Dept manager vs produce manager

The differences between dept managers and produce managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a dept manager and a produce manager. Additionally, a dept manager has an average salary of $50,222, which is higher than the $37,310 average annual salary of a produce manager.

The top three skills for a dept manager include customer service, sales floor and pallet jack. The most important skills for a produce manager are cleanliness, pallets, and customer service.

Dept manager vs produce manager overview

	Dept Manager	Produce Manager
Yearly salary	$50,222	$37,310
Hourly rate	$24.15	$17.94
Growth rate	6%	-21%
Number of jobs	221,313	157,993
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	6

What does a dept manager do?

A department manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the assigned department, ensuring the maximum productivity and optimal performance of the staff. Department managers also coordinate with business partners, clients, and customers, as well as identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and increase profitability. They handle department budgets and maintain the proper allocation of resources to support project management and deliverables. A department manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, managing the staff's needs, and providing excellent support.

What does a produce manager do?

A produce manager works at a grocery store and is responsible for maintaining and creating the produce display. Each grocery store has standard operating procedures for sales and production, and the produce manager has to work within those guidelines to improve the sales and net profit of the store. They help negotiate prices with suppliers, ensure that they deliver the best quality stock on time, prioritize, and place orders based on the demand for such items as organic or locally grown produce. The produce manager also timely provides pricing updates, and he/she or she supervises the placement of shelf tags.

Dept manager vs produce manager salary

Dept managers and produce managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dept Manager	Produce Manager
Average salary	$50,222	$37,310
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $87,000	Between $26,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	Bay Shore, NY	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Hawaii
Best paying company	UPMC	Citi
Best paying industry	Retail	Retail

Differences between dept manager and produce manager education

There are a few differences between a dept manager and a produce manager in terms of educational background:

	Dept Manager	Produce Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Dept manager vs produce manager demographics

Here are the differences between dept managers' and produce managers' demographics:

	Dept Manager	Produce Manager
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 52.5% Female, 47.5%	Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between dept manager and produce manager duties and responsibilities

Dept manager example responsibilities.

Manage application process and hiring of employees for seasonal photography business.
Implement inventory management system to effectively manage on-hands, assist with correct replenishment and maintain an acceptable level of over-stock.
Experience with photography including DSLR formats and small to large format film processes.
Process merchandise information through store computer system, POS register system and complete all require paperwork.
Perform fast and efficient computerize cash register/credit card POS operations, cash accountability, and drive control.
Assist in several other departments throughout store, such as electronics, jewelry, automotive, apparel and sporting goods.

Produce manager example responsibilities.

Manage receipts, handling of perishables, co-packing and re-packing, maintenance and dispatch of goods.
Conduct quality control evaluations to ensure cleanliness and customer satisfaction.
Include all bread, ice cream, frozen foods, beer and wine, meat dept.
Balance monthly the FTD report, greet and serve the customers.
Lead the grocery, frozen, bulk, and beer and wine departments.
Break down pallets load with produce and stack them in the cooler where they belong.

Dept manager vs produce manager skills

Common dept manager skills

Customer Service, 33%
Sales Floor, 9%
Pallet Jack, 9%
Inventory Control, 6%
Product Knowledge, 6%
Payroll, 4%

Common produce manager skills

Cleanliness, 13%
Pallets, 12%
Customer Service, 9%
Food Safety, 8%
Pallet Jack, 6%
Food Handling, 6%

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Dept Manager
Dept Manager vs Produce Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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