Assistant Manager

Who is an Assistant Manager?

An assistant manager is an employee of an organization with some level of managerial or supervisory authority, who is subordinate to and works with one or more higher-level managers. The duties of an assistant manager may include direct supervision of staff, employee evaluation, initial disciplinary contact, and performing other managerial tasks when the manager is unavailable. Assistant managers are often promoted from within the ranks after being recognized for efficiency or leadership potential.

What Does Assistant Manager Mean?

This occupation was established to provide assistance to key executives in order to keep work and activities flowing according to expectations. These assistants have authority and leadership over other staff and they normally delegate and follow up the fulfillment of the pending tasks within the department, office or business. They commonly serve as a substitute figure when the Senior Manager is out of town, sick or just physically unavailable. Since these individuals are often closely trained by Senior Manager they are often promoted to more complex positions within the corporate structure due to the skills and training obtained in their previous position.

Candidates aiming to fulfill such positions must possess proper interpersonal skills, they should be goal-oriented, highly capable and should have the academic background and experience to satisfy the demanding requirements of replacing the manager temporarily. In the U.S. Assistant Managers earn an average of $35,000 a year and the position frequently include sales incentives, health benefits and other non-monetary benefits offered by companies.

What Does an Assistant Manager Do?

An Assistant Manager supports a General Manager in the daily responsibilities required to keep a business running smoothly. Assistant Managers direct employees and ensure that work is being completed in a timely and effective manner. Typically, Assistant Managers are involved in employee hiring and dismissal procedures and may perform disciplinary action when needed. Customer concerns and disputes are often brought to an Assistant Manager. Individuals in this role research and propose new opportunities for workplace improvement and revenue growth. Assistant Managers are great leaders, problem solvers and effective communicators.

The role of assistant manager is a key position in any administrative environment. Persons working in this position fulfil the role of buffer between the management team above and the supervisors below. Assistant managers often make many of the day-to-day office decisions in lieu of the management. Therefore, it’s vital that those working in this role are self-confident and show plenty of initiative.

In addition, they should have good organisational skills, as delegation is one of the key parts of the job. Given that assistant managers are central to the day-to-day operation of the office, they are often asked to help with recruitment and may play a part in the interview process. Furthermore, they also play a key part in training new staff and ensuring their continued development.

Example

Mary is currently looking for a full-time job position, as she recently graduated from a renowned business school. She describes herself as an entrepreneurial kind of person and it is obvious to her teachers that she possesses leadership skills. Her college mentor advised her to pursue a career as a business executive, but in order to do so she needs to start training in the work field in a subordinate position.

She identified the Assistant Manager position as the one that suits this path the best. She started looking for similar jobs and found one in a local mattresses’ factory. There’s an available position for an Assistant Manager to the Marketing Vice President. Since she had awesome grades, college recommendations and a few years of experience working as a Store Manager she was able to secure the job position. Mary is now learning management skills in a dynamic work environment and she is developing her abilities to become a highly effective Senior Manager.

Assistant Manager Duties and Responsibilities

An Assistant Manager may be responsible for a wide range of tasks, depending on the business. Some duties may include:

  • Assist the General Manager as directed
  • Hire, train, schedule and manage employees in daily tasks
  • Develop good customer relationships and address customer service needs
  • Manage purchasing, inventory, maintenance and other operational functions
  • Develop strategies for better workplace efficiency and goal achievement
  • Liaise between managers, customers and employees
  • Serve as acting General Manager (GM) when GM is away