noun
general manager; overall supervisor
Refers to a person who oversees and coordinates multiple sections or the entire operation, often in business or organizational contexts.
彼はプロジェクトの総元締めとして全体を統括している。
He oversees the whole project as the general manager.
Standard spelling.
Irregular okurigana usage; less common but still encountered.
元締め is a manager or supervisor of a specific section, while 総元締め is the top-level manager over multiple sections or the entire organization.
Compound of 総 (そう, 'overall') and 元締め (もとじめ, 'manager, supervisor'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is used in modern Japanese for a top-level coordinator.