What Jobs Can You Do With a Business Management Degree in South Africa?

Business management oversees a business and coordinates operations and resources to achieve maximum profits. A business management degree can help students gain management skills and offer an overview of various organisational departments. This degree can also benefit those wishing to join a family business or begin their start-up.

A business management degree is one of the best fields of higher education in South Africa, as there is a demand for trained professionals. After pursuing a degree, when one thinks of what jobs you can do with a business management degree, there are various sectors to choose from. All companies need a skilled business manager to help oversee organisational functions such as special projects or marketing operations. For small businesses, a business manager could be tasked with directing the operations, maintaining inventory, and supervising staff.

Continue reading to learn what jobs you can do with a business management degree and the top industries hiring business management graduates. 

What Skills Do You Gain from a Business Management Degree?

A business management degree provides theoretical knowledge of an organisation’s various functions and departments. At the same time, it introduces students to essential skills necessary to become a successful manager. These are a mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills in business management required for a particular job, learned through education and honed with practical experience. Soft skills are people skills, and they are transferable to any job profile.

These are some of the skills that students gain from a business management degree:

• Financial Management: This hard skill teaches students how to manage a company’s finances. It also teaches them how to create income statements and manage budget and resource allocation.
• Human Resource Management: This is another hard skill that familiarises students with the recruitment and training process. It also teaches them best practices to build and retain a strong team.
• Legal Knowledge: Businesses are bound by laws, and legal knowledge is one of the most important hard skills that a degree in business management can offer. It prepares students to tackle paperwork and interpret laws under which businesses operate.
• Leadership: This is one essential soft skill that all managers must demonstrate to lead their teams efficiently and effectively. Leadership skills help inspire staff and is critical in achieving targets.
• Team Work: Managers often have to work with other department heads, and collaborative skills can help the team achieve their goals faster. It also demonstrates adaptability to new situations.

What Jobs Can You Get with a Business Management Degree in South Africa?

The scope of a business manager’s job profile is vast, depending on the programme chosen. Business management degrees, such as a Bachelor of Business Administration, can offer a broad scope of learning. However, some business management degrees, such as a Bachelor of Finance or a Bachelor of Human Resource Management, allow individuals to focus on a specific discipline at the undergraduate level.

If you want to know what jobs you can do with a business management degree, these are the top 10 popular profiles to explore:

1. General Manager 

This can be a department-specific or organisation-specific role. General Managers help oversee the company’s daily operations and ensure that targets are met. They are also responsible for training programmes, staff retention, and conflict resolution.

2. Operations Manager

The primary role is to oversee business operations to maximise long-term profits. The manager should also be adept at financial planning, supply chain management, and quality control. 

3. Sales Manager

They are responsible for setting and achieving sales targets for their team. These can be evaluated weekly or monthly to ensure productivity. They must also train the sales team, generate leads, and help identify market trends. They need to be team players and demonstrate strong negotiation skills. 

4. Marketing Manager

They must conceptualise and execute marketing campaigns on offline and online media. They must also be trained to create budgets, stay current on market trends, and evaluate the campaign’s impact.

5. Financial Manager

They are responsible for the organisation’s overall financial outlook. This includes creating income statements, setting a budget, evaluating risk, and forecasting growth. These roles usually require individuals with a specialised finance degree.

6. Entrepreneur or Business Owner

Entrepreneurs and business owners can use the knowledge gained from a business management degree to help scale operations, analyse financial data, and raise funding. A management degree will also help them understand correct business practices.

7. Human Resources Manager

HR managers are responsible for interviewing and hiring new staff, payroll management, resolving grievances, and maintaining a positive work environment. They should also be trained in labour laws and understand best practices.

8. Project Manager

They can be hired for specific projects and are responsible for planning and executing them. They also manage risk, create status reports, and keep all parties informed on the progress.

9. Consultant

This role can begin with a consulting firm, where consultants analyse data and develop strategies businesses can follow to increase their output and profits. They can also be hired to improve operations or supply chain management. With experience, consultants can open a private practice.

10. Supply Chain Manager

They manage the flow of goods from warehouse to end customer. They need to help determine routes, warehouses, and logistical partners that will optimise operations. Supply chain managers should be good negotiators and possess problem-solving and risk-management skills.

