The Case for the Senior Manager Role:
There are a number of circumstances when the role of senior manager makes good business sense.
1. When the team is growing quickly and chaotically, the senior manager can serve as the "adult" in the group, interfacing with other functions for needed resources and providing mature guidance to managers and workers during a period of change.
2. When there is a clear distinction between the role of manager and senior manager, this position represents a tangible target or step-up as part of a manager's career development plan and activities.
3. When the span of control for a group's managers is too broad, the senior manager can both support managers and take on responsibility for discrete work teams.