Key Positions In Your Company

Depending on the nature of your business you will create positions appropriate to the type of work an individual will be performing.  The key management positions that you will want to consider as your business grows includes the following.

Chairman of the Board

The top ranking officer on a corporate board of directors. The Board elects and removes the officers of a corporation and oversees the human, financial, environmental and technical operations of a corporation.

The Vice Chairman is someone who sits in on the board in the absence of the Chairman of the Board.

Executive Chairman

When the Chairman of the Board also have responsibilities such as CEO, President, COO, etc. then he is called an Executive Chairman.

President

legally recognized highest "titled" corporate officer, and usually a member of the Board of Directors. However, if there is a separate CEO, the President is then second highest-ranking position and his title then becomes President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) and is focused on daily operations.

Vice President

The Vide President usually reports to the CEO or President.  This title can further hierarchically be layered as:

Executive Vice President
Senior Vice President
Associate Vice President
Assistant Vice President

It is common for officers serving as department heads be given the title of Vice President (VP), Executive Vice President (EVP) or Senior Vice President (SVP).  For example:

VP for Administration
VP for Operations
EVP for Finance
SVP for Technology
etc.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

This position can be held by one individual.  In many organizations you will see the Presidents also holding the title of CEO and serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Becomes the highest "titled" corporate officer if there is no President and CEO position. The CEO serves as the visionary and leader of the organization.  The CEO may also serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Responsibility for the daily operation of the company and reports to the CEO.  This role is also combined with that of President when there is a CEO.

General Manager

A General Manager has the same responsibility as that of a CEO.  He/she is responsible for the overall management of the business.

Director

This is not the same as Directors who serve on the Board of Directors.  This title usually refers to lowest executive (management) level within a company, except in Banking.  A Director may report to a Vice President.

Supervisor

A Supervisor is someone who has the authority to directions and/or orders to subordinates, and can be held responsible for the work and actions of the employees under their control.  He/she does not have the authority to hire and fire someone, but can participate in the hiring and firing process by making recommendations to management.  A supervisor may report to a manager such as Director, VP, SVP, EVP, etc.

Associate

This is a customer service position or temporary/part time worker position.

In the legal profession it is used to indicated a lawyer who is not a partner of the law firm.

Treasurer

Responsible for the management of the company funds.  This is a legally recognized corporate officer.

This role is often combined with that of Secretary and is referred to as Secretary-Treasurer.

The Treasurer has a reporting line to the Board of Directors, regardless of any other reporting lines conferred by concurrent titles.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for keeping the records of the Board and the Company.

He/she is a legally recognized "titled" as a corporate officer and reports to the Board of Directors.

Chief Information officer (CIO)

Responsible for the company's information resources. This is the person in charge of all of the information technology (IT) people in your organization that manages all of your computers, printers, faxes, copiers, etc.  The CIO reports to the CEO or COO.

Chief Technical Officer (CTO)

Also referred to as the Chief Technology Officer. This  is a high-level corporate officer position.  Responsible for the company's technology and R&D direction. This title is used primarily in technology companies that develops technology for sale.

Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO)

Also called the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).  The CHRO is responsible for employee hiring and termination; succession planning, employee compensation; public relations, etc.  The CHRO reports directly to the CEO.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

The CFO provides oversight of the company's finances.  He/she is responsible for accounting and audits.  He/she may also serve as the Treasurer.

Chief Product Officer (CPO)

The CPO is responsible for the product concept, development and production.  This individual can also double as the COO.  He/She reports to the CEO.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO):

The CMO is responsible for the marketing activities of a company which includes, establishing pricing, distribution channel management, marketing communication management, market research, customer service, etc. 

The CMO duties can be combined with the Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and Chief Product Officer (CPO) duties.

The CMO reports to the CEO or COO.

Chief Sales Officer (CSO):

The CSO is responsible for all sales within a company.  This includes receiving and processing orders for the company's products and/or services, managing returns, etc.