Managers are responsible for ensuring that a department or a whole organisation achieves its goals. They plan, direct and co-ordinate the work by managing all resources, including people, money and materials.

The Work

You could be:

• drawing up business and financial plans and balancing budgets
• working out what has to be done within various timescales
• buying in and allocating materials
• delegating work and directing staff
• setting targets for staff and motivating them to meet these targets
• working with other departments and organisations, and adjusting plans and targets if needed
• taking on new staff, arranging training and dealing with problems
• planning how to market new products or services
• maybe specialising in finance, marketing or human resources.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the type of industry or business you work for
• the size of company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

Starting salaries for managers in Scotland tend to be in the range £22,000 to £30,000 a year. Salaries for experienced managers cover a wide range and rise to between £38,000 and £50,000 a year. Many senior managers earn £65,000 a year or more. You might get extra income from a bonus scheme, or benefits such as private health insurance and a company car.

Conditions

• You would be based in an office, on your own or open plan with other people.
• You might have to travel to meetings in other parts of the country or perhaps abroad, and spend occasional nights away from home.
• Working hours could be long and might include evenings and weekends.
• You will be working under pressure at times and you will have to make difficult decisions affecting other people.

Useful Subjects

• Accounting
• Administration and IT
• Business

Getting In

• Most entrants have a degree. All subjects are acceptable, but accountancy, business studies, economics, finance, management studies and marketing are particularly relevant. For technical or specialised management jobs you usually need a science, engineering or maths degree.
• Entry requirements for a degree are normally 4-5 Highers including English and perhaps Maths.
• Many companies run management training schemes for graduates.
• A postgraduate qualification, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), is particularly helpful.
• In some organisations you can become a manager through promotion after gaining a lot of experience.

You could work for virtually any kind of organisation, including small businesses, large companies, financial and educational institutions, local and central government, retail stores and leisure and voluntary organisations.

What Does it Take?

You should be:

• confident, assertive and decisive
• able to inspire trust and confidence
• able to understand peoples' needs and build and develop your team
• willing to take responsibility
• well organised
• able to see the bigger picture and plan strategy
• willing to listen to other people’s points of view and to delegate to others.

You should have:

• excellent verbal and written communication skills
• the ability to analyse problems and suggest solutions
• the ability to turn ideas into workable plans
• a strong business sense
• the ability to set and manage budgets.

Training

• You would gain knowledge and experience on the job, through the organisation's training scheme.
• In addition to on the job training, you would study for relevant qualifications by part time classes or distance learning. The qualifications you study for would depend on your entry point.
• There are Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) up to Level 5 in management subjects.
• There are also professional and specialist qualifications offered by a range of professional organisations, including the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) and the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
• If you do not have the MBA qualification when you enter training, you can also study for this qualification part time or by distance learning.

Getting On

• Once you have completed your training, you may be appointed as manager of one department, such as sales or marketing.
• Depending on the organisation you work for, you may be able to move on to a more senior position.
• In other cases, you may move to another organisation to increase your experience.
• Senior managers may be able to move up to posts such as general manager, company director or chief executive.
• Through the CMI, you may be able to gain Chartered Manager status.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.