This is a great discussion. Good managers can insulate you from bad companies and bad managers can ruin your experience in a great company. I would go as far as to say the person you work for is more important in some cases than the company you work for.

Here are some thoughts. Companies aren't always clear on who you would be reporting to during the hiring process. This isn't always intentional, but org structures are sometimes in flux as teams grow. You should at least ask who you're going to report to or who you could potentially report to and ensure you have a conversation with them.

Also when looking for jobs, instead of searching by company or job openings, look for managers you have gotten along with or would like to work for and literally contact them and tell them you're looking for a new gig and would love to work on their team. Manager's who may not be hiring right now generally are open to the idea of bringing a known quantity onto their team who want to work for them specifically, so if something opens up you jump to the top of the list.