Career Overlap Occupation record
RecordJob

Where a chief operating officer can go next

5 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a chief operating officer already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.

Chief operating officers are the right hand and second in command of a company's chief executive officer. They ensure that the daily operations of the company run smoothly. Chief operating officers also develop company policies, rules and goals.

Also known as managing director, chief operations officer, executive vice-president, deputy chief executive officer, chief administrative officer, acting general manager, company deputy chief executive officer.

Managers 44 skills on file 5 career moves 1 above 60% overlap Closest: chief executive officer, 76%

Fig. 2 · Career map 5 nearest · ESCO v1.2.1
chief executive officer 76% covered branch manager 37% covered business manager 37% covered strategic planning manager 35% covered department manager 34% covered chief operating officer You are here
  • 70% and above · short step
  • 50 to 70% · real move
  • Below 50% · substantial retraining
The 5 nearest destinations from chief operating officer, each one a link to that move’s record. Distance from the centre is how much retraining the move takes; the figure on each is how much of that role a chief operating officer already covers. All 5 are listed in the tables below.
Table 1

Table 1 · Within reach

Table 2

Table 2 · A bigger jump

Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.

Table 3

Table 3 · What the job itself asks for

A chief operating officer needs 21 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.

Required skill Area
  • lead managers of company departments management skills
  • ensure lawful business operations assisting and caring
  • collaborate in company's daily operations communication, collaboration and creativity
  • operations management business, administration and law
  • shape organisational teams based on competencies management skills
  • conclude business agreements communication, collaboration and creativity
  • evaluate performance of organisational collaborators management skills
  • marketing management business, administration and law
  • integrate strategic foundation in daily performance management skills
  • negotiate with stakeholders communication, collaboration and creativity
Table 4

Table 4 · Jobs that lead here

The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a chief operating officer does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.

Index

Look up another occupation

Chief operating officer is filed under Managers, ISCO major group 1. The full index lists all ten groups.

Note

How these figures were compiled

Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a chief operating officer’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.