Bereichsleiter/Bereichsleiterin

Media related to this profession includes Ideen- und Innovationsmanagement, innovations-report, PERSONALFÜHRUNG, wirtschaft + weiterbildung, and ZWF Zeitschrift für wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb.

Flexible and employee-oriented leadership styles focus on adaptability, collaboration, and empathy to address the challenges of a digital and globalized working world. Styles such as Digital, Shared, Remote, Agile, Collaborative, and Empathic Leadership prioritize the needs and potential of employees. These approaches increase motivation and satisfaction, fostering efficiency and innovation. They also contribute to creating a resilient corporate culture that can quickly and flexibly adapt to market changes and new technologies.

Area managers typically work in offices and meeting rooms, and in external roles such as sales areas. They may also work from home or remotely when necessary.

Core competencies generally required for this profession include department/area/division management, planning of operational resources, controlling, calculation, organization, and human resources. Further important competencies may include business administration, bookkeeping, purchasing, production/order control, cost and performance accounting, customer consulting, marketing, public relations, project management, quality management, auditing, tax law, sales, and advertising. Knowledge of business administration, finance, and controlling software is also relevant.

Area managers bear responsibility for results and personnel. To successfully execute projects in terms of content and time, they must think holistically, structured, and foresightedly. They need to plan personnel deployment, motivate, and guide employees, which requires organizational talent, knowledge in human resource management, and leadership qualities. They often serve as a point of contact for customers and suppliers both domestically and internationally. Therefore, foreign language skills, especially good English, are expected in globally operating companies. Dealing with business partners, whether suppliers or customers, requires strong communication skills, assertiveness, and negotiation skills. Area managers maintain composure and professional friendliness even in difficult negotiations, while remaining objective, goal-oriented, and assertive. They are actively involved in planning operational resources or organizing projects.

An exemplary monthly gross basic salary ranges from 5,261 € to 6,650 €. This information is sourced from the collective bargaining data of the Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Familie, Arbeit und Soziales. These figures are for orientation only, and no claims can be derived from them. It is recommended to check BERUFENET for current salary information.

Construction, Architecture; Chemistry, Pharmacy, Plastics; Electrical Engineering, Electronics; Energy, Supply and Disposal; Vehicle Manufacturing, Maintenance; Financial Services, Real Estate; Health, Social Services; Glass, Ceramics, Raw Material Processing; Trade; Wood, Furniture; Media; Metal, Mechanical Engineering, Precision Mechanics, Optics; Food, Luxury Goods Production; Paper, Printing; Textile, Clothing, Leather; Transport, Traffic.

Employers often expect further business administration training (Weiterbildung) or a corresponding university degree (Studium).

Automotive Business, Automotive Management (undergraduate); Automotive Business, Automotive Management (postgraduate); Construction Business Administration, Construction Management (undergraduate); Construction Business Administration, Construction Management (postgraduate); Business Administration (undergraduate); Business Administration (postgraduate); Book Trade, Publishing Economics (postgraduate); Service Management (undergraduate); Service Management (postgraduate); Commercial Business Administration (undergraduate); Commercial Business Administration (postgraduate); Crafts Management (undergraduate); Real Estate Economics (undergraduate); Real Estate Economics (postgraduate); Industrial Business Administration (undergraduate); Industrial Business Administration (postgraduate); International Economics (undergraduate); International Economics (postgraduate); Marketing, Sales (undergraduate); Marketing, Sales (postgraduate); Ship, Shipping Management, Port Economics (undergraduate); Ship, Shipping Management.

Area managers find employment in companies across all economic sectors.

Area Manager. Also common job title/synonym: Business Unit Manager. Job title in English: Business unit manager (m/f).

Area managers lead business or functional areas within companies.

Job and applicant platforms for this profession include academics.de, CityJobs, and verbandsJOBS.de.

Key associations and organizations in this field are: Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (BDI), Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB), European Confederation of Executives and Managerial Staff, Rat der Europäischen Fach- und Führungskräfte EUROCADRES, and Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks e.V. (ZDH).

Area managers bear responsibility for people, such as guiding and leading employees. They are also responsible for assets, ensuring economic operational management within their respective areas of responsibility. They maintain customer contact as a point person for clients and suppliers both domestically and internationally. Their tasks and work situations frequently change, shifting between areas such as investment and financing, controlling, auditing, quality assurance, customer service, and employee management. They are often away from their place of residence due to customer visits domestically and abroad, and business trips. They perform screen work and carry out organizational, planning, and commercial tasks in office environments.

Work materials include documents such as budget plans, personnel lists, planning documents, schedules, project documentation, and legal regulations. Office equipment used includes PCs, internet access, telephones, and video conferencing tools.

Area managers oversee a clearly defined area within a company. They are responsible for the business development in this area and present their results to the management. To do this, they develop concepts, discuss them with superiors, and implement them after approval. They have personnel responsibility, guide employees, and support project management in planning and execution. Within the company, they serve as contact persons for business relationships both domestically and internationally and coordinate the work of field staff.

Access professions and activities include: Certified Business Administrator (Geprüfter Betriebswirt/Geprüfte Betriebswirtin) according to the Berufsbildungsgesetz (Vocational Training Act) - Master Professional in Business Management; Business Administrator (Betriebswirt/Betriebswirtin) (dual-qualified Ausbildung) for general business administration; Business Administrator (Fachschule) for general business administration/Bachelor Professional in Economics; Business Administrator (Fachschule) for communication and office management/Bachelor Professional in Economics; Business Administrator (Fachschule) for production management/Bachelor Professional in Economics; Business Administrator (Fachschule) for law/Bachelor Professional in Economics; Business Administrator (Fachschule) for corporate management/Bachelor Professional in Economics; Certified Business Administrator according to the Handwerksordnung (Crafts Code); Certified Specialist for Commercial Business Management according to the Handwerksordnung; and Specialist for Production and Process Management.

Adaptation training helps keep professional knowledge current and adapt it to new developments (e.g., in management, corporate planning, or finance and accounting).

Depending on prior professional education, further professional and career opportunities open up through a bachelor's (Studium) or master's degree (e.g., in Business Administration). Under certain conditions, it is possible to study even without a general university entrance qualification. For more information: Access to higher education in the individual Bundesländer (federal states).

Taking responsibility for a business area or projects within it, designing the organizational structure in the assigned field of tasks, planning and coordinating work processes. Developing planning concepts, discussing them with superiors, and implementing them after approval. Assuming business and commercial responsibility for the area of responsibility. Potentially supporting project management tasks or coordinating the activities of field staff. Informing management about decisions and measures. Taking on tasks within quality management. Leading employees, planning employee deployment, providing technical instruction and supervising employees, training new personnel. Cultivating business relationships and contact with customers and suppliers. Potentially contributing to the development of products or services.

The following lists professions or activities that show similarities to the original profession. These professions represent a possible alternative for applicants. Furthermore, employers can consider individuals from these professions as alternatives for filling a position in the original profession. Some alternative professions only encompass partial activities of the original profession, while others require an induction period, which can vary in length depending on the individual case. The following immediate employment and staffing alternatives are available for the profession of Area Manager (Bereichsleiter/in): Job and staffing alternatives in related professions: District Manager (Bezirksleiter/in), Branch Manager, Sales Outlet Manager (Filialleiter/in, Verkaufsstellenleiter/in), Group/Team Leader (Gruppen-, Teamleiter/in), Internal Service Manager (Innendienstleiter/in). A list of all possible degrees of relatedness can be found here: Explanations of the individual degrees of relatedness.