General & Operations Managers

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To oversee the daily operations of an organization, top executives do a little bit of everything, they make critical financial decisions, appoint new managers, plan new strategies, all to ensure the organization meets its goals. Top executives closely observe company operations, legal matters, and financial health. Since they are largely responsible for an organization’s success, the work is often stressful; if the company performs poorly, their job is at risk. Top executives also spend a lot of their time developing and building the teams that conduct the work of the organization. They represent their organization at conferences and events, and on visits to the company’s national or international locations. Some oversee a specific part of the business, such as chief financial officers or chief human resources officers. Top executives work in nearly every industry, and any size of organization, from one-person companies, to small non-profits, to firms with hundreds of thousands of employees. In most cases, they report to a board of directors. Executives often work more than 40 hours a week, including evenings and weekends. Top executives usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, often in business administration, or an area related to their field, such as public administration. They typically have many years of experience, having earned promotions into managerial positions.