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Assistant department manager vs first assistant manager

The differences between assistant department managers and first assistant managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an assistant department manager and a first assistant manager. Additionally, a first assistant manager has an average salary of $55,948, which is higher than the $43,686 average annual salary of an assistant department manager.

The top three skills for an assistant department manager include standard operating procedure, customer service and work ethic. The most important skills for a first assistant manager are visual presentation, customer service, and basic math.

Assistant department manager vs first assistant manager overview

Assistant Department ManagerFirst Assistant Manager
Yearly salary$43,686$55,948
Hourly rate$21.00$26.90
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs199,757327,727
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age4343
Years of experience66

What does an assistant department manager do?

An assistant department manager is responsible for supporting the assigned department operations under the supervision of the head department manager. Assistant department managers oversee the performance of the staff, ensuring the highest productivity with quality services. They also assist in budget allocation, coordinating with the senior management for expenses reports, and suggest cost reduction strategies. An assistant department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on coordinating with business partners for project deliverables and maximize the staff's potential by arranging department training and programs.

What does a first assistant manager do?

First assistant managers are executive professionals who assist general managers in managing the daily work activities of an organization to ensure its proper and smooth business operation. These managers must lead and guide project team members as well as assigning work schedules for their employees. They must ensure that their products or services are with quality standards while providing excellent customer service. First, assistant managers must also assist in creating business plans so that they can achieve the organization's goals.

Assistant department manager vs first assistant manager salary

Assistant department managers and first assistant managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assistant Department ManagerFirst Assistant Manager
Average salary$43,686$55,948
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $72,000Between $33,000 And $92,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between assistant department manager and first assistant manager education

There are a few differences between an assistant department manager and a first assistant manager in terms of educational background:

Assistant Department ManagerFirst Assistant Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiSUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Assistant department manager vs first assistant manager demographics

Here are the differences between assistant department managers' and first assistant managers' demographics:

Assistant Department ManagerFirst Assistant Manager
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 50.4% Female, 49.6%Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between assistant department manager and first assistant manager duties and responsibilities

Assistant department manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage daily operations, approve and monitor payroll management system for non-exempt staff and student assistants.
  • Implement inventory management system to effectively manage on-hands, assist with correct replenishment and maintain an acceptable level of over-stock.
  • Help and teach employees with using slicers, fryers, and serving customers.
  • Reconcile payments using POS software including credit, cash, exchanges, returns and gift card purchases.
  • Assist department manager with everyday conditioning to ensure the department is ran at the highest level of efficiency.
  • Handle POS balancing by counting cash at the end of each shift and ensuring that any discrepancies are immediately addressed.
  • Show more

First assistant manager example responsibilities.

  • Execute and monitor strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
  • Work closely with upper management in meeting sales goals, safety issues, inventory, cleanliness and presentation of the department.
  • Maintain an extremely high standard of restaurant cleanliness.
  • Conduct geotechnical and geological investigations and mineral resource evaluations for commercial, industrial and governmental clients using the above-mentioned drilling techniques.
  • Train and develop current and new associates with visual standards.-Evaluate daily business to identify trends and maximize profitability.-Open and close store.-Cash management

Assistant department manager vs first assistant manager skills

Common assistant department manager skills
  • Standard Operating Procedure, 16%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Work Ethic, 10%
  • Sales Associates, 8%
  • Payroll, 6%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
Common first assistant manager skills
  • Visual Presentation, 23%
  • Customer Service, 17%
  • Basic Math, 12%
  • Customer Obsession, 12%
  • POS, 8%
  • Math, 6%