The role of an area manager is derived from the responsibilities inherent in that position. An area manager is usually the primary manager in charge of other sub-managers in an identified geographical location. The creation of this position can be attributed to the growth of companies and the establishment of different subsidiaries of companies in various locations that may span a city, country or several countries, making it necessary. As such, the role of an area manager would include tasks like coordinating the affairs of the company branches in the areas under his or her jurisdiction. To this end, the area manager might have the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the different branches, identifying any problems, proffering solutions to those problems, motivating the employees, and handling any crisis that may arise in any of the branches.
Since the territory assigned to this type of manager might span several countries, the role of an area manager might involve a lot of shuttling between one subsidiary the other in their various locations. When there is any type of crisis in any of the subsidiaries, the rule of an area manager is to go to that location and sort out the crisis. In other to achieve this, an area manager must have good people management skills, in addition to excellent crisis management skills, as these are required to minimize the impact of any type of crisis that may occur. For instance, if there is the threat of a lawsuit by an employee in a branch due to the conduct of the manager or another senior employee in that branch, the role of an area manager would necessarily include liaising with the human resource department in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Another role of an area manager is to ensure that the different subsidiaries are meeting any identified sales targets. This means that the manager must work closely with the other sub-managers in order to achieve this aim. When the manager has perceived that this aim is not being met despite every effort to achieve it, he or she might have to take measures that include making recommendations as to the replacement of some key employees in the underperforming branches of the company. As such, the role of an area manager is to ensure that the different branches are meeting the organizational objectives of the company.
