What does a department manager do?
Department managers oversee the operations of the department they are assigned to. They manage all aspects of the operation, including finance, sales, quality control, and human resources. They set department goals and the steps the team needs to take to ensure that the goals are met. Department managers are also in charge of training team members so that these team members will be able to work together harmoniously. They should also be able to keep the team's goal in sight and adjust their strategy as needed.
Department manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real department manager resumes:
- Participate in company's ISO certification program, successfully achieving ISO [] and AS9100 certification.
- Manage and delegate over lumber-building materials department including millwork department.
- Manage electronics, wireless connection center, layaway and online order/pickup departments.
- Develop schedules; manage payroll; multitask extensively to ensure competing requirements are complete.
- Monitor and maximize sales and payroll by identifying sales opportunities and managing controllable expenses.
- Manage geotechnical aspects of an EIR/EIS for a coastal development in an environmentally sensitive lagoon.
- Maintain department by establishing merchandising goals, managing inventory control, and maintaining department organization and cleanliness.
- Demonstrate management functions including training, coaching, motivation, discipline, performance appraisal and conflict resolution.
- Implement inventory management system to effectively manage on-hands, assist with correct replenishment and maintain an acceptable level of over-stock.
- Maintain plumbing department stock availability through schedule pack downs, shrink management and inventory management associates (IMA) accountability.
- Stock groceries and other merchandise.
- Utilize math in all aspects of making of products.
- Assign QC inspect product to various job assignments throughout the shift.
- Train associates in apparel, layaway and jewelry departments; perform jewelry audits.
- Provide support to customers including troubleshooting cell phones, TVs, and various computer issues.
Department manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 38% of Department Managers are proficient in Inventory Management, Sales Promotions, and Cleanliness. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Customer-service skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Department Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Inventory Management, 38%
Utilized computerized inventory management system.
- Sales Promotions, 17%
Marketed merchandise by studying advertising, sales promotion, and displays plans; analyzes operating and financial statements for profitability ratios.
- Cleanliness, 13%
Managed the day-to-day operations of the Floral Department including scheduling, ordering, inventory, cleanliness and organization.
- Customer Service, 8%
Prepared comprehensive, detailed, and effective reports on office performance while performing quality assurance and monitoring for superior customer service.
- Sales Floor, 3%
Maintained excellent customer service, ensured proper merchandise presentation on sales floor and reviewed and reacted to merchandise information reports.
- Product Knowledge, 2%
Participated in vendor product knowledge meetings and asked to identify personal recommendations for upcoming trends based on research and experience.
Common skills that a department manager uses to do their job include "inventory management," "sales promotions," and "cleanliness." You can find details on the most important department manager responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a department manager to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Additionally, a department manager resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "performed weekly loss prevention evaluations and cycle counts to ensure accurate inventory and shrink data. "
Customer-service skills. Many department manager duties rely on customer-service skills. "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs.," so a department manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways department manager responsibilities rely on customer-service skills: "trained and lead employees to demonstrate excellent customer service and influenced techniques in order to decrease loss prevention and increase sales. "
Communication skills. This is an important skill for department managers to perform their duties. For an example of how department manager responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a department manager: "decreased injury and safety incidents by 40% through monthly safety awareness meetings and corporate communications with loss prevention. ".
Leadership skills. A big part of what department managers do relies on "leadership skills." You can see how essential it is to department manager responsibilities because "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical department manager tasks: "received corporate recognition for leadership contributions to efficient/cost-effective store operations through accurate forecasting, order fulfillment and out-of-stock management. "
The three companies that hire the most department managers are:
- McDonald's4,939 department managers jobs
- Ollie's Bargain Outlet738 department managers jobs
- Petco Holdings, Inc.447 department managers jobs
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Compare different department managers
Department manager vs. Manager on duty
A manager on duty's role is to oversee operations in a store or a particular department, ensuring efficient workflow and workforce performance. They mainly evaluate and delegate tasks among employees, arrange schedules, set goals and budget, handle issues and concerns, and impose disciplinary actions. Moreover, a manager on duty may also perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports, processing paperwork, maintaining an inventory of supplies, reporting to supervisors, coordinating with other managers, and implementing the company's policies and standards.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between department managers and manager on duty. For instance, department manager responsibilities require skills such as "sales promotions," "cleanliness," "store management," and "performance reviews." Whereas a manager on duty is skilled in "safety procedures," "cpr," "guest service," and "front desk operations." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Managers on duty earn the highest salaries when working in the retail industry, with an average yearly salary of $36,308. On the other hand, department managers are paid more in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $71,410.The education levels that managers on duty earn slightly differ from department managers. In particular, managers on duty are 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a department manager. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Department manager vs. Store manager and buyer
A store manager is responsible for selecting and purchasing goods. They provide information on products, including prices and promotions. They are responsible for providing recommendations to clients, handling customer requires, and solving any issues. They also monitor sales.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real department manager resumes. While department manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "sales promotions," "cleanliness," "store management," and "performance reviews," store managers and buyer use skills like "market trends," "trade shows," "apparel," and "boutique."
Store managers and buyer earn similar levels of education than department managers in general. They're 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Department manager vs. Co-manager
A co-manager's role is to supervise business operations and perform administrative tasks as support to a manager. One of the primary functions of a co-manager is to delegate tasks of team members and arrange schedules. They also evaluate progress, produce the necessary documentation, maintain a record of data, identify issues and opportunities, and assist in coordinating with other employees. A co-manager may also have the task of hiring and training new workforce members, enforcing policies and regulations at all times.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, department managers are more likely to have skills like "sales promotions," "store management," "hr," and "direct reports." But a co-manager is more likely to have skills like "food safety," "perform routine maintenance," "store sales," and "basic math."
Co-managers earn the best pay in the retail industry, where they command an average salary of $64,497. Department managers earn the highest pay from the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $71,410.Most co-managers achieve a similar degree level compared to department managers. For example, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Department manager vs. Associate manager
Associate managers are responsible for overseeing the support and clerical staff of the company. They recruit and train employees who perform different tasks that include greeting customers, answering phones, and faxing documents. They also perform other duties, including keeping employees' motivation, ensuring that everyone understands the company's guidelines and policies, and supervising other staff members. To be qualified as an associate manager, one should have a high school diploma, leadership skills, and a strong work ethic. One should also have the necessary computer skills, bookkeeping skills, and customer service skills.
Types of department manager
Updated January 8, 2025
