How To Become A Senior Business Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a senior business manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Joseph Gilkey Ph.D.

Senior Business Managers plan and direct the work of the company's operations and employees. They work to ensure efficiency and the smooth operation of the activities of a company. They often supervise the largest or most important groups in a company, earning a median sum of $136,000 annually or $66 per hour.

Senior Business Managers may guide employees directly or have several supervisors under them who directly manage the employees. They ensure clarity around priorities and goals for the entire functional area and approve requests for investment to a certain level of authority.

Senior Business Managers are highly creative and possess excellent analytical and leadership skills. They typically hold a bachelor's or master's degree in business, business management, or other related fields and a minimum of three years of managerial experience. They have a working knowledge of the latest business policies and regulations with strong business insight.

What general advice would you give to a senior business manager?

Joseph Gilkey Ph.D.

Chair Business Administration, Director, Data Science Institute, Director of MBA and MSA Masters Programs, Associate Professor Department of Business Administration, Saint Peter's University

Continue to build skill sets and never stop learning. Look to understand and use new technologies, like AI. Stay current and relevant in the areas you want to work in. There are many ways to accomplish this, from self-study programs to colleges and universities.

ScoreSenior Business ManagerUS Average

Salary

8.5

Avg. Salary $134,737

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 6.44%

Black or African American 6.27%

Hispanic or Latino 15.48%

Unknown 4.35%

White 67.00%

Gender

female 35.63%

male 64.37%

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

Key steps to become a senior business manager

Explore senior business manager education requirements

Most common senior business manager degrees

Bachelor's

71.1 %

Master's

19.8 %

Associate

5.6 %

Start to develop specific senior business manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Analytics	13.44%
Project Management	9.91%
Portfolio	5.44%
SR	4.85%
Risk Management	4.64%

Complete relevant senior business manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior business 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 senior business manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior business manager resumes.

Gain additional senior business manager certifications

Senior business 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 senior business manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for senior business managers include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

More About Certifications

Research senior business manager duties and responsibilities

Lead a global-scale ERP implementation.
Manage Hewlett-Packard server, storage, and software SMB channel business.
Manage client communications with regard to GAAP pronouncements and emerging accounting issues.
Manage cost-centers and leverage unique Indian production and post- production capabilities and position the company as a prefer production partner.

Get senior business manager experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a senior business manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior business manager include business manager, manager team lead and senior finance analyst.

Prepare your senior business manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior business 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 senior business 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 senior business manager resume templates

Build a professional senior business 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 senior business manager resume.

Apply for senior business manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a senior business manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do senior business managers rate their job?

-/5

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Senior business manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021

Cons

Juggling multiple tasks and projects was always a constant struggle. I also felt very frustrated at times working with third party vendors and consultants remotely.

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019

Pros

I am able to stay organized and able to help other do there job correctly and ask questions when needed