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Job Titles Guide

What each role does, who it usually reports to and what else it’s called. Titles vary by company size, so use this as a starting point.

ITExecutive

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Sets technology strategy, runs the IT organization and budget, and aligns systems with business goals.

Typically reports to
CEO, COO or CFO
Also called
VP of IT, Head of Technology, Chief Digital Officer
ITExecutive

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Leads the security program: risk, compliance, protection and incident response.

Typically reports to
CIO, CEO or a risk committee
Also called
VP of Information Security, Head of Security
ITDirector

IT Director

Runs day-to-day IT operations, infrastructure and support teams, and major technology projects.

Typically reports to
CIO
Also called
Director of IT, Head of IT, Director of Technology Operations
ITManager

IT Manager

Manages an IT team, keeps systems running and delivers projects on time.

Typically reports to
IT Director
Also called
IT Operations Manager, Systems Manager, Infrastructure Manager
ITIndividual contributor

Systems Administrator

Maintains servers, cloud services and user accounts, and keeps systems patched and backed up.

Typically reports to
IT Manager
Also called
SysAdmin, Systems Engineer, IT Administrator
ITIndividual contributor

Network Engineer

Designs, builds and maintains the networks that connect people and systems.

Typically reports to
IT Manager or Infrastructure Manager
Also called
Network Administrator, Network Architect (senior)
ITIndividual contributor

IT Support Specialist

Helps employees with devices, software and access so they can keep working.

Typically reports to
IT Manager or Service Desk Manager
Also called
Help Desk Technician, Service Desk Analyst, Desktop Support
Finance & AccountingExecutive

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Owns financial strategy, planning, capital, reporting and relationships with investors and lenders.

Typically reports to
CEO and the board
Also called
VP of Finance (smaller companies), Head of Finance
Finance & AccountingDirector

Controller

Runs accounting operations: the monthly close, financial statements, controls and audits.

Typically reports to
CFO
Also called
Corporate Controller, Director of Accounting, Chief Accounting Officer (larger companies)
Finance & AccountingDirector

FP&A Director

Leads budgeting, forecasting and analysis that guide business decisions.

Typically reports to
CFO
Also called
Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, Head of FP&A, Finance Director
Finance & AccountingManager

Accounting Manager

Leads the accounting team through the close, reconciliations and reporting.

Typically reports to
Controller
Also called
Assistant Controller, Accounting Supervisor
Finance & AccountingManager

Payroll Manager

Makes sure everyone is paid accurately and on time, and payroll taxes are filed correctly.

Typically reports to
Controller or HR Director
Also called
Payroll Supervisor, Payroll Lead
Finance & AccountingIndividual contributor

Senior Accountant

Prepares journal entries, reconciliations and close work, and often reviews others’ work.

Typically reports to
Accounting Manager
Also called
Staff Accountant (earlier career), General Ledger Accountant
Finance & AccountingIndividual contributor

Financial Analyst

Builds models, budgets and variance reports, and turns numbers into recommendations.

Typically reports to
FP&A Manager or Director
Also called
FP&A Analyst, Business Finance Analyst
HRExecutive

Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Owns people strategy: culture, organization design, leadership, pay and succession.

Typically reports to
CEO
Also called
Chief People Officer, VP of People, VP of Human Resources
HRDirector

HR Director

Runs the HR function day to day: policies, employee relations, benefits and compliance.

Typically reports to
CHRO, COO or CEO
Also called
Director of People, Head of HR
HRDirector

Head of Talent Acquisition

Sets hiring strategy, leads the recruiting team and shapes the employer brand.

Typically reports to
CHRO
Also called
Director of Recruiting, VP of Talent Acquisition, Head of Talent
HRManager

HR Business Partner (HRBP)

Advises the leaders of a business unit on people decisions, from org changes to performance.

Typically reports to
HR Director or CHRO
Also called
People Partner, Senior HR Generalist
HRManager

HR Manager

Covers the full range of HR work: onboarding, benefits, policies and employee questions.

Typically reports to
HR Director
Also called
People Operations Manager, HR Generalist
HRManager

Total Rewards Manager

Designs pay structures and benefits programs that are fair and competitive.

Typically reports to
HR Director or CHRO
Also called
Compensation & Benefits Manager, Benefits Manager
HRIndividual contributor

Recruiter

Finds, screens and guides candidates from first contact to signed offer.

Typically reports to
Talent Acquisition Manager
Also called
Talent Acquisition Partner, Technical Recruiter, Sourcer (sourcing focus)
OperationsExecutive

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Runs day-to-day operations and turns strategy into execution across the company.

