Managing Director vs. General Manager

A managing director works with the chief executive officer to develop new operations and processes, especially with regards to accounting and spending, while a general manager manages the operations of their team and keeps projects within deadlines.

A managing director works with outside auditors to assess the financial reports of the whole company. They are responsible for making the company efficient and lucrative. They may be tasked with designing infrastructure or improving workflows. They usually plan annual budgets to monitor annual spending and earning goals.

A general manager is used to develop the culture and environment of the workplace. They are involved heavily with the teams and delegate work as needed to keep workflows moving. They may be required to analyze data to determine areas of improvement and measure performance.

There are many differences between a managing director and a general manager including the scope of their duties.

Here are the key differences between a managing director and a general manager:

• A managing director is a senior-level partner that works directly with the CEO

• A general manager works closely with their team/department

• A managing director is tasked with meeting company goals and creating new programs or ventures

• A general manager is tasked with meeting project goals