What does a General Manager do?
General Managers act as a liaison between a company’s upper management and the front-facing employees who work directly with clients and customers. Rather than working closely with clients, General Managers focus on high-level functions that improve the company as a whole, such as developing new business processes to make the day-to-day duties of the team easier.
They work at restaurants, retail outlets, offices and other businesses to ensure their team executes all business functions successfully. General Managers often oversee finances and budgeting, staffing processes, policies, regulation enforcement, solutions for company issues and problem-solving when issues arise.
General Manager skills and qualifications
An effective General Manager needs a broad range of industry knowledge and soft skills, which include:
- Keen strategic thinking and planning
- Understanding of budget management and financial monitoring
- Excellent leadership skills, including goal setting, motivating, training and mentorship
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including writing, speaking and active listening
- Effective conflict resolution and problem-solving skills
- Good organization and time management, including the ability to work well in high-pressure situations with tight deadlines
- Strong analytical thinking skills
- In-depth knowledge of the industry and managerial strategies
General Manager experience requirements
Most General Manager candidates have previous experience in the same or a similar industry. It’s also common for a General Manager job description to note that previous leadership roles are preferred to make the transition easier with less training required. Some candidates gain experience as an Assistant Manager, Team Lead or Supervisor before applying for General Manager positions while others already have work experience as a General Manager.
General Manager education and training requirements
While there aren’t any universal degree requirements for the role, some General Managers hold bachelor’s degrees in business administration, finance, economics or another related field. They may also have a degree or training in the industry they are working in, such as hospitality or manufacturing. Other candidates may have a Master of Business Administration or another relevant master’s degree. While not a requirement, some candidates may also have the Certified Manager Certification from the Institute of Certified Professional Managers to further prove their knowledge and experience.
General Manager salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a General Manager is $61,353 per year. The salary may depend on a candidate’s level of education, experience and geographical location as well as the industry and company.
General Manager salary expectations
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Common salary:
63659.24 YEARLY -
Typical salaries range from
14000.00 -166000.00 YEARLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Job description samples for similar positions
If the General Manager job description doesn’t meet your needs, these job descriptions for related positions that might be a better fit:
General Manager job description FAQs
What is the difference between a General Manager and an Assistant Manager?
General Managers oversee an entire store or company at a high level, while Assistant Managers work closely with the front-line employees. Assistant Managers support the General Manager by enforcing the processes and policies created. For instance, the Assistant Manager might train new employees using the training program and guidelines developed by the General Manager. Assistant Managers may handle details such as processing shift changes, accepting inventory orders, setting up product displays and running staff meetings, while General Managers hire and fire employees, set sales policies and handle company finances.
What are the characteristics of a good General Manager?
Excellent people skills help effective General Managers motivate and manage their staff. They keep the company’s overall vision in mind as they make decisions and know how to set realistic expectations. General Managers are strong communicators who can address issues with employees or customers and motivate their team. They empower their staff to be successful by delegating tasks and giving them the autonomy to complete those tasks without micromanaging. Successful General Managers are flexible and use creative problem solving to respond and adapt to challenges, such as missed sales goals or unsatisfied customers.
What should you look for on a General Manager’s resume?
When reviewing resumes for a General Manager position, look for candidates with experience in a similar industry or business type. For example, the General Manager of a retail outlet might have experience as a Cashier, Customer Service Associate, Inventory Manager or Assistant Manager at a shop. Successful candidates may have business education or experience working with company finances. They should demonstrate an aptitude for learning by showing how they grew and advanced in their past roles. A strong resume will include facts about how the candidate improved business efficiency in a previous position.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
