What does an Area Manager do?
Area Managers are hired by a variety of organizations to oversee the company’s day-to-day operations in a designated territory or region. The daily responsibilities of these professionals vary but often involve overseeing budgeting, quality, P&L statements, hiring and training. They also perform duties that include setting financial goals, establishing sales targets, working with upper management and using various business finance principles to accomplish tasks. Some Area Managers travel between several offices within their territory to perform their duties.
Area Manager skills and qualifications
Successful Area Managers often have certain prerequisites or qualifications, which include:
- Leadership: Strongly developed leadership skills are crucial as an Area Manager. Area Managers will use advanced leadership skills to inspire, mentor and encourage store-level managers to reach quarterly and annual goals.
- Communication: Because an Area Manager may be responsible for a large number of managers in a certain area, they may often have to manage from a distance. Strong written and verbal communication skills are important in this role.
- Mathematics: Mathematics and reporting skills are useful as an Area Manager. Area Managers will use basic to intermediate mathematical skills to report costs, profits and losses to district management.
- Problem-solving: It is the responsibility of the Area Manager to identify and overcome problems. They may deal with employment, operation or inventory cost challenges and will need to develop strategies to solve them.
Area Manager salary expectations
The average yearly salary for an Area Manager is $59,718. Area Manager salaries may vary depending on geographical location, size of the Area Managed and the industry in which the Area Manager works. An Area Manager that manages a large group of managers in a technical capacity can expect to earn more than an entry-level Area Manager who oversees a smaller number of managers in the retail industry. The level of experience and certifications can also affect the expected salary. An Area Manager with more specialized experience can expect to earn a higher salary.
Area Manager education and training requirements
A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a business-related industry is often required to become an Area Manager. Area Managers may come from programs in business administration, marketing, business leadership or sales. Some candidates will have previous training, either in an internship role or in a previous management position. Some Area Managers will work their way up from store-level supervisor to assistant manager, general manager and then Area Manager. Area managers may continue their training in order to obtain a position as a district manager in the same industry.
Area Manager experience requirements
Previous experience is often required to become an Area Manager. Candidates may come from other industries in a management role or they may move from a store-level manager role to Area Manager with additional on-the-job training. Prior experience in the industry is also often required. Area Managers can work in many different industries including retail, food, manufacturing and technology.
Job description samples for similar positions
If you are looking to fill a similar role that is not an Area Manager, then you might find one of these related job description samples to be useful: