

General managers are employed across different industries and companies, including retail, hospitality, technology and finance. They steer operations in diverse businesses, from large corporations to smaller enterprises. Reputable companies employing general managers include Tesco, HSBC and British Airways.

How to find a Job as a General Manager

To find a suitable job vacancy, network within your industry, leverage online job boards and explore professional associations. As prospective general managers are expected to have industry-specific knowledge, you should ensure your CV is tailored to highlight industry experience relevant to the companies you wish to apply to.

Qualifications

Becoming a general manager requires at least a relevant bachelor’s degree in Business Management or a related field. One can further advance with industry-specific qualifications as well as an MBA. It’s also common to start your career with an apprenticeship in management. Professional certifications such as Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accreditation add credibility. 

Practical experience, often gained through progressing from lower-level management roles, is highly valued by employers. Companies want to see that you have extensive experience in managing different teams and tackling diverse challenges. Also, proficiency in data analysis tools like Excel is highly sought after, as it is essential for a digital workplace.

Skills

The job of a general manager demands refined soft skills. These include effective communication, customer-centricity, and adept problem-solving. Through these skills, you foster a positive workplace and employee motivation while driving business success. 

What skills are needed in the various sectors?

The specific skills required for the job as a general manager may also depend heavily on the industry in which your company operates. This is because the role of a general manager varies across sectors. 

In retail, proficiency in inventory management and customer service is crucial. Whereas in technology, strategic foresight and innovation are paramount. Hospitality demands exceptional customer-centric skills. Financial industries demand exceptional analytical abilities. While adaptability and leadership are universally vital, the specific skills required can differ significantly, showcasing the dynamic nature of the general manager’s role. 

Tailoring expertise to industry-specific demands ensures success.

Communication Skills

Outstanding communication skills are crucial for a general manager to clearly convey ideas, strategies, and expectations. Through clear communication, you can avoid misunderstandings and effectively resolve conflicts. Moreover, proficient communication builds strong team dynamics, ensures seamless collaboration, and cultivates a positive work culture, ultimately fostering business harmony and success in achieving common objectives.

Organizational Skills 

Aptitude in organizing tasks, schedules, and teams enhances productivity, reduces disruptions, and streamlines operations, contributing to a well-structured business environment. This makes organizational skills critical for a general manager, ensuring efficient workflow, resource allocation, and goal alignment.

Customer-Centricity 

By understanding client’s perspectives, managers can tailor strategies, enhance products, and build lasting relationships. This approach boosts customer loyalty and drives business growth, as satisfied customers become loyal ambassadors, contributing to sustained success and a positive brand reputation. Therefore, focusing on customer needs and satisfaction can make you a prosperous general manager.

Career Path

A general manager’s career path typically involves progressing in lower-level management roles gaining experience in diverse departments. After several years, you may take an executive positions with broader responsibilities, overseeing the entire business operations and communicating directly with investors and clients.

Educational Background

Becoming a general manager demands a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Administration, or a related field. While some climb from lower-level management through experience, many employers prefer candidates with formal education. Advanced degrees, such as an MBA, enhance prospects. Professional certifications like Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accreditation or Project Management Professional (PMP) may bolster credibility. 

Many general managers alternatively complete an apprenticeship in management. This allows you to obtain technical skills while gaining practical experience, contributing to a well-rounded education.

Entry Level

Gaining entry-level experience is vital for aspiring general managers as it cultivates foundational skills and first-hand experience. Hands-on experience sharpens decision-making laying the groundwork for career growth. 

One may start in roles like team leader or supervisor, gradually gaining responsibilities and leadership skills. By working your way up through lower management positions, you gradually acquire the necessary skills, leadership qualities, and resilience to sustainably succeed in general management.

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is integral for a thriving career as a general manager, ensuring adaptation to evolving markets, policies and management practices. This could include attending training courses such as advanced communication, effective conflict resolution and strategic management or certifications to improve your technical skills such as when dealing with accounting and bookkeeping systems. The fundamental point is to expand your skills and gain new competencies to develop yourself and achieve your personal goals.

A Day in the Life of a General Manager

Embark on a dynamic journey as a general manager, directing diverse operations, solving challenges, and steering teams toward success. Every day unfolds with strategic decisions, fostering innovation, and framing organisational wins.

In the following sections, we’ll have a closer look at these core responsibilities and provide more detail into the exciting and demanding day-to-day work of a general manager.

Hiring and Training Employees

Hiring and training require general managers to identify talent, interview, and shape a qualified workforce through comprehensive training programs. The objective is to assemble a capable and motivated team and match their skills with the needs of the organization. This task ensures a competent workforce that increases productivity, promotes a positive workplace culture and contributes to the overall success and growth of the company.

Budgeting

Planning costs as a general manager demands the efficient allocation of resources, the determination of salaries and the forecasting of personnel requirements. It’s about improving personnel costs while ensuring talent retention and productivity. Budgeting is a critical task as it ensures financial sustainability, aligns headcount with strategic objectives and contributes to overall financial health, enabling the business to compete effectively.

Overseeing Operations 

The main responsibility of a general manager is to oversee the day-to-day operations of a company. This involves ensuring that all processes are efficient and in line with the company’s strategic goals while maintaining a smooth workflow and driving organizational success. You ensure that all aspects of the business work together effectively, delivering products or services efficiently, making the most of available resources, and contributing to sustained growth.

Tips for Thriving as a General Manager

Succeeding as a general manager demands adept leadership, effective communication, and strategic thinking. For a successful career, you should prioritize team collaboration, cultivate adaptability, and foster innovation to navigate challenges and drive organisational success.

In this section, we will explore some tips for thriving in this dynamic profession, including:

• Interpersonal skills
• Multitasking
• Team leadership

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills foster collaboration with diverse teams, resolve conflicts, and engage with stakeholders. This proficiency is vital for your success. This is because it involves effective communication, empathy, and relationship-building creating a positive workplace culture and ensuring team alignment. 

Since strong interpersonal skills contribute to overall organisational success, they are the cornerstone for a general manager.

Multitasking

Multitasking ensures adaptability, timely decision-making, and the ability to navigate intricacies. It involves swiftly shifting between tasks and prioritizing efficiently. Through multitasking, you can juggle multifarious responsibilities from strategic planning to daily operations. 

Success in this role depends on directing various facets seamlessly, from team management to problem-solving. Proficient multitasking not only fosters efficiency but also positions a general manager to meet organizational goals and drive productivity.

Team Leadership

Team leadership is vital for a general manager, involving the ability to inspire, guide, and unify diverse individuals towards shared goals. It necessitates effective communication, promoting a positive work culture, and aligning team efforts with organizational objectives. In this role, team leadership ensures cohesive collaboration and maximizes productivity.

Your success as a general manager commands the capability to lead and motivate teams to cultivate a dynamic and engaged workforce. 

Frequently Asked Questions