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General manager vs retail operation manager

The differences between general managers and retail operation 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 general manager and a retail operation manager. Additionally, a retail operation manager has an average salary of $76,518, which is higher than the $71,581 average annual salary of a general manager.

The top three skills for a general manager include customer service, cleanliness and food safety. The most important skills for a retail operation manager are POS, retail operations, and payroll.

General manager vs retail operation manager overview

General ManagerRetail Operation Manager
Yearly salary$71,581$76,518
Hourly rate$34.41$36.79
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs442,690408,776
Job satisfaction4.25-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

What does a general manager do?

A general manager is responsible for handling the overall operations in the business. General managers manage the staff tasks efficiently, monitor the productivity and efficiency of the work environment, implement new strategies to improve the business performance, recognize the team's best efforts, and effective allocation of budget resources. A general manager must have excellent communication, decision-making, and critical-thinking skills to identify areas of improvement in handling customer complaints, connecting with vendors and other lines of businesses that will direct the company towards its successful objectives.

What does a retail operation manager do?

A retail operation manager is an individual who is responsible for managing the daily operations of retail stores while maintaining their physical space tidy and organized. Retail operation manager must ensure proper staffing at all stores as well as train employees to enhance their job performance and retention. They are required to conduct inventory analysis to ensure optimal stock levels. Retail operation managers must also visit retail locations so that they can evaluate the sales performance and level of customer satisfaction of each store.

General manager vs retail operation manager salary

General managers and retail operation managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

General ManagerRetail Operation Manager
Average salary$71,581$76,518
Salary rangeBetween $40,000 And $126,000Between $47,000 And $124,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateHawaiiConnecticut
Best paying companyNVIDIAAccenture
Best paying industryManufacturing-

Differences between general manager and retail operation manager education

There are a few differences between a general manager and a retail operation manager in terms of educational background:

General ManagerRetail Operation Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

General manager vs retail operation manager demographics

Here are the differences between general managers' and retail operation managers' demographics:

General ManagerRetail Operation Manager
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 70.7% Female, 29.3%Male, 56.8% Female, 43.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between general manager and retail operation manager duties and responsibilities

General manager example responsibilities.

  • Generate positive EBITDA and improve cash flow by managing costs and inventory.
  • Manage all recruiting and training efforts, and develop systems to track ROI comparison results.
  • Work as a FOH AGM and train to manage all staff functions including training, hiring, food and labor controls.
  • Develop yearly budget for multiple hotels that include revenue, labor, fix and variable costs to achieve overall EBITDA goal.
  • Task primarily with building logistics infrastructure, managing operational expenses, and supporting start up strategies.
  • Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.
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Retail operation manager example responsibilities.

  • Work to build and maintain Client/Retailer partnerships while managing ongoing client goals and KPI objectives.
  • Manage photo lab operations in multi-unit retail locations throughout multiple geographies.
  • Manage day-to-day store operations including inventory management, sales generation, and payroll.
  • Manage scheduling and payroll for team; conduct performance evaluations, promotions and terminations when necessary.
  • Manage the day-to-day oversight of funding requirements for vendors, retailers and wholesalers using company sponsor software.
  • Provide leadership and direction to facility management and program owners while motivating and interacting with employees to achieve continuous improvement.
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General manager vs retail operation manager skills

Common general manager skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Cleanliness, 18%
  • Food Safety, 7%
  • Guest Service, 4%
  • Payroll, 4%
  • Math, 4%
Common retail operation manager skills
  • POS, 14%
  • Retail Operations, 11%
  • Payroll, 9%
  • Store Sales, 8%
  • Retail Store, 8%
  • Loss Prevention, 8%

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