Job Roles and Functions

Managing Director

The Manging Director leads the Board of Directors.

The Managing Director sets the overall strategy for the firm - what the firm is trying to achieve in the future.

The other directors then have responsibility for carry out their own parts of this.  

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors are the group of people elected by shareholders of a PLC to take overall responsibility for the success of the company. The directors are there to look after the interest of the shareholders – the owners of the firm. Shareholders want growth and profits, it is up to the Directors to deliver these. Each Director will have a different responsibility eg Finance Director, Marketing Director. The Directors will appoint management and take responsibility for their departments. 

ManagersIn very broad terms managers are supposed to plan and control. This simple description does though hide the complexity of managers responsibilities. 

Planning.Plannning can be broken down into;· target setting · allocating work · decision making· problem solving 

Controlling may involve· recruiting new staff · dismissing underperforming staff· communicating information and orders· arranging training for staff• arranging working hours 

Supervisors- Team Leaders

Supervisors or team leaders are the first level (lowest level) of responsibility in a firm. Team leaders often involving themselves in solving simple problems, that help ensure the smooth running of day to day functions in the store. Team leaders play a very important role in the development and encouragement/motivation of a team. It is the team leaders job not only to ensure that the standards achieved by their team are high and the tasks that have been assigned are being done, but also to ensure that the team spirit and motivation of their team is maintained. 

Operatives

Operatives are at the bottom of the hierarchy.

They may be clerical staff, checkout operators, call centre sales staff, factory production line workers.

Operatives have responsibility to carry out their tasks well, but little or no say over how the tasks are designed.

They have no control, no functions beyond completing their jobs.