Typically reports to
CEO
Also called
President (at some companies), EVP of Operations
OperationsDirector

Director of Operations

Oversees operating teams, processes and performance metrics.

Typically reports to
COO
Also called
VP of Operations, Head of Operations
OperationsDirector

Plant Manager

Runs a manufacturing site: safety, output, quality, cost and people.

Typically reports to
VP of Operations or Manufacturing
Also called
Plant Director, Site Leader, General Manager (manufacturing)
OperationsManager

Operations Manager

Manages a team’s or site’s daily work, schedules and service levels.

Typically reports to
Director of Operations
Also called
Business Operations Manager, Site Manager
OperationsManager

Supply Chain Manager

Plans the flow of materials and products: sourcing, inventory and logistics.

Typically reports to
Director of Operations or Supply Chain
Also called
Logistics Manager, Materials Manager, Demand Planning Manager
OperationsManager

Procurement Manager

Buys goods and services, negotiates with suppliers and manages vendor risk.

Typically reports to
Supply Chain, Operations or Finance leader
Also called
Purchasing Manager, Sourcing Manager
OperationsIndividual contributor

Project Manager

Plans and delivers projects on scope, schedule and budget, and keeps everyone aligned.

Typically reports to
PMO or Operations leader
Also called
Program Manager (multiple projects), Project Lead
Sales & MarketingExecutive

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)

Leads every revenue team, often sales, marketing and customer success, toward one growth plan.

Typically reports to
CEO
Also called
Chief Sales Officer, Chief Commercial Officer
Sales & MarketingExecutive

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Owns brand, positioning and demand, and how the market sees the company.

Typically reports to
CEO
Also called
VP of Marketing, Head of Marketing
Sales & MarketingDirector

VP of Sales

Sets sales strategy, builds the team and owns the number and the forecast.

Typically reports to
CRO or CEO
Also called
Head of Sales, Sales Director
Sales & MarketingManager

Sales Manager

Coaches a team of sellers and owns the team’s results.

Typically reports to
VP of Sales
Also called
Regional Sales Manager, Sales Team Lead
Sales & MarketingManager

Marketing Manager

Plans and runs campaigns and channels that build pipeline and brand.

Typically reports to
Director or VP of Marketing
Also called
Demand Generation Manager, Digital Marketing Manager, Product Marketing Manager
Sales & MarketingIndividual contributor

Account Executive

Wins new customers, from first meeting to signed deal.

Typically reports to
Sales Manager
Also called
Sales Executive, Business Development Manager
Sales & MarketingIndividual contributor

Account Manager

Grows and keeps existing customers by understanding their needs.

Typically reports to
Sales Manager or Customer Success leader
Also called
Client Manager, Customer Success Manager (related role)
Sales & MarketingIndividual contributor

Sales Development Representative (SDR)

Researches prospects and books first meetings for the sales team.

Typically reports to
SDR Manager or Sales Manager
Also called
Business Development Representative (BDR)
EngineeringExecutive

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Sets the technical vision and architecture, and builds the engineering organization.

Typically reports to
CEO
Also called
Head of Technology, VP of Engineering (smaller companies)
EngineeringDirector

VP of Engineering

Runs engineering teams, delivery and hiring so the product ships reliably.

Typically reports to
CTO or CEO
Also called
Head of Engineering, Director of Engineering
EngineeringManager

Engineering Manager

Leads a team of engineers, balancing people growth with on-time delivery.

Typically reports to
Director or VP of Engineering
Also called
Software Development Manager, Team Lead
EngineeringIndividual contributor

Staff / Principal Engineer

A senior individual contributor who sets technical direction across teams.

Typically reports to
Director or VP of Engineering
Also called
Architect, Senior Staff Engineer, Distinguished Engineer
EngineeringIndividual contributor

Software Engineer

Designs, builds, tests and maintains software.

Typically reports to
Engineering Manager
Also called
Software Developer, Backend / Frontend / Full-Stack Engineer
EngineeringIndividual contributor

DevOps / Site Reliability Engineer

Keeps systems easy to deploy, observable and reliable.

Typically reports to
Engineering or Infrastructure Manager
Also called
Platform Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, SRE
EngineeringIndividual contributor

Mechanical Engineer

Designs and tests physical products, parts and systems.

Typically reports to
Engineering Manager
Also called
Design Engineer, Product Engineer
EngineeringIndividual contributor

Quality Engineer

Builds the tests and processes that keep products meeting spec.

Typically reports to
Quality or Engineering Manager
Also called
QA Engineer, Quality Assurance Engineer

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