Like all managers, the senior manager is responsible for planning and directing the work of a group of individuals. They monitor their work and takes corrective actions when necessary.
Senior managers might guide workers directly or they might direct several supervisors, who in turn directly manage the workers. The senior manager often supervises the largest or most important group or groups in a company.
Core responsibilities of the senior manager include:
- Providing guidance to direct reports, typically comprising first-line managers and supervisors
- Ensuring clarity around priorities and goals for the entire functional area
- Approving requests for investment to a certain level of authority
- Managing overall financial budgeting for her function
- Approving hiring and firing requests within her group
- Guiding the talent identification and development processes for a group or function
- Working across functions with peers in other groups to ensure collaboration for shared goals
- Interacting with senior management for reporting
- Working with senior management and other peers for strategy development and execution planning
- Communicating financial and goal results and key performance indicators to direct reports
- Facilitating goal-level creation for the broader function and working with managers to ensure the goals cascade to all workers