Emerging Career Opportunities in South Africa

The job market in South Africa is evolving, creating new career opportunities across sectors. Technological advancement, a focus on sustainability, and an economic shift have created roles in digital marketing, start-ups, and renewable energy. As organisations adapt to changing markets, they also need to create new roles to help bridge the gap between traditional profiles.

These new roles help the business secure logistical support, create marketing plans, and find markets to expand into. If you want to know what jobs you can do with a business management degree, these are some emerging roles seeking skilled managers in South Africa:

• E-commerce Manager: They help manage a company’s online operations. They can set sales targets, manage inventory, and create targeted content. They also need to be able to work with data mining and analytical tools.
• Sustainability Manager: Manage a company’s carbon footprint. Sustainability managers can help to develop, implement, and monitor an organisation’s sustainability efforts. They can also tie up with renewable energy companies in South Africa to include solar panels on office roofs or set up rainwater harvesting at company warehouses.
• Digital Marketing Specialists: They are adept at creating digital media marketing campaigns. They help manage a company’s online profile and build relationships with influencers to promote products and services. They are trained to use various digital marketing tools, such as pay-per-click (PPC), search engine optimisation (SEO), and search engine marketing (SEM).
• Business Analyst: Analyse large volumes of data to help improve the operations or logistics of a company. They interact with various stakeholders to help devise solutions that will increase the company’s overall health.

Industries That Highly Value Business Management Graduates in South Africa

The skills of a business manager are required in all industries to manage operations, finances, budgets, and staff. However, certain industries stand out when we explore what jobs you can do with a business management degree in South Africa. These are sectors that employ a large number of business management professionals to help maintain and expand their business. These industries operate in both the online and offline space.

These are some popular industries to explore when searching for what jobs you can do with a business degree:

• Retail Industry: This sector operates offline and online and requires digital marketers, business analysts, and e-commerce managers. They also need to employ supply chain and logistics managers to distribute goods.
• Financial Services: Banks and financial services companies are constantly hiring Finance and Economics majors to help spearhead departments and examine businesses’ financial state.
• Information Technology (IT): IT companies require efficient business managers to help develop client relationships and expand their business. They can also help market firms and their services to reach the correct target audience. 
• Public Sector and Government: Business management degree holders can help public sector enterprises and governments achieve transparency, improve customer service, and allocate resources and services efficiently. They can work in various departments, such as HR, marketing, or finance. 

What are the Career Growth Opportunities with a Business Management Degree?

If students wonder what they can do with a business management degree, remember that business management professionals are required in all sectors. As companies expand, they must fulfil roles in HR, supply chain, operations, and marketing departments. Specialist business management roles are also in high demand as businesses move online and require candidates with distinct profiles, such as digital marketing managers and SEO managers.

A business management degree can be the first step to a fulfilling role in a leadership position. Graduates can begin with entry-level profiles and move on to team and department leads. With experience, they can become regional or company heads. Multinational companies (MNCs) in South Africa constantly hire business management professionals to help meet demands as they expand in emerging markets. They can be hired to fulfil roles that include managing international suppliers or clients.

If individuals notice stagnation in their role or promotion, they can further their education with a Master’s in Business Administration, such as the one offered by Regenesys Business School. The advanced degree and relevant work experience can open business management graduates to executive-level job profiles.

Salary Expectations for Business Management Graduates in South Africa

Business Management degree holders earn exceptional salaries in South Africa. According to Talent.com, the average business management graduate salary is R450,000 per year as of September 2024. Entry-level positions generally pay R 264,000 annually, while experienced business management graduates can earn R 6,000,000 per year. 

If we break up some popular business management profiles, financial managers earn an average of R 548,372 annually, according to Payscale as of September 2024. Operations managers earn an average of R 336,632, while business analysts take home an average of R 373,088 annually.

Conclusion

Business management is a lucrative career choice, and the options are endless for anyone wondering what jobs you can do with a business management degree. They can find roles in traditional profiles such as finance and HR but also in newer profiles such as digital marketing and e-coommerce. Graduates can work in established companies or find roles in emerging start-ups. As they gain experience, graduates can move to leadership positions. 

If you are considering pursuing higher education in business management, check out the various programmes available at Regenesys Business School.

What Jobs Can You Do With a Business Management Degree – FAQs