How To Become A Section Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a section manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Working in a production line usually means that you are one of the many people in the office. Production lines consist of different areas to which people are assigned. These people are then expected to do the tasks related to the specific area of production. This may include adding parts, painting items, and checking whether the item is good to go. It may become daunting to manage a whole production line. This is why section managers are employed.

Section managers are assigned to oversee specific areas or sections on the production floor. They ensure that workers are doing their jobs properly and that products that come from their section are quality-checked. In addition to this, they also ensure that there is enough manpower in their section at all times. They may also be assigned to come up with ways to make production more efficient.

If you like supervising people while they do production work, this role would be a great one. Just make sure that you can handle pressure and you can remain calm despite stresses that may happen on the floor.

ScoreSection ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $95,857

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.40%

Black or African American 6.22%

Hispanic or Latino 15.32%

Unknown 4.34%

White 67.25%

Gender

female 25.91%

male 74.09%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Section Manager in Chicago, IL

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Key steps to become a section manager

Explore section manager education requirements

Most common section manager degrees

Bachelor's

64.3 %

Master's

14.8 %

Associate

13.7 %

Start to develop specific section manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Career Development	9.15%
Project Management	8.95%
DOD	6.21%
Performance Reviews	5.60%
Continuous Improvement	5.33%

Complete relevant section manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New section managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a section manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real section manager resumes.

Gain additional section manager certifications

Section manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific section manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for section managers include Six Sigma Green Belt and Project Management Professional (PMP).

More About Certifications

Research section manager duties and responsibilities

Implement ISO quality procedures and lead internal audits
Coordinate and manage the security operations of combat convoys moving and transporting equipment to different locations across hostile areas.
Manage payroll distribution process ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and confidentiality to protect client's privacy and prevent liability of exposure.
Perform contract negotiations, vendor selection, product introduction, ISO quality adherence, cost reductions, and inventory balancing.

Prepare your section manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your section manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a section manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Section Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Section Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Section Manager resume.

Apply for section manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a section manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do section managers rate their job?

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Section Manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

People Busy Money Busy and variety in a job Solving problems