A staff manager’s responsibilities are usually defined by the company that employs him or her. In general, this job is similar to one in the human resources or personnel department, where one supervises an organization’s employees and assists them with things like benefit selection and compensation, for example. A staff manager might also be in charge of hiring and interviewing new hires.
This position will typically exist in a company that lacks a human resources or personnel department. These responsibilities will be handled by the person in charge of the staff. Despite the fact that a staff manager is technically a manager, he or she typically does not have many managerial responsibilities; for example, a manager in this position does not have the authority to fire employees or even make hiring decisions. The manager will report to the company’s other supervisors or general managers.
A staff manager may collaborate with other managers or business owners to develop business and company policies, such as vacation policies or dress codes. A person in this position will also need to be familiar with labor laws, such as those governing safe business practices and working hours. This type of manager may also be called in to mediate and assist in the resolution of employee conflicts; as a result, this manager may receive additional training in human resources and employee relations.
A staff manager’s primary role is to act as a liaison between a company’s employees and its executives. Employees can come to this manager with any work-related questions or requests. Furthermore, it is the manager’s responsibility to fully comprehend the benefits packages available to employees and to be able to answer any questions an employee may have about his or her benefits. If necessary, the staff manager should be able to assist with benefit changes.
There are no specific educational requirements for this position, though many people pursue human resources or business management degrees to improve their marketability. Because many companies prefer to promote from within, simple experience is often the best way to get into this position. Being promoted from within an existing job can also be advantageous, because the new manager will already be familiar with the company’s other employees and how it operates.