How to become a general manager

If you love the business environment, work well in high-pressure situations and want to be more involved in the decision-making of a company's operations, you'd probably thrive in a senior executive management position.

One of the most important senior roles in a company is the general manager. But what does a general manager do and how do you get the skills you need to take on this vital role?

What does a general manager do?

As the name suggests, a general manager is a senior-level executive who is in charge of a large department or the entire business. Rather than focusing on one team, they oversee all areas of a business or business unit.

In smaller companies, they might be the top executive and have decision-making power over business operations and multiple departments. In larger companies, there might be multiple general managers who are each in charge of a business unit, where they have oversight of the day-to-day operations of their department while reporting to a chief executive officer (CEO) or managing director.

The responsibilities of a general manager vary depending on the size and type of organisation. Some general manager responsibilities might include:

• setting policies and organisational objectives for the organisation
• overseeing departmental functions such as sales, marketing, finance and human resources
• making sure teams achieve their business objectives and have proper leadership and funding
• liaising with key stakeholders
• aligning individual departments with the organisation’s broader strategy
• guiding lower-level managers and department heads and helping them work towards business goals
• reporting information from each department to senior management
• create and monitor key staffing, expenses, production and marketing budgets.

Steps to becoming a general manager

Step 1: Build a strong foundation in business management 

To become a general manager, you need to start by earning a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as business, commerce or economics. Once you’ve worked in your chosen career for a while, you could consider further postgraduate qualifications by studying UTS Online’s Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Earning an MBA can be a transformative step for advancing your managerial career. It equips you with the confidence, skills and strategies to navigate diverse business environments and lead effectively on both local and global stages.

The MBA from UTS Online offers the industry-relevant knowledge needed to make a tangible impact in your workplace. You’ll hone critical thinking skills, enhance your ability to tackle complex business challenges and craft innovative solutions that drive success.

Throughout the course, you’ll refine your communication skills, enabling you to present ideas and strategies effectively across a range of stakeholders. Moreover, you’ll build the leadership expertise required to manage high-performing teams, drive organisational change and support strategic decision-making with confidence and clarity.

With Seek predicting the job demand for general managers to grow by 9.6 per cent in Australia in the next five years, now is the perfect opportunity to dive into postgraduate studies that will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become the leader of tomorrow.

Step 2: Gain extensive professional experience

The next step to becoming a general manager is to advance through leadership roles that deepen your understanding of business operations. Gaining experience across various roles and departments is crucial, as it provides insight into the key elements that drive a company's success.

This hands-on experience not only builds a strong grasp of daily operations but also offers a strategic perspective on the goals and functions of different business areas.

For instance, roles like sales manager or marketing director allow you to focus on driving revenue growth and enhancing customer engagement. These positions sharpen your ability to craft a strategic vision rooted in market outcomes.

Similarly, serving as a finance manager equips you with strong commercial acumen, as you oversee budgets, funding and financial reporting. On the other hand, working as an operations manager immerses you in the complexities of day-to-day logistics and process optimisation, building expertise in efficiency and execution.

Advancing through key leadership roles equips you with the insights, skills and vision essential for excelling as a general manager. Your career journey will evolve from managing function-specific responsibilities to overseeing cross-functional operations, ultimately culminating in full ownership of a business unit or organisation.

Each step along the way is designed to build the expertise and capabilities necessary to thrive as a general manager.

Step 3: Understand and learn the critical role of business leadership in senior positions

General managers and other senior executives don't just manage operations, they lead organisations through complexity and change. This broad-based responsibility requires sophisticated leadership capabilities that go beyond traditional management skills. These include:

• Strategic leadership vision: General managers must develop and communicate a clear strategic vision that aligns with organisational goals. They need to see the big picture while understanding how individual departments contribute to overall success.
• Cross-functional leadership: Unlike departmental managers, general managers lead across multiple business functions. This requires the ability to understand diverse operational areas and coordinate efforts between teams with different priorities and working styles.
• Change leadership: Senior positions involve navigating constant change, such as market shifts, technological advances and regulatory changes. Effective general managers lead their organisations through these transitions while maintaining team morale and productivity.
• Financial literacy: A solid understanding of financial metrics, budgeting and forecasting is essential for guiding business decisions. For example, if revenue drops, you’ll need to identify cost-saving measures while maintaining critical operations.
• Stakeholder leadership: General managers must influence and align various stakeholders, from board members and investors to employees and customers. This requires advanced communication and negotiation skills.
• Adaptability and problem-solving: General managers must respond effectively to challenges and create innovative solutions. For instance, if your business faces supply chain disruptions, you’ll need to find alternative ways to meet delivery commitments.
• Decision-making under uncertainty: Senior roles involve making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information. Strong leadership skills help general managers assess risks, gather input from their teams and make confident decisions that move the organisation forward.

These leadership capabilities are essential for handling the complexity that comes with overseeing multiple departments, managing diverse teams and being accountable for overall business performance.

Step 4: Strengthen your leadership capabilities for complex environments

As you can see, developing and strengthening leadership skills is absolutely essential for navigating the complexity that comes with broad-based senior roles like general management.

These senior-level roles demand leadership across multiple departments, the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder expectations, and the capacity to make strategic decisions that shape the direction of the entire organisation. Success in these positions also relies on strong skills in people management and the creation of psychologically safe environments where teams can thrive.

To excel in these challenging roles and drive organisations toward success, aspiring general managers should focus on cultivating the following key capabilities:

• Build emotional intelligence: Effective leaders understand their own emotions and can read the emotions of others. This skill becomes crucial when managing cross-functional teams with different priorities and working styles.
• Develop systems thinking: General managers must understand how different parts of the organisation interact and influence each other. This holistic perspective helps you make decisions that benefit the entire business, not just individual departments.
• Practice inclusive leadership: Modern general managers must create environments where diverse teams can thrive. This involves actively seeking different perspectives and ensuring all voices are heard in decision-making processes.
• Strengthen communication skills: You'll need to communicate effectively with everyone from front-line employees to board members. This means adapting your communication style to different audiences and situations.
• Cultivate resilience: Senior roles involve significant pressure and frequent setbacks. Building resilience helps you maintain composure and guide your organisation through challenging periods.
• Enhance coaching abilities: Rather than simply directing, effective general managers coach their teams to develop their own problem-solving capabilities. This creates a more agile and capable organisation.

These leadership capabilities are what separate good managers from exceptional general managers who can successfully navigate the complex, fast-changing business environment.

Step 5: Leverage mentorship and networking for leadership growth

Effective general managers leverage networking and mentorship to advance their careers and uplift others. Networking involves cultivating a robust personal and professional network that offers crucial support, diverse insights, valuable resources and timely information to navigate career challenges.

Although networking can feel daunting for some, it offers significant benefits, including referrals, insights and developmental support like mentoring. To make networking truly effective, it should be a two-way street. As you grow your network, think about how you can contribute and provide value to others as well.

At UTS Online, networking is an integral part of the MBA experience. Our specialised MBA course provides industry-focused opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals who share your interests and ambitions. Through collaboration with peers, guidance from expert tutors and interactions with industry leaders, you'll cultivate a powerful professional network that adds lasting value to your career.

The demand for general managers in the workforce

The path to becoming a general manager typically involves advancing through increasingly senior leadership roles, each bringing greater responsibilities across various business functions. Most professionals reach the level of general manager after 10–15 years of experience, backed by a proven track record of delivering strong results.

According to Seek, the typical salary for a general manager in Australia is $150,000 to $170,000. This varies depending on the industry, location and experience. For example, general managers in banking and finance have an average salary of $194,454, whereas general managers in healthcare and medical have an average salary of $147,567.

There are many industries that commonly employ general managers, including technology, finance, insurance, healthcare, construction, manufacturing and retail. Some of these industries are expected to see strong job growth in the coming years.

According to Jobs and Skills Australia’s employment projections, health care and social assistance, professional, scientific and technical services, and education and training will contribute to over half of the nation’s employment growth over the next decade. Construction, finance and retail are also set to see considerable growth. With the rise of these industries, more general manager jobs will be available.

At UTS Online, you can choose an MBA specialisation to give you a competitive edge. Our specialisations include Digital Marketing, Health, Organisational Learning, Technology Management or a flexible study stream, so you can choose electives that are relevant to your career.

If you don't want to commit to a full MBA, you can start with a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration. In just eight months, you can complete your graduate certificate qualification to kickstart your management career. If you decide later to pursue the MBA, you can use the credits from this course and study just another eight subjects to complete the master's degree.

Why choose UTS Online’s MBA?

Our 100% online MBA is designed to elevate your career without disrupting your work-life balance. With six intakes a year and seven-week study periods, you can tailor your learning around your schedule and complete your MBA in as little as two years, perfect for professionals looking to upskill while working full-time.

This course has been expertly co-developed with instructional designers and industry experts to deliver an engaging, high-quality learning experience. Offered by the UTS Business School, which is both AACSB-accredited and a proud member of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), this MBA ensures you’re learning from academics at the forefront of business management.

But it’s not just about the academics. UTS Online connects you with a global network of peers and industry professionals, giving you invaluable opportunities to collaborate and solve real-world business challenges. You’ll gain practical skills and insights that can be applied immediately to your workplace, empowering you to make a lasting impact in your career.

You can tailor your UTS Online MBA to suit your experience and career trajectory by choosing which specialisation you want to follow or mix and match depending on your interests. As of 2025, the flexible course structure offers electives across:

• Organisational Learning: If you want to understand more about learning in the workplace, this specialisation includes mentorship, strategic learning, leading innovative practice, and evaluating learning and innovation. 
• Digital Marketing: This specialisation will help you learn more about digital consumer behaviour and how digital marketing has changed. Futureproof your career with electives that include emerging technologies, data-driven marketing and omnichannel marketing strategy. 
• Technology Management: Understand how technology works in your organisation with electives including digital strategy, cybersecurity management, building enterprise agility and AI for enterprises.
• Health: This specialisation can help you prepare for a leadership role in healthcare, You will learn about health promotion, leading health and social care, global health system, planetary health and fundamentals of epidemiology.

Take your management skills to the next level

There is a strong demand for advanced business qualifications, with over 91 per cent of MBA graduates in Australia securing full-time employment.

Become the leader that businesses need with UTS Online’s Master of Business Administration. Get in touch with our Student Enrolment Advisors at 1300 477 423 to explore your MBA options with us.