Assistant Manager

An Assistant Manager is an employee of an organization with managerial authority. Examples of this position are usually found in retail, catering and hospitality environments where the need to have more than one member of daily operations management is important.

Assistant Managers outrank the position of a Supervisor and Team Leaders, but typically report to a Deputy or General Manager.

Assistant Managers, as the name implies- are positions whereby he or she supports the Manager in the day to day running of a specific department, office or store. Specific responsibilities vary, however- in larger organizations, Assistant Managers may lead a team of lower management members such as Supervisors and Team Leaders that direct staff. In smaller organisations, Assistant Managers may have much greater responsibility and focus much of their time on directing and controlling the work of sub-ordinates where a supervisor position is not needed. They may also be directly responsible for ensuring that health and safety policies are adhered to.

Assistant Managers typically lead shifts, or act as a 'Duty Manager' in the absence of a General or Deputy Manager. They are typically given management authority to make key decisions quickly, are heavily involved in training of other staff and perform many paperwork related duties.

In busy organizations, a General Manager may be fully occupied with many tasks too time consuming to fulfil his or her role effictively and efficiently. It is common for a Manager to delegate such tasks to one or more Assistant Managers. It is because of this that an Assistant Manager role is an ideal role for the individual to gain 'hands-on' management experience. With enough experience, it is typical for the employee to be promoted into a full management role such as Deputy or General Manager in the future.

In catering and hospitality trades where experience is essential, Assistant Managers are usually promoted from Supervisor positions that have developed strong supervisory skills and are showing clear leadership ability. Many organisations are keen to develop and promote staff from within to reduce costs such as recruitment fees. Assistant Managers are trained in the knowledge on how to perform the functions of a full Manager one day and are a vital asset in supporting the overall management of a specific department or organization.