What are management and leadership titles
Job titles for management and leadership positions recognise the employee’s seniority or experience in the organisation, relative to their occupation.
A management title is often provided to employees who supervise or coordinate a team or department. A leadership title, meanwhile, is allocated to employees who have the authority to make significant business decisions, such as those who are part of the executive team.
The titles allocated to employees in an organisation can depend on its size or the functions that employees undertake. You may decide that some titles are irrelevant to your organisation. In small businesses, for example, where employees often have broader responsibilities than they have in larger companies, multiple roles may be effectively combined under a single job title.
Examples of C-suite leadership titles
The C-suite refers to the individuals who form an organisation’s executive team, typically with ‘chief’ in their job titles. While C-suites are common in large businesses, medium and small-sized companies may also have a group of employees who function as an executive team.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
A CEO oversees all business operations and sets the strategic direction, making them the highest authority in the organisation’s structure. CEOs evaluate the company’s performance and are responsible for driving its growth. In small businesses, the founder often assumes the title of CEO.
Financial management and business management skills and qualifications are important when looking for employees to be appointed to this title. It’s also worth considering employees who may have started their careers in a niche area such as marketing or technology and gained business experience during their careers.
Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Also known as a chief operating officer, this title is given to the employee who is second in command to the CEO in the business hierarchy. They execute the CEO’s goals by crafting day-to-day activities, duties and responsibilities that meet them. COOs allocate these activities to department heads and work across departments to ensure they are implemented successfully.
COOs typically work well with people and are good leaders as opposed to having specific qualifications. Project management qualifications and experience can also be an advantage when considering an applicant’s resume.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
A CFO is responsible for managing all financial activities within an organisation. They oversee long-term profit projections, financial strategies, and budget development.
Budgeting and financial resource skills are essential for this role, as well as management nous. Many employers look for CFOs who are qualified as Certified Practising Accountants (CPA) and hold a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
The CTO oversees an organisation’s digital requirements. They are responsible for internal technology processes as well as product development. For example, they are responsible for ensuring appropriate cybersecurity software is installed on the company’s computers, as much as they are involved in developing a new app through which customers engage with the business.
Technical qualifications and experience in information technology are important when considering applicants. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) can also be an added advantage, as it helps candidates understand the business strategy aspect of the role.
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
The CHRO oversees all facets of business personnel. They are involved in the recruitment and retention of employees, as well as how the workforce operates in line with business goals. This may include ensuring total salaries do not exceed budgets, the right number of workers are employed to complete the work, and the company culture reflects business values.
A CHRO typically has an HR background and qualifications, but they can also be recruited from other roles in order to meet a business’s particular needs. For example, the company may determine that a CFO may bring the finance skills required to meet staffing budgets or a CTO may be best placed to determine the technological skills that new staff will need, and can appoint them to the CHRO role.
Examples of upper management titles
Manager is the most common title provided to the highest-ranking member of a business division, such as marketing manager, sales manager or IT manager. There are two other upper management titles that you may like to consider for your workforce, to whom managers may report. These include:
General manager
A general manager plans, organises and oversees various aspects of day-to-day operations. They may oversee several areas within one business division. For example, they may oversee the sales staff working at the call centre, in stores and in the field, with each area directly managed by a separate sales manager. A general manager can also be appointed to oversee all business divisions and operations, particularly in small businesses.
A Bachelor of Business Administration is often the qualification that employers look for when recruiting for this position, in addition to experience and qualifications in their occupational field.
Operations manager
An operations manager remains focused on day-to-day activities and production. For example, they may oversee operations at one factory and report to a chief operations manager who oversees operations at several factories.
These workers typically have qualifications in their occupation but have not necessarily completed further study. It’s worth considering if candidates who have undertaken a bachelor degree or vocational certificate in business or project management can bring added expertise to the role.
Examples of other key leadership roles
There are several other management and leadership titles that you may find better suit your workforce. Some titles can only be used in certain circumstances, so it is best to ensure you are using these titles appropriately.
Founder
The title of founder is used by the person who started the organisation. If this is you, you may like to use this for yourself to recognise the role that you have played in creating the business. It can be a useful title to use when business founders want to take a step back from the day-to-day running of the business, but still want their seniority to be reflected in their position.
Executive director
An executive director is both an employee and a member of the company’s board of directors. They may be employed as the CEO or managing director by the company and are involved with business performance as well as day-to-day management.
It is more commonly a title used at not-for-profit organisations, international organisations and in government departments in place of using CEO. For some businesses, it can also be a good way to differentiate an employee who is a board director as well as a business manager.
Company director qualifications are useful for these employees to understand how the role works.
Managing director
A managing director is a type of executive director who directs daily business activities to ensure the business is operating in line with and achieving its strategic direction. They are accountable for the company’s performance.
A business degree is often a prerequisite for this role, as is experience across a range of business functions.
Head
The title of head is most commonly appointed to the employee in charge of a business department, such as head of sales, head of marketing or head of operations. They set goals and duties for their business division or team, based on the CEO’s strategic vision. They report to and liaise with their relevant C-suite or upper management staff.
Employees often hold qualifications relevant to their occupation, and some may also complete leadership and management courses to prepare them for transitioning into higher-level roles.
Although not exhaustive, this list of management and leadership titles provides a solid overview of the most commonly used titles in businesses. By choosing the most appropriate title for the senior role, you can improve your likelihood of recruiting the best candidates for your vacancies. You can also recognise an existing employee’s role and experience by providing them with an appropriate job title.
