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.
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.
Standard spelling.
Irregular okurigana usage; less common but still encountered.
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.