Assistant manager job description

The role of assistant manager is to support the manager of a store, department or company in its daily operations.

This may include hiring and training staff, monitoring performance, coaching and creating team rotas.

Assistant managers will also be required to interact with customers and help with sales during busy periods, as well as manage escalated customer complaints.

This detailed guide provides information about the role of an assistant manager, including responsibilities, required skillsets and training and a sample job description.

 

Guide contents

• Assistant manager job description
• How much do assistant managers earn?
• What does an assistant manager do?
• Requirements, skills and qualifications
• Who employs assistant managers?
• Which junior jobs progress to assistant manager roles?

 

CV templates 

 

Assistant manager job description

 

How much do assistant managers earn?

Assistant managers earn an average of £25,000, with the opportunity to achieve performance-related bonuses also.

 

Assistant manager salaries in the UK

• Low: £23,000
• Average: £25,000
• High: £27,000

Source: Totaljobs

 

Assistant manager salaries can vary based on;

• Industry – e.g. is it a casual retail clothing chain, or an upmarket spa with a more demanding customer base?
• Size of team – e.g. is the role in charge of a few junior staff or a large team of experienced salespeople?
• Experience – e.g. does the role require previous experience as an assistant manager or is it an entry-level position for someone stepping into management for the first time?

For example, an assistant manager, leading a large team, and working with a high-end clientele expecting impeccable customer service may earn more than a more casual setting like a retail chain or pub.

It is worth noting that these average salary figures are taken from job websites and do not include any potential bonuses or commission that are fairly common in management roles.

 

What does an assistant manager do?

This section breaks down the job description into simple terms, listing the tasks and responsibilities an assistant manager can expect in an average working week;

• Supervising daily operations – Allocating staff and other resources to ensure consistent levels of service
• Recruiting and training staff – Shortlisting and interviewing potential new starters, then providing training to ensure high performance
• Coaching staff – Ensuring staff are achieving their performance goals, and providing additional support, and mentoring under-performers
• Liaising with customers – Providing support to the team during busy periods, and managing escalated issues such as customer complaints
• Providing cover for the manager – Standing in for the manager during absences such as days off, sick leave or vacation
• Creating staff rotas – Overseeing the staffing schedule to ensure there is appropriate coverage for all shifts
• Creating promotion strategies – Working with the manager to devise strategies to increase customer attraction

 

CV templates 

 

What do assistant managers need?

Assistant managers need a broad range of skills, experience and knowledge in order to carry out their roles effectively.

Here is a basic overview of what’s needed.

 

Experience

Assistant managers need to have an understanding of how businesses operate, and how to lead staff to achieve targets – this will usually require previous experience of working within their chosen industry, and sometimes even previous leadership experience in that setting – especially when applying for senior jobs

 

Assistant manager skills

To succeed as an assistant manager, a candidate should possess a number of skills including:

• Leadership – Motivating and inspiring team members to work together to achieve personal and business goals
• Customer service – Prioritising customer and client satisfaction, and ensuring a consistent quality experience with the company
• Sales – Identifying customer needs and placing the correct products in front of them
• Problem solving – The ability to negotiate positive outcomes during times of conflict, for example customer complaints or staff disagreements
• Creativity – Generating new and interesting promotional ideas to increase company sales
• Performance management – Driving individual and team performance against KPIs, and coaching under-performing staff
• Industry knowledge – Understanding of the market within which the business operates, for example fashion or consumer electronics

 

Assistant manager qualifications

Assistant managers don’t need to complete formal qualifications and quite often will have progressed their way from a junior team member to management. There is also the option of studying a business or leadership qualification to support informal training on the job.

 

ILM Leadership and Management qualifications

ILM offer different courses designed for people working in leadership roles, starting with team leaders and building towards senior executives. The ILM Level 3 certificate is suited to people currently leading teams in their jobs who want to learn some additional skills.

 

Bachelor of Business Management

There is also the option to study a bachelor’s degree in business management, for a more thorough understanding of how a company runs. These courses are offered by universities across the UK.

 

What is expected of assistant managers?

Typically, assistant managers will be expected to commit to the following;

• Full time work – Standard 35-40 hours per week
• Some evening work – Dependent on the business’ operating hours
• Location – Based on-site at the business

 

 

Assistant manager benefits

Assistant managers receive a number of benefits in addition to their base salary including things like:

• Pension
• Healthcare
• Training and development
• Staff discounts
• Bonuses & commission – Often based on store/team sales performance

 

 

Who employs assistant managers?

Any business which employs teams could potentially require an assistant manager to support managers in the leadership of those teams. This means that roles are available across many industries and organisations across the UK

Assistant manager roles are most commonly found within the following employers:

• Retail stores
• Restaurants, pubs and bars
• Hotels
• Gyms and leisure centres
• Corporate businesses

 

Which junior jobs progress to assistant manager roles?

Assistant managers will usually be promoted within a business or industry, following progression from a customer service or sales position.

Common roles that see employees progress into assistant manager roles are:

 

Sales consultants

Sales staff engage with customers and encourage them to make purchases, including up-selling and cross-selling. Many assistant managers start as sales consultants, gaining an understanding of the products being sold by the business and its customers.

Customer service staff

Customer service staff are focused on providing customers with a quality experience. This may include greeting them on arrival, checking in on them throughout their visit and ensuring they are satisfied when they leave the store or venue. Assistant managers can progress from customer service staff as they take on additional knowledge of how to handle customers including processing sales and dealing with complaints.

Supervisor

Supervisors are service staff who also taken on a small amount of management duties, such as planning staff rotas and managing stock levels. This is a natural launching pad for people who wish to progress through the organisation and gain experience managing teams of people, budgeting and reporting.

 

Which senior jobs do assistant managers progress to?

An assistant manager’s next step is a management role where they will take greater responsibility for the business’ profit and loss. They will generally report to a regional or general manager or directly to the owners in the case of smaller businesses.

As they gain experience, there is ample opportunity to more into roles such as:

 

General manager

General managers are responsible for the daily operations and financial performance of the store or venue. Assistant managers gain experience substituting for the store or venue manager when they are not available, which puts them in a good position to step up permanently. Additional responsibilities include reporting directly to a store or venue owner or a regional manager, taking greater financial responsibility for the venue and delegating to the assistant manager.

 

Assistant managers job description – conclusion

An assistant manager role suits people who enjoy working closely with customers and team members.

They are natural leaders, and thrive watching their teams succeed and contributing to the success of the company.