How to hire a senior business manager

How to hire a senior business manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior business manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior business manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior business manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior business manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior business manager you need to hire. Certain senior business manager roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect senior business manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior business managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Business Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Business Manager	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$46-89
   Manager, Strategy	A strategy manager is a professional who reviews a company's objectives for growth and works with executives to formulate actionable plans to achieve these objectives. To make comprehensive recommendations, strategy managers must conduct data analysis of the organization as well as the overall industry... Show more	$37-73
   Business Advisor	Business Advisors are consultants responsible for implementing business strategies to improve financial and operational efficiency. They are involved in preparing financial budgets, recommending a change in the operational process, identifying new business opportunities, evaluating a marketing strategy, and reviewing supplier and labor contracts... Show more	$32-66

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Analytics
   • Project Management
   • Portfolio
   • SR
   • Risk Management
   • Business Strategies
   • Business Development
   • Customer Service
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Process Improvement
   • Business Management
   • Financial Analysis
   • Product Development
   • SQL

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Deal directly with handbags and luggage wholesalers and distributors.
   • Implement a corporate wide new product-training program (Asia, Europe, and Americas).

   More senior business manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior business manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A senior business manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a senior business manager in Mississippi may be lower than in Connecticut, and an entry-level senior business manager usually earns less than a senior-level senior business manager. Additionally, a senior business manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average senior business manager salary

   $134,737yearly

   $64.78 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior business manager salary

   $96,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average senior business manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$164,168	$79
   2	Washington	$163,755	$79
   3	District of Columbia	$162,814	$78
   4	California	$159,016	$76
   5	New Jersey	$151,783	$73
   6	New York	$149,532	$72
   7	Rhode Island	$146,397	$70
   8	Pennsylvania	$145,056	$70
   9	Massachusetts	$144,173	$69
   10	Virginia	$132,747	$64
   11	Colorado	$131,966	$63
   12	Illinois	$131,115	$63
   13	North Carolina	$127,686	$61
   14	Ohio	$125,450	$60
   15	Wisconsin	$124,655	$60
   16	Michigan	$123,019	$59
   17	Minnesota	$121,754	$59
   18	Texas	$118,813	$57
   19	Arizona	$118,375	$57
   20	Georgia	$115,953	$56

   Average senior business manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Airbnb	$188,234	$90.50	1
   2	VMware	$184,134	$88.53
   3	PayPal	$171,876	$82.63	64
   4	The Walt Disney Company	$171,558	$82.48	39
   5	TBWA Worldwide	$168,216	$80.87
   6	ServiceNow	$167,804	$80.67	43
   7	Bloomberg	$166,881	$80.23	7
   8	SAP	$165,143	$79.40	89
   9	Hearst	$165,123	$79.39	10
   10	ViacomCBS	$163,358	$78.54
   11	Duolingo	$162,868	$78.30	1
   12	Citi	$162,220	$77.99	39
   13	Palo Alto Networks	$162,153	$77.96	74
   14	Okta	$161,817	$77.80	21
   15	Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide Inc	$161,441	$77.62
   16	Micron Technology	$160,488	$77.16	23
   17	Everyday Health	$160,001	$76.92
   18	Amd	$159,106	$76.49	11
   19	Reddit	$159,087	$76.48	1
   20	DoorDash	$158,748	$76.32	45

4. Writing a senior business manager job description

   A good senior business manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior business manager job description:

   Senior business manager job description example

   With us, you'll do meaningful work from Day 1. Our collaborative culture is built on three core behaviors: We Play to Win, We Get Better Every Day & We Succeed Together. And we mean it - we want you to grow and make a difference at one of the world's leading digital banking and payments companies. We value what makes you unique so that you have an opportunity to shine.

   Come build your future, while being the reason millions of people find a brighter financial future with Discover.

   Job Description

   Responsible for providing and coordinating support to leadership on strategic business initiatives in Discover Home loans including planning, prioritization, and project execution. Leads and develops a team to address pressing business issues and managing large vendor relationships.

   Responsibilities

   · Provides logistical support and leadership for many of the activities intended to set strategic direction and maintain alignment within the business. Participates in business unit scorecard and process reviews.

   · Provides overall direction and support to the leadership team in defining, prioritizing, pursuing, and monitoring major initiatives.

   · Manages, interprets, and reports on data related to business performance, which includes change management, incident management, and other related programs.

   · Leads outsourced vendor development teams in addressing pressing business issues; including driving strategy for incentive staffing plan and aligning prioritization of incentive staffing spend across leadership teams.

   · Manage incident inflow and outflow and drive enhancements in the overall delivery process to drive significant reduction in incident volumes

   · Drive enhanced testing strategies across UAT, Regression, and Post-Production

   Minimum Qualifications

   At a minimum, here's what we need from you:

   · Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Communications, or related field

   · 6+ years of experience in Finance, Marketing, Operations, general business management, or related field

   · In lieu of a degree, 8+ years of Finance, Marketing, Operations, general business management, or related field

   Preferred Qualifications

   If we had our say, we'd also look for:

   · Master's Degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Communications, or related field

   · 8+ years of Finance, Marketing, Operations, general business management, or related field

   · Agile and/or Kanban

   · PMP

   · Managed a large scale delivery/testing practices

   What are you waiting for? Apply today!

   The same way we treat our employees is how we treat all applicants - with respect. Discover Financial Services is an equal opportunity employer (EEO is the law). We thrive on diversity & inclusion. You will be treated fairly throughout our recruiting process and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status in consideration for a career at Discover.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior business managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior business manager job on Zippia to find and recruit senior business manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior business managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior business manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior business manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new senior business manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a senior business manager?