Regional manager responsibilities include overseeing multiple stores owned by one company that are located within a certain geographical area or region that varies with each organization. If you want to become a regional area manager, you'll need managerial experience, sometimes 10 years of experience or more as a store manager, depending on the company. A bachelor's degree may or may not be required. Many retail businesses promote regional area managers from within the company, so it's likely that you'll start in lower-level management and work your way up.
In many retail companies, the first level of management is a shift manager. Shift managers oversee the other workers only during certain scheduled shifts and they often report to an assistant manager. Assistant managers report to the store manager, which is the highest management level within one branch or store. You may need to work for many years as a store manager before you have the opportunity to rise to regional area manager, but hard work and dedication usually pays off. There's still no guarantee of being selected for the position, however, since many other store managers within a region are also likely to want this job. Since there are fewer jobs at this level, the competition can be tough.
Some retail companies also hire outside regional managers as long as their experience level is what the company requires. A worker in the same industry, such as a store manager in hamburger chain, may be able to find a job as a regional manager for a competing fast-food corporation. Understanding company policies on hiring managers from within is important.
Regional manager salaries vary widely, but the job is a high management position. The salary often depends on how many stores the regional manager is responsible for overseeing. This employee must have proven experience in getting senior management's objectives accomplished by others. In other words, if you want to become a regional area manager, you not only need years of store or branch managerial experience, but you must have excellent leadership skills. Organizational ability is also important, as the responsibilities someone in this job may have can extend over many stores in a large area.
