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Management > Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Salary National Average

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541430.0000 721260.0000 0.0000

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+1%

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Short Description:

The highest-ranking executive in a company whose primary responsibilities include developing and implementing high-level strategies, making major corporate decisions, managing the overall operations and resources of a company, and acting as the main point of communication between the board of directors and the corporate operations. The CEO often has a position on the board and, in some cases, is even the chair.

Duties / Responsibilities:

  • Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Appoint department heads or managers and assign or delegate responsibilities to them.
  • Analyze operations to evaluate a company's or its staff's performance in meeting objectives or determining areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
  • Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, maximize returns on investments, or increase productivity.
  • Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
  • Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
  • Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
  • Direct human resource activities, including approving human resource plans, selecting directors or other high-level staff, and organizing central departments.
  • Establish departmental responsibilities and coordinate functions among departments and sites.
  • Preside over or serve on boards of directors, management committees, or other governing boards.
  • Negotiate or approve contracts or agreements with suppliers, distributors, federal or state agencies, or other organizational entities.
  • Coordinate the development or implementation of budgetary control systems, recordkeeping systems, or other administrative control processes.
  • Review reports submitted by staff members to recommend approval or to suggest changes,
  • Deliver speeches, write articles, or present information at meetings or conventions to promote services, exchange ideas, or accomplish objectives.
  • Interpret and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.
  • Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
  • Review and analyze legislation, laws, or public policy and recommend changes to promote or support the interests of the general population or special groups.
  • Administer programs for the selection of sites, construction of buildings, or provision of equipment or supplies.
  • Direct or conduct studies or research on issues affecting areas of responsibility.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with product production, pricing, sales, or distribution.
  • Presents to legislative or other government committees regarding policies, programs, or budgets.
  • Refer significant policy matters to elected representatives for final decisions.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of businesses involved with buying or selling investment products or financial services.
  • Conduct or direct investigations or hearings to resolve complaints or violations of laws or testify at such hearings.
  • Direct non-merchandising departments, such as advertising, purchasing, credit, or accounting.
  • Prepare bylaws approved by elected officials and ensure that bylaws are enforced.
  • Serve as liaisons between organizations, shareholders, and outside organizations.
  • Attend and participate in meetings of municipal councils or council committees.
  • Represent organizations or promote their objectives at official functions or delegate representatives.
  • Organize or approve promotional campaigns.

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

  • Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Coordination: Adjusting actions concerning others' actions.
  • Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Management of Financial Resources: Determine budgets and spending to complete the work and account for these expenditures.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring/assessing the performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to the system's goals.
  • Active Learning: Understanding new information's implications for current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the audience's needs.
  • Management of Material Resources: Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do specific work.
  • Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
  • Learning Strategies: Select appropriate training/instructional methods and procedures when learning or teaching new things.
  • Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Job Zones

  • Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
  • Related Experience: Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. 
  • Job Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
  • Job Zone Examples: These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, sports medicine physicians, wildlife biologists, school psychologists, surgeons, treasurers, and controllers.
  • Specific Vocational Preparation in years: 4+ years of preparation (8.0 and above)

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