What is a Regional Manager?

Regional managers are employees who are granted jurisdiction and responsibility for specific actions that take place within a given geographical location. The term is commonly used as part of a business structure, particularly with retail business and insurance corporations. Some non-profit organizations also include this position in their field organization. In just about every case, a manager of this type provides an important communication link between local operations and the organization headquarters.

In the retail industry, a regional manager is usually assigned to oversee the function of individual stores owned by a retail corporation. As part of the field organization for most large retailers, the stores are grouped into geographical jurisdictions known as regions. All the stores that are located within the boundaries of the region are considered the responsibility of the regional manager who is assigned to oversee their operation and compliance with corporate standards. In particularly large companies, the manager may be supported by district managers within the region.

In order to carry out the duties of a regional manager in the retail industry, a person must develop a strong working relationship with the managers of the individual stores located in the region. Doing so makes it much easier to implement directives from the corporation and also collect feedback from the field and present it to the corporate officers in an organized manner. A regional retail manager usually is responsible for hiring and firing store managers, supporting each store manager in their efforts to make the stores successful, and ensuring that each store in the region is organized and functioning within the guidelines and directives put in place by the corporation.

The function of a regional manager in the insurance industry is somewhat similar. The manager will provide a line of communication from local insurance salespeople to the corporation, making it possible to ensure each agent is operating within the perimeters set by the company. The manager has the ability to hire and fire agents, recommend promotions, and reorganize the sales territory as necessary. As with the retail application, managers working in the insurance industry aid in the continuing education and remedial training of agents, and in general function as a support network to those who are actually engaged in the selling process.