CEO, director, vice president, managing partner: These job titles all signify some degree of leadership, but it can often be hard to discern the hierarchy and differing levels of responsibility underpinning each title. The same job can have a different job title depending on the company, industry, location, and organization size.
Executive job titles help delineate the structure of an organization and the reporting workflows of an organization’s staff. They also help teams understand who is in charge of what. The CMO, for instance, is the head of marketing; the CFO is responsible for finance.
Here are some key executive job titles and what they mean.
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Chair of the Board
The Chair of the Board (COB) heads the Board of Directors. This person is elected by the board and is at the top of the organization’s hierarchy. The COB is tasked with making big-picture decisions, leading the organization’s executives, and establishing the company's corporate culture. Sometimes, the board will elect the CEO as the COB as a show of faith.
CEO
The CEO is the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. The CEO is in charge of overseeing the entire executive team, often known as the C-level executives (the “C” is shorthand for “chief”). CEOs make major decisions that impact the growth and success of the company. They’ll oversee operations, resources, and day-to-day business functions. CEOs are often chosen by the board of directors and shareholders, but they can also be the founder or business owner at smaller ventures.
COO
The COO is the Chief Operating Officer. Sometimes, the COO is called the “Vice President of Operations.” The job involves managing the day-to-day administration of the organization. This person often acts as the right-hand man or woman to the CEO. The COO could oversee production, sales, marketing, human resources, or all of the above. “In some firms, the COO job is to be internally focused, while the CEO is externally focused. In other firms, the COO's mission is focused on a specific business need,” described The Balance.
CFO
The CFO, or Chief Financial Officer, oversees the business’s finances. This is a major role that involves everything from financial reporting to overseeing the company's capital structure or deciding where to invest small business earnings. Financial forecasting, budget preparation, and overseeing debt repayment are just a few activities that the CFO would oversee at a small business.
Other C-suite titles
Large companies may have many leaders with C-level job titles, including:
- CMO: Chief Marketing Officer, the person in charge of the business’s marketing and advertising activities.
- CIO: Chief Information Officer, the person in charge of the business’s information technology and data security.
- CCO: Chief Commercial Officer, sometimes known as the Chief Business Officer (CBO), is the person in charge of the business’s sales team, strategy, and success.
- CHO: Chief Human Resources Officer, sometimes known as the Chief Talent Officer, is the person in charge of the business’s human resources and recruiting teams.
- CTO: Chief Technology Officer, the person in charge of research, development and technology at the company. While the CIO is primarily concerned with the business’s technology tools and platforms, the CTO is in charge of strategic planning and using technology and innovation to boost revenue.
- Chief Content Officer: This is a newer role, as social media and digital marketing have increased the importance of content marketing. The CCO works with the CMO to oversee content and channel optimization, brand consistency, segmentation, and analytics.
Collaboration and teamwork among the C-suite leads to a more effective, agile, and successful organization.
The C-suite leaders are considered the highest level of the organization (unless there is a Board of Directors). Other executive job titles are close to the same level as these C-level positions but don’t have “chief” in the name. For instance, President, Partner, Chair, and Superintendent are other titles that can be found at the top of the org chart.
President
To make things more complicated, some companies prefer to use “President” instead of COO. “The president of a company is often the same position as a COO of a company,” wrote Indeed. “They report directly to the CEO and work closely with them to provide the organization with strategy, vision, and financial management.”
Often, a president is more hands-on than a COO, but it depends on the size of the company and the particular industry.
Vice president
Vice presidents either rank directly below the C-suite executives or just under the president level. This title usually specializes in a particular area of expertise, e.g., vice president of marketing or executive vice president of recruiting. There could be different levels within the vice president role, too, starting with Executive Vice President at the top, followed by Senior Vice President, Vice President, and Associate Vice President. This position is considered middle management, as women and men in this role deal with specific aspects of running the company and directly managing the workforce.
Directors and managers
Except for the Director of Operations, directors and managers sit directly under the vice president level and work with teams, partners, and individuals to keep the business running. Managers are responsible for leading employees to be productive, aligning day-to-day tasks with business objectives, and serving customers across various business operations.
Some companies ask managers to report to directors who specialize in a particular business area (e.g., the Director of Human Resources oversees the HR manager).
The exception is with the Director of Operations, a unique position. This type of director is responsible for the profitability and growth of the company. They collaborate across departments to improve processes and break down business silos. This position will directly report to the COO if the company has one. Alternatively, this role can cover the responsibilities of a COO if the organization doesn’t have that particular role.
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Emerging executive roles in the tech industry
The explosive growth of companies in Silicon Valley has created the need for new executive roles that cater to specific technological advancements and business needs. For instance, the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) oversees artificial intelligence-related initiatives, including research, development, and implementation.
Many of these roles are being added to the executive suite at non-tech companies, too. For instance:
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): Protects the organization's digital assets from cyber threats.
- Chief Innovation Officer (CIO): Fosters innovation and new product development.
- Chief Data Officer (CDO): Manages data governance, quality, and analytics.
- Chief Compliance Officer: Ensures the business is meeting all legal and regulatory requirements from outside the company, as well as internal policies.
The importance of C-suite collaboration
Collaboration and teamwork among the C-suite leads to a more effective, agile, and successful organization. To some degree, the influence of the C-suite depends on how the organization is structured. A flat reporting structure, for instance, decentralizes decision-making and requires collaboration at all layers of the organization; a rigid hierarchy makes it imperative that C-suite leaders make decisions together.
A well-coordinated C-suite can develop a clear and shared vision for the company's future, ensuring everyone works towards the same goals. Consistent messaging from the C-suite helps to build trust with employees, investors, and customers. And, perhaps most importantly, C-suite collaboration can foster cross-functional teams that are better equipped to develop innovative solutions.
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