what is a general manager gm 
a general manager gm is responsible for all or part of a department s operations or the company s operations including generating revenue and controlling costs in small companies the general manager may be one of the top executives in hierarchical organizations gms rank above most employees but below corporate level executives the responsibility and importance associated with the position may vary among companies and often depend on the organization s structure understanding the role of a general manager gm the gm supervises lower level managers these lower level managers may be in charge of several smaller divisions but report directly to the gm the gm gives specific directions to each department head as part of this supervision a general manager oversees lower level managers hiring training and coaching in addition the gm may lay out incentives for workers and assess the departments efficiency while offering strategic business plans based on company goals the general manager is responsible for all aspects of a business including daily operations administrative functions and finances because of the enormity of the role a big part of the job is effective delegation to achieve goals gms collaborate with higher level managers and executives and with the employees that they supervise this person is responsible for budgeting resources for marketing supplies equipment and hiring because of their high level of responsibility complex duties and the need for extensive relevant experience gms earn more than entry level employees requirements for a general managera gm typically gains experience in a lower level management position before being hired or promoted to gm gms can advance by moving into top executive positions or to larger and more prestigious companies they must thoroughly understand their departments or company s operations be skilled at managing and leading employees and make sound decisions for the company they must also possess general manager responsibilitiesgeneral managers are usually responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of the overall workforce other responsibilities can include types of general managersa gm may hold various titles but overall their role is the same to oversee general operations and manage high level functions such as finances marketing and staffing in the c suite the chief executive officer ceo is considered the gm overseeing the entire company at the departmental level the gm might oversee a specific process in a company or be in charge of a particular unit or segment the gm sits just below the ceo in the executive suite in terms of rank a gm runs a line of business whereas the ceo is the gm of all lines of business in a company for example the gm is sometimes referred to as the product manager at technology companies the gm of a bank at a specific location is called the branch manager in a services company providing consulting or similar services a gm might use the title of managing partner or managing director consumer focused companies selling products tend to call their gms brand managers operations managers have a similar job to gms like gms operations managers create strategies that increase efficiency and profit for a company they also work with several departments to maintain the overall effectiveness of the business salaries and job outlookpay for general managers varies by industry and company but the bureau of labor statistics has published data for average general manager pay for industries with the highest gm employment levels the wage estimates for general and operations managers by percentile are general managers are found in many industries so the outlook is fair overall general manager employment is expected to increase by 4 2 through 2032 but significant changes are anticipated in several industries here are a few fossil fuels apparel traditional printing physical stores and other traditional general manager employers are expected to reduce their number of gms this is likely due to the trends in technology a switch to green energy a focus on health and corporate social responsibility and the large switch in consumer behavior to online shopping there is still plenty of employment opportunity as a general manager however wind and solar power generation electric component manufacturing passenger transportation and many others are expected to grow from a few percent to more than 30 topping general manager employment expectations by 2032 is geothermal electric power generation general managers with an anticipated 65 3 increase in employment in addition general managers in arts and entertainment performing arts sports event promoters artists writers and amusement parks are expected to grow between 8 and 12 by 2032 general manager vs ceogeneral managers are people who manage several different departments within a company one of their largest responsibilities is overseeing their departments sections or work site they coordinate duties and ensure their departments are on track to accomplish the goals set by the executives a chief executive officer is the top leadership position in a company ceos are responsible for strategic planning long term decision making operational oversight and fiscal oversight general manager vs operations managerwhile a gm is responsible for all aspects of a business an operations manager is only responsible for operations and production a gm s responsibilities are broader in scope and include hr marketing and strategy an operations manager s role tends to be more specific with experience in a particular niche industry 