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General & Operations Manager

Business

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. 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. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

Business

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
  2. 2Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
  3. 3Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.
  4. 4Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
  5. 5Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand.
  6. 6Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
  7. 7Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  8. 8Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.
  9. 9Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
  10. 10Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
  11. 11Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.
  12. 12Develop or implement product-marketing strategies, including advertising campaigns or sales promotions.
  13. 13Direct non-merchandising departments of businesses, such as advertising or purchasing.
  14. 14Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits.
  15. 15Implement or oversee environmental management or sustainability programs addressing issues such as recycling, conservation, or waste management.
  16. 16Plan store layouts or design displays.
  17. 17Recommend locations for new facilities, or oversee the remodeling or renovating of current facilities.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • GM
  • CAO
  • IO Manager
  • Gym Manager
  • Area Manager
  • Zoo Director
  • Dept Store GM
  • Operations GM
  • Prison Warden
  • Store Manager

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Production and Processing — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Production and Processing — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Administration and Management85%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Customer and Personal Service83%
  • English Language74%

    English

  • Production and Processing71%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Mathematics71%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Personnel and Human Resources69%

    Business

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

12%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.28%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Hotel & Tourism Manager

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: General and Operations Managers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue