The phrase “C-suite” derives from the job titles of senior executives and the word they have in common: the word “chief” at the beginning. These are the top roles in an organization that form the leadership team, with each C-suite executive holding a specific set of responsibilities. The precise mix of roles varies from company to company, depending on the focus and priorities of the organization. So, too, does the prestige and pay: even a one-man-band will have a chief executive officer, for example. Here is a look at the roles of some of the commonest C-suite executives, and what qualifications and experience they need.
What Is The C-Suite?
C-suite executives are the people in charge of ensuring that an organization’s day-to-day operations are aligned with long-term strategies. They are the key individuals in ensuring an organization’s success.
Members of the C-suite will meet regularly and collaborate to make sure that the organization’s different departments work together as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. The C-suite leads the V-suite — vice presidents and senior vice presidents — who in turn stand above the D-suite at director level and the B-suite of middle management. With their strategic roles, the C-suite needs a wide range of talents, from strategic vision and leadership to adaptability and the ability to carry out complex research. People in these roles will also need specialist skills and expertise — finance, marketing and so on — relevant to each individual role.
What Are The C-Level Executive Positions?
The number and mix of C-level executives vary from organization to organization — chief executive officer is probably the only one that’s universal, although most companies have at least a chief financial offier, too.
Beyond this, and especially within smaller companies, the precise mix will depend on the organization, with, say, a public-facing tech business more likely to have a chief technology officer, and a fashion brand more likely to have a chief marketing officer.
Some of the C-suite roles found most widely in organizations are:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
- Chief Learning Officer (CLO)
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Chief Data Officer (CDO)
- Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
- Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
- Chief Experience Officer (CXO)
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
The chief executive officer is the top executive within an organization — where the buck finally stops — although they’ll be answerable to the board of directors if one exists.
A CEO’s responsibilities include making major strategic decisions about a company’s direction, managing and liaising with other C-suite executives and steering the organization towards success. This may mean exploring and managing acquisitions and will involve complex financial planning. As a result, it’s a role that requires a high level of education — in a 2021 survey, Study.eu found that 98% of CEOs of the largest firms on the Forbes Global 2000 rankings had a bachelor’s degree, with more than half holding a master’s and a similar number having an MBA. Most CEOs will, of course, have many years’ experience behind them. All this means that salaries are extremely high, averaging $834,500 in the US, according to Salary.com.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
The chief financial officer, or CFO, is the most senior finance professional within an organization, taking responsibility for major investment and financing decisions, financial reporting and the overall capital structure of the company as well as managing the financial team.
A CFO will almost certainly have at least a bachelor’s degree in a finance-related field as well as a master’s, perhaps an MBA, and specialist professional qualifications such as accounting, financial management or auditing certifications, for example the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification. The job of CFO requires years of experience, with intermediate stages including positions such as accountant or financial analyst, followed by more senior roles such as financial controller or finance director. According to Salary.com, the average salary for a chief financial officer in the U.S. is around $438,800.
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
The role of chief operating officer isn’t always clear-cut, but generally amounts to being second in command, implementing the CEO’s decisions and overseeing day-to-day business and administrative activities. The COO will monitor and improve operating procedures, lead staff and manage recruitment.
A chief operating officer is likely to have at least a bachelor’s degree, perhaps in business administration or a similar subject, as well as certifications relevant to the functions of their particular organization. It usually takes at least ten years to work up to the role of COO, perhaps via intermediate positions in areas such as operations, finance, sales or human resources, with successful candidates gaining experience in project management and strategic planning. As with all C-suite roles, the seniority of a COO position means the job is very well paid, with the average chief operating officer in the US making $490,700 per year, according to Salary.com.
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
A chief marketing officer, or CMO, holds responsibility for an organization’s marketing and advertising activities, aiming to increase sales through brand management, marketing communications, market research, product marketing and customer service.
A CMO will almost certainly have a bachelor’s degree, along with a master’s in marketing or an MBA. As with all C-suite roles, it takes a long time to work up to the position, with most CMOs having around ten years’ experience in more junior marketing or communications roles, followed by leadership positions such as marketing director. It’s a well-paid role, with the average salary for a chief marketing officer in the U.S. standing at around $357,700, according to Salary.com.
Chief Learning Officer (CLO)
The role of chief learning officer is a comparatively new one, dating back only to the 1980s, and is still comparatively rare. The job involves supervising and taking responsibility for an organization’s learning and development strategy, overseeing training programs, identifying skills gaps and the like.
