SOC Code: 11-1021
Pay Band(s): 5, 6 and 7 (Salary Structure)
Standard Occupational Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of companies or public and private sector organizations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Includes owners and managers who head small business establishments whose duties are primarily managerial.
General & Operations Manager positions in the Commonwealth are assigned to the following Roles in the General Administration Career Group:
General Administration Manager I
General Administration Manager II
General Administration Manager III
While General & Operations Managers within the Commonwealth are located within the General Administration Career Group, individuals may want to pursue other opportunities within the Commonwealth depending upon individual training, education, knowledge, skills, abilities, and interests.
Other Career Group(s) that may be of interest are:
(Technical and Functional Expertise)
Skills
Note: The technical and functional skills listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for General & Operations Managers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the skills listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.
Knowledge
Note: The technical and functional knowledge statements listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for General & Operations Managers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the knowledge listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.
The Knowledge of:
Abilities
Note: The technical and functional abilities listed below are based on general occupational qualifications for General & Operations Managers commonly recognized by most employers. Typically, you will not be required to have all of the abilities listed to be a successful performer. Recruitment and selection standards for an individual state job must be based on the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities for that job as indicated in the job announcement and job description in the Employee Work Profile.
The Ability to:
Tasks
Note: The following is a list of sample tasks typically performed by General & Operations Managers. Employees in this occupation will not necessarily perform all of the tasks listed.
Tasks
Like people, occupations have traits or characteristics. These characteristics give important clues about the nature of the work and work environment, and give you an opportunity to match your own personal interests to a specific occupation. When you choose a job in an occupation that matches your own interests you have taken an important step in planning a successful and rewarding career.
The occupation of General & Operations Manager has Enterprising, Conventional and Social characteristics as described below:
Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Generally this is not required for General & Operations Manager positions in state government.
However in some instances a license may be required. For example, if the business of an agency requires the General & Operations Manager to be lawyers, physicians, or engineers then licensure would be required.
Managers with the Commonwealth of Virginia are eligible for the Virginia Certified Manager Program offered by the Department of Human Resources. Web site is http://www.dpt.state.va.us/training/cpm/cpmhome.htm. This certificate program offers practitioner-oriented course work that builds upon management training programs offered through agencies, colleges, and universities.
The Institute of Certified Professional Managers is a certifying organization and offers a management certification program. The Institute is located at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia. Web site is http://cob.jmu.edu/icpm. Management Skills is the theme of the program, which emphasizes the teaching and application of real-world, practical skills and techniques over theories, and critical-thinking skills over rote knowledge.
Certification is encouraged for professional growth.
The Department of Labor provides the following information:
General and operations managers plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of companies or public and private sector organizations. Their duties include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. In some organizations, the duties of general and operations managers may overlap the duties of chief executive officers.
The formal education and experience of General & Operations Managers varies as widely as the nature of their responsibilities. Many have a bachelor’s or higher degree in business administration or liberal arts. Some managers in the public sector have a background in public administration. Others might have a background related to their jobs.
The State Council of Higher Education lists Virginia educational institutions having educational programs in business administration and public administration on their web site: http://www.schev.edu/Students/FindaProgram.asp?from=k12
Because many top executive positions are filled by promoting experienced, lower level managers when an opening occurs, many top managers have been promoted from within the organization.
General managers may advance to top executive positions, such as executive vice president, in their own organization or they may take a corresponding position in another firm or agency. They may even advance to peak corporate positions such as chief operating officer or chief executive officer.
Advancement may be accelerated by participation in company training programs that impart a broader knowledge of company policy and operations. Managers also can help their careers by becoming familiar with the latest developments in management techniques at national or local training programs sponsored by various industry and trade associations. Managers who have experience in a particular field, such as accounting or engineering, may attend executive development programs to facilitate their promotion to an even higher level. Participation in conferences and seminars can expand knowledge of national and international issues influencing the organization and can help the participants to develop a network of useful contacts.
Competencies are a set of identified behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that directly and positively impact the success of employees and the organization. Competencies can be observed and measured. When consistently demonstrated, competencies make employees particularly effective in their work. Competencies help lay out a road map to career success. You can use the Commonwealth Competencies to help improve your individual performance by adopting behaviors that make high performing employees successful in their jobs. In this way, you can use the Commonwealth Competencies for your further professional development.
The Commonwealth Competencies are:
The above competencies may be applied to employees throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. They can be rank-ordered by agencies and hiring managers to represent the needs of a specific job. The rank ordering will change depending upon the occupation, an organization's priorities, the actual job requirements, and the supervisor's preferences.
Career success is both about what you do (applying your technical knowledge, skills, and ability) and how you do it (the consistent behaviors you demonstrate and choose to use) while interacting and communicating with others. Hopefully, by studying the Commonwealth competencies, identifying your developmental opportunities, and working to refine your own competence, you can take charge of your career!
For additional information about the Commonwealth Competencies go to: http://jobs.state.va.us/cc_planningctr.htm. For the competencies, we first list the competencies and then define each. Finally, we list competency indicators; to describe what successful performance looks like.
Career opportunities in the Commonwealth are not limited to moving “up” to the next highest role and pay band, changing positions, or to becoming a supervisor. That’s because most roles describe a broad group of occupationally related positions that perform a range of work that requires increased knowledge and skills. For that reason, Commonwealth roles describe the career paths within the same or higher-level role for the same or different Career Group. The broad salary range and the Commonwealth’s pay practices provide flexibility in recognizing career development and advancement. (Salary Structure)
For example: General & Operations Manager
| PAY BAND |
MANAGER ROLES |
| 5 |
General Administration Manager I |
| 6 |
General Administration Manager II |
| 7 |
General Administration Manager III |
| 8 |
General Administration Manager IV |
Sample Career Path
The General Administration Career Group provides career tracks for managers whose responsibilities are so diverse (administrative and operational) that they cannot be classified in any other career group. These career tracks follow:
General Administration Manager I
The General Administration Manager I role provides career tracks for the managers who are responsible for directing administrative/business management activities of a state agency satellite office or facility or a major division of a state agency or university. Employees do not typically have programmatic responsibilities.
General Administration Manager II
The General Administration Manager II role provides career tracks for senior-level managers who are responsible for all of the administrative/business management activities of a state agency or multiple divisions of a state agency or university. Employees do not typically have programmatic responsibilities.
General Administration Manager III
The General Administration Manager III role provides career tracks for executive-level managers who direct and oversee general administrative and business management functions within an agency to insure achievement of the agency mission and goals. This role also provides career tracks for the executive-level manager having both administrative and operational responsibilities.
General Administration Manager IV
The General Administration Manager IV role is for executive managers functioning at the highest levels within an agency. Employees are responsible for the general management of multiple organizational components within an agency in order to ensure achievement of agency mission and goals.
O*NET (Occupational Information Network)
http://online.onetcenter.org/gen_search_page
Virginia Employment Commission
http://www.alex.vec.state.va.us/
Career One Stop
Virginia Career Resource Network
American Management Association:
Institute of Certified Professional Managers, James Madison University:
International Public Management Association for Human Resources:
National Management Association: