15 Positions in a Company: Job Titles and Responsibilities

A position in a company is simply a job title you take on as well as the requisite duties under it. When you fill a position in a company, you perform all the tasks the employer delegated to you in the initial job description. There are many different levels and types of employment, but all positions help assist with the day-to-day operations of a company.

Within any business organization, there is also a job title hierarchy. As such, various job positions have authority over others since higher-level positions manage entire teams of people. There are three primary tiers of company position types: executive, management, and operational.

Executive or C-suite employees run companies at the highest possible level. Learn more about these five C-level executive job titles and their duties:

1. 1. Chief executive officer: The CEO has authority over all other employees at a company. All other C-suite executives and their teams report back to the CEO. Sometimes, the chief executive officer is a member of the board of directors—an elected body of stakeholders that own large portions of stock in a given company—or the sole business owner. Other times, the CEO merely works for the owner or the board.
2. 2. Chief financial officer: The CFO oversees all the financial dealings of a company and reports to the CEO as well as the chairman of the board. It takes years of experience in accounting, management, and plenty of relevant education (exemplified by certifications or advanced degrees) to obtain a senior management position as chief financial officer.
3. 3. Chief information officer: The CIO oversees all the computer–related information technology for a company. As a senior vice president or chief officer at a company, the CIO reports directly to the CEO (or president) while managing a team of IT managers and specialists.
4. 4. Chief marketing officer: The CMO oversees all decision-making for the marketing department. Under the leadership of the chief marketing officer, various marketing specialists and managers implement social media strategies, digital marketing campaigns, and advertising efforts.
5. 5. Chief operations officer: The COO oversees all business operations at a company as a senior manager. As the supreme daily operations manager, they work with middle managers (especially project managers and office managers) as well as fellow C-suite employees to ensure day-to-day processes operate at maximum efficiency.

The executive team oversees a litany of managers and assistant managers. Here are five likely positions in a company you might find on the middle management team:

1. 1. Human resources manager: Though some companies might have a dedicated chief human resources officer (CHRO), others will likely have an HR manager report to the COO. HR managers ensure every employee receives adequate training and onboarding and has an avenue to raise concerns about their workplace. Those in human resource management might also oversee recruiters.
2. 2. Information technology manager: An IT manager likely reports to the CIO or CTO. One IT manager might oversee cybersecurity, while another might specifically run internal networks for the business.
3. 3. Marketing manager: With the CMO serving as their general manager, marketing managers run individual marketing departments. One might supervise a dedicated public relations marketing team, whereas another marketing manager might oversee a team of SEO-specific marketing specialists.
4. 4. Product manager: It’s the responsibility of a product manager to oversee the development and improvement of products within businesses, whether that encompasses goods, services, or both.
5. 5. Sales manager: This team leader ensures sales representatives meet their quotas, improve their sales pitches, and operate as ideal company ambassadors. A sales manager also oversees strategic planning for broader, long–term sales goals.

Operational-level positions present a valuable leg up into any given industry for entry-level or new employees. Consider these five job titles and their professional duties:

1. 1. Administrative assistant: Sometimes also known as executive assistants, administrative assistants organize and plan the schedules of managerial or executive-level staff. They might just report to their immediate supervisors or to a chief administrative officer as well.
2. 2. Bookkeeper: Businesses need people to keep track of their financial status at a granular level—that’s where a bookkeeper steps in. These accounting professionals can eventually climb the levels of management to become CFOs in their own right someday.
3. 3. Business analyst: Companies benefit from internal analysis to see how they can improve processes. Business analysts work with COOs and the departments under their supervision to encourage business development on all fronts.
4. 4. Sales representative: These professionals are on the front lines, representing a company day in and day out. Working as a salesperson requires strong skills in networking and persuasion in addition to perseverance.
5. 5. Software engineer: These programmers design new software for companies, improve existing programs, and provide quality assurance for any upcoming initiatives developed in code. Software engineers can climb the ranks to become CTOs or even CEOs over time.

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