What Does an Assistant Business Manager Do?

An assistant business manager is the second most senior employee of a company department. The assistant helps the business manager with the day-to-day running of the division of the company and covers the manager's duties when the manager is absent from work. Many companies have a chain of command within which employees report to the assistant business manager, and the assistant is the manager's only direct report.

Major banking and finance corporations typically hire graduates with degrees in business, finance, or a related field to work as assistant managers. Retail firms often promote experienced store clerks into an assistant manager position. Companies generally fill assistant manager roles with people who appear to have the correct credentials to transition into the manager's role if and when that position becomes vacant.

The business manager has to develop strategies to increase the firm's market share. An assistant business manager typically takes a prominent role in team discussions led by the manager to formulate action plans that will lead to increased sales or revenue. In some instances, the assistant manager will solicit feedback and suggestions from other employees and present those ideas to the manager. The business manager normally leads discussions during company presentations, but the assistant manager may cover certain topics or provide relevant data to the manager as and when it is needed.

On a daily basis, the assistant business manager takes on a similar role to other departmental employees. An assistant may conduct in-person or telephone-based sales calls to clients and prospective clients. The manager may set individual sales or revenue related goals that the assistant must meet, but in many instances he or she also takes responsibility for the job performance of other members of the department. In many organizations, both the manager and the assistant manager receive commissions that are contingent upon the workload and job performance of the whole department.

Many firms place the business manager in charge of operational issues, such as safety, budgetary matters, and security. The assistant manager may conduct monthly audits and report the findings of those audits to the manager. An assistant business manager may be expected to travel on behalf of the firm and represent the company at seminars or business events in the absence of a more senior member of staff.

In the absence of the manager, the assistant business manager must handle any client issues that arise and make decisions pertaining to pricing or staff scheduling and also take responsibility for ensuring the smooth running of the department. An assistant manager can take some disciplinary action as necessary against other employees. In most instances, he or she only has the authority to hire or terminate employees if the business manager is likely to be away from work for an extended period of time.