Home General Manager Resume template
General Manager resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what general managers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most general managers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
General Manager with experience running full business operations across finance, sales, operations and people functions. Known for translating board strategy into annual budgets and monthly KPIs that keep every department aligned. Brings a hands-on approach to leadership, from client relationships to process improvement.
Key skills
- Strategy development
- Financial analysis and modelling
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Operations management
- ERP systems (SAP, Oracle)
- Excel and business intelligence dashboards
- Project management software (Monday, Asana)
- CRM platforms
- People leadership
- Stakeholder management
- Problem solving
Experience: example bullet points
- Led the annual budgeting process across four business units, aligning divisional targets with board strategy and consolidating forecasts into a single operating plan.
- Reviewed monthly financial statements and operational KPIs with department managers, identifying cost-saving opportunities that reduced overheads without cutting frontline capability.
- Managed relationships with key clients and partners, securing contract renewals across a portfolio of major accounts.
- Oversaw hiring, performance reviews and development plans for a team of department heads, improving retention through structured career pathways.
- Streamlined a cross-departmental approval process, reducing turnaround from five days to three and freeing up manager time for client work.
Education
A bachelor degree in business, commerce or management is the most common qualification, and many general managers also hold a postgraduate qualification such as an MBA or graduate certificate in management. A diploma or advanced diploma combined with extensive industry experience is also a well-recognised pathway.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- board reporting
- P&L responsibility
- Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
- CPA Australia
- Chartered Accountants ANZ
- Fair Work Act
- enterprise agreements
- work health and safety (WHS) legislation
- ERP systems
- SAP
- Oracle
- business intelligence dashboards
- CRM platforms
- KPI reporting
- budgeting and forecasting
- stakeholder management
- continuous improvement
- change management
- governance
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.