Walmart Department Manager (Duties, Pay, Is It A Hard Job + More)

If you like overseeing the daily activities of a retail store, have attention to detail, and are currently looking for a new job, perhaps you’ve considered applying for a Department Manager position at Walmart.

Therefore, if you’d like to learn more about this position, keep reading to see what I learned on the subject!

What Is A Walmart Department Manager In 2024?

A Walmart department manager is responsible for maintaining the order and operations of a specific department within Walmart in 2024. The job duties will require you to hire, train and correct staff in your department, as well as organize and stock products. A department manager must be able to multitask and be detail-oriented.

If you’d like to know more about the Walmart department manager job position, such as the hourly wage and if it’s considered a good job, read below to find out the answers!

What is a Department Manager at Walmart?

A department manager at Walmart is responsible for managing all of the operations within a specific department. Overall, your job is to ensure that everything runs smoothly within your department so that profits and sales can increase.

Other department manager job duties include the following:

  • Supervise staff and assign tasks to workers
  • Teach staff about company procedures and policies
  • Monitor staff to ensure they’re performing well and provide corrections as needed
  • Train new hires and coach employees
  • Hire and promote employees within your department
  • Make sure merchandise is stocked
  • Organize the merchandise
  • Label and pack merchandise
  • Note damaged merchandise and remove it from shelves
  • Remove expired merchandise
  • Meet financial goals set by Walmart for your department
  • Ensure the department is safe for staff and customers
  • Install merchandise price labels and product information
  • Communicate with customers and suppliers
  • Help customers find what they need and answer questions
  • Resolve customer issues and complaints

Note that there might be other job duties included in the Walmart department manager position, which could vary per department and the needs of that particular store.

How Much Do Department Managers Make at Walmart?

A department manager at Walmart will make $15.05 an hour on average, though the pay can range from $12 to $20 an hour depending on the size of the store, location, and your experience level.

As well,  if you’re already working at Walmart and are promoted to a department manager position, there’s a chance you’ll receive higher pay if you’ve proven yourself as a hard worker.

What Skills Do You Need as a Walmart Department Manager?

What Skills Do You Need as a Walmart Department Manager?

Not just anyone can become a Walmart department manager, as you need to have an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, as well as the following skill set:

  • Ability to multitask
  • Be an effective leader
  • Have skills in finance
  • Skills in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office
  • Detail-oriented
  • Effective verbal and written communication
  • Be open and agreeable
  • Have flexibility
  • Ability to be organized
  • Manage the employee schedule
  • Ability to meet and maintain target goals
  • Be customer service oriented
  • Be knowledgeable in conflict resolution
  • Pass the Walmart Manager Employment Assessment

What is the Walmart Manager Employment Assessment?

The Manager Employment Assessment is a written test you’ll have to pass that tests your decision-making skills, ability to prioritize, and measures your personality.

Note that this test has to be taken regardless of whether you’re a new hire or already employed in another job role at Walmart. 

Sections of this assessment include the following:

  • Running Your Business
  • Managing Your Day
  • Working with Associates
  • Tell us Your Story
  • Describing Your Approach

Note that if you don’t pass this test, you won’t be formally offered the position, and will have to wait a certain length of time to reapply.

Is Being a Department Manager at Walmart a Good Job?

Being a department manager at Walmart is a good job to have, because it allows you to have fun and is fairly laid back compared to other management positions. Additionally, employees enjoy the pay and benefits associated with this position.

Employees also find it rewarding to organize inventory and label products, as they enjoy making their department neat and easy for customers to browse through.

However, the biggest downside to this job is working weekends and holidays, and for the fact that it can be challenging to keep up with the never-ending stocking required in certain departments.

As well, depending on your store location, you might face communication issues from upper management circles.

Some locations have great management and value the workers regardless of job title, whereas other Walmart stores have horrible management that takes advantage of employees.

Therefore, it’s recommended to check employee reviews for your location to get a glimpse of how well the store is managed.

To learn more, you can also see our posts on Walmart deli associate, Walmart CAP 3, and Walmart people lead.

Conclusion

A Walmart department manager is responsible for managing all aspects of a specific department, including organizing products, stocking shelves, assigning tasks to staff, training and promoting staff, and being a part of the hiring process for that department.

Additionally, you will need to meet financial goals set forth by the store, which requires you to be creative and find new ways to sell products in your department to customers.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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