An excellent way to learn about the career of branch manager is to get in on the ground floor and become a teller or customer service representative. Although age requirements vary by bank, some banks hire applicants as young as age 18. If you can’t land a job at a bank, consider conducting information interviews with branch managers about their careers. You can find potential contacts on LinkedIn or you can try to set up an appointment with the branch manager of your local bank. Leadership positions in school or community clubs will provide you with an understanding of what it’s like to manage staff and budgets. Finally, familiarize yourself with banking lingo by checking out glossaries such as the one offered by American Banker at its Web site, https://www.americanbanker.com/glossary/a.html.

Bank branch managers have a wealth of duties—ranging from keeping customers happy and educating them about the bank’s financial services, to managing staff and various bank departments, to interacting with regional managers and meeting performance metrics for themselves and their facility. Job duties vary by the size of the bank branch and the number of employees, but most branch managers have the following responsibilities: 

• ensure that the branch is ready for business each day (i.e., appropriate staffing, adequate cash is available for tellers to begin their days, computer systems are working, etc.)
• greet customers and direct them to appropriate areas of the bank (tellers, loan department, etc.)
• establish branch goals and sales objectives
• monitor branch activity, including the number of transactions, loan volume, sales volume, etc.
• ensure that staff is properly managed and trained in regard to operational issues and company policies
• perform quarterly and/or annual reviews of employees
• hire and fire tellers, customer service representatives, loan officers, and other staff members as necessary
• facilitate regular employee meetings to discuss goals, operational issues, new products, etc.
• talk to customers to resolve complaints and account problems
• analyze performance results from the branch and develop strategies to improve customer satisfaction and retention, employee productivity, and overall efficiency 
• ensure that the branch is in compliance with corporate policy and regulatory, security, and safety procedures
• prepare financial and regulatory reports as required by the bank’s internal auditor, board of directors, and banking regulatory agencies
• maintain communication between the branch and management by preparing daily, weekly, and month-end reports regarding productivity and operations
• maintain proper teller and vault cash levels, including ordering coins and currency
• perform duties of tellers, customer service representatives, loan officers, and other staff members as needed
• ensure that the branch facility, branch equipment, and software are up to date and in working order, and contact appropriate parties if there are any issues
• maintain budgets and internal accounting and auditing controls
• promote a positive bank image within the community by representing the bank at local organization meetings and community events
• grow the bank’s customer base and business relationships through internal and external marketing programs
• examine, evaluate, or process loan applications, and approve, reject, or coordinate the approval or rejection of lines of credit or commercial, real estate, or personal loans