General and Operations Managers

11-1021.00 Zone 4 — Considerable Preparation Needed

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

Also known as: Area Manager, Boards and Commissions Director, Business Coordinator, Business Manager, Center Manager, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Corporate Manager, Department Manager, ...

Annual Salary

$102,950

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$67,160 25th – 75th percentile $164,130
10th percentile $47,420
90th percentile $208,000+
U.S. Employment: 3,584,420

Job Outlook

+4.4%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Faster than average)

Annual Job Openings 308,700 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Experience: 5 years or more

What You'd Do

  • Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  • Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
  • Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
  • Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
  • Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits.
  • Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.
  • Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
  • Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
  • Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Monitoring 4.0
Coordination 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.9
Management of Personnel Resources 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.8

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

Administration and Management 4.3
Customer and Personal Service 4.2
English Language 3.7
Production and Processing 3.6
Mathematics 3.5
Personnel and Human Resources 3.4
Administrative 3.2
Economics and Accounting 3.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

High School
28.8%
Bachelor's
27.3%
Some College
21.6%
< High School
10.4%
Associate's
6%
Certificate
5.7%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Photoshop Amazon Web Services AWS software Apache Hadoop Apple macOS Atlassian Confluence Atlassian JIRA Autodesk AutoCAD Extensible markup language XML Facebook Google Analytics Google Docs HubSpot software IBM SPSS Statistics Intuit QuickBooks Kronos Workforce Timekeeper Marketo Marketing Automation Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft Visio Microsoft Visual Basic Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA Microsoft Windows

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

2.9
Leadership Orientation
2.7
Dependability
2.5
Integrity
2.4
Achievement Orientation
2.3
Self-Confidence
2.2
Initiative
2.2
Perseverance

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Oral Comprehension 4.0
Written Comprehension 4.0
Oral Expression 4.0
Written Expression 4.0
Problem Sensitivity 3.9
Deductive Reasoning 3.9
Speech Clarity 3.9
Speech Recognition 3.6

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Working with Computers 4.5
Getting Information 4.4
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates 4.3
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 4.3
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships 4.3
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events 4.2
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates 4.2
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work 4.2

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

Frequency of Decision Making
4.9
E-Mail
4.9
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
4.9
Freedom to Make Decisions
4.8
Telephone Conversations
4.8
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.7
Contact With Others
4.6
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
4.6
Health and Safety of Other Workers
4.5
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
4.5
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
4.5
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
4.5

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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.