As with all C-suite positions, CLOs are likely to have a high level of academic qualifications, perhaps including a degree in human resources, an MBA and professional certifications from organizations such as The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). They can come from a variety of backgrounds, with human resources a common path to the role. Perhaps because the position of CLO is less widespread than other C-suite roles, it pays on average a little less: $219,700 per year, according to Salary.com.
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Once a purely technical role, a chief information officer these days is heavily involved in business strategy as well as IT strategy, taking responsibility for all software, hardware and infrastructure, as well as overseeing the overall management of an organization’s data.
A CIO will almost certainly hold a bachelor degree in a technical subject — most commonly computer science — with many also having a master’s in a business or management related subject, perhaps an MBA. As with all C-suite positions, it generally takes up to ten years to work up to the role. Steps along the way could include positions as chief data officer, IT project manager, chief technology officer or IT director. According to Salary.com, the average pay for a chief information technology officer in the U.S. is $330,000.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
The role of chief technology officer can be similar to that of a CIO, but tends to have a broader focus, involving product development as well as an organization’s internal technology. The role tends to have more importance in organizations that develop tech-based products and services.
As with other C-suite positions, CTOs will generally have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology or a related field, perhaps alongside a master’s degree in a subject such as cyber security, data science or business management. MBAs are another common qualification amongst CTOs, as are technical certifications in areas such as IT or cybersecurity. According to Salary.com, the average salary of a CTO in the US is $302,000. Most CTOs spend several years working up to the role, with intermediate steps including positions such as technical lead, project manager or a senior engineering role.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
The role of chief information security officer is found within virtually every large organization, overseeing its information security and developing and implementing policies to keep critical data secure. This means preparing for and managing new and potential cyber threats and creating an overall cybersecurity strategy.
In terms of qualifications, a CISO will generally have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, perhaps in computer science, information technology, engineering or cybersecurity, along with other cybersecurity certifications. CISOs generally have several years’ experience in the field, perhaps moving through positions such as cybersecurity manager, security director or security administrator on the way. The average salary for a chief information security officer in the U.S., according to Salary.com, is $243,100.
Chief Data Officer (CDO)
The remit of a chief data officer, or CDO, is to handle the processes of collecting, storing and managing an organization’s data. This involves defining data strategies, making sure that data is available and leveraging data and analytics, keeping information secure and handling regulatory compliance.
CDOs are likely to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a subject such as computer science, cyber security or statistics, as well as specialist certifications in relevant subjects, and will have several years’ experience in a related post. They may start out as a data analyst or data scientist, moving on to leadership positions such as director of operations or director of business intelligence. According to Salary.com, the average pay for a CDO in the U.S. is an impressive $645,800, thanks to the high level of responsibility the job entails.
Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
As the name implies, a chief compliance officer is responsible for making sure that an organization complies with all its legal obligations, from industry-specific regulations to legislation governing operations, financial reporting, data privacy, and the like.
As you’d expect, CCOs often have a background in the law. Otherwise, their qualifications may be relevant to the particular organization they work for, for example in finance or accounting in the case of a bank. Many will have an MBA or qualifications in management or operations management. Intermediate jobs on the way up to the post include compliance analyst or compliance specialist, followed by management posts. According to Salary.com, the average pay for a chief compliance officer in the U.S. is $246,500.
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
A chief human resources officer is the member of the C-suite responsible for an organization’s people management. CHROs oversee the HR department, handling recruitment and hiring, training and employee relations.
In terms of qualifications, CHROs will need at least a bachelor’s degree in human resources or perhaps business administration. They are also highly likely to have specific HR qualifications, such as the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) certification. CHROs usually work their way up through the ranks in a comparatively straight line, starting out at a junior level within the HR department before progressing through positions such as HR manager or training manager. The average pay for a CHRO in the U.S., according to Salary.com, is $278,000 per year.
Chief Experience Officer (CXO)
The position of chief experience officer, or CXO, is a relatively new, but extremely important one, and is now near-universal in large organizations. A CXO is responsible for the customer experience, aiming to increase loyalty and satisfaction. The job entails market research, data collection and analysis and creating an overall customer experience strategy.
While most CXOs will have at least a bachelor’s degree, this may be in any one of a number of subjects, from PR or marketing to business administration or even an arts degree. Routes to the job are similarly varied, with potential roles along the way including sales, PR or marketing, project management or customer service. According to Salary.com, the average chief experience officer earns $273,700 per year in the U.S.
Bottom Line
An organization’s C-suite is the group of top executives, defining and implementing corporate strategy. While these jobs require a high level of education and years of experience, they are very well rewarded.
