How To Become A Regional General Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a regional general manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A regional general manager is a senior executive responsible for overseeing multiple branches or locations of a company within a designated region. They work to ensure that each location is meeting its revenue and operational goals, while also maintaining consistent standards across the region. Key responsibilities include managing budgets, developing and implementing strategies, and ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations. A successful regional general manager must possess strong leadership skills and strong communication skills.

ScoreRegional General ManagerUS Average

Salary

6.1

Avg. Salary $78,641

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.30%

Black or African American 6.11%

Hispanic or Latino 14.94%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.86%

Gender

female 18.29%

male 81.71%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a regional general manager?

Pros

High salary and bonuses
Opportunities for career advancement
Ability to make strategic decisions
Responsibility for a large team
Opportunity to develop leadership and management skills

Cons

Long working hours and high workload
Constant pressure to meet targets and deadlines
High stress levels and job demands
Difficulties in managing remote teams effectively
Limited work-life balance

Key steps to become a regional general manager

Explore regional general manager education requirements

Most common regional general manager degrees

Bachelor's

66.0 %

Associate

15.7 %

Master's

9.3 %

Start to develop specific regional general manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	23.53%
Financial Performance	6.39%
Customer Satisfaction	5.94%
Performance Management	4.95%
OSHA	4.88%

Complete relevant regional general manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New regional general managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a regional general manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real regional general manager resumes.

Gain additional regional general manager certifications

Regional general manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific regional general manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for regional general managers include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Food Manager (CFM).

More About Certifications

Research regional general manager duties and responsibilities

Manage OSHA regulations by conducting security inspections and organizing health and safety meetings.
Design product/parts, run parts/warehouse, manage repair/assembly shop, and execute sales/marketing strategies.
Manage all center personnel functions including hiring, terminations, payroll processing and annual performance appraisals.
Train and manage FOH staff and improve overall quality, organization and professionalism of restaurant and bakery.

Prepare your regional general manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your regional general manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a regional general manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable regional general manager resume templates

Build a professional regional general manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your regional general manager resume.