Unit 12 Vocabulary: Office Hierarchies/ Corporate Titles

Noun (person)
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Apprentice
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a young person learning a certain trade or craft from an older expert
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"He started working as an apprentice to the local carpenter when he was only 16 years old."
Noun (person)
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Assistant
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an employee who helps their supervisor with their tasks and makes sure that all operations run smoothly
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"Working as an assistant to the company's CEO, he handled his boss's administrative tasks, including his calendar, reports, correspondence, and more."
Noun (person)
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Associate
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a professional who is linked to the company and has supporting or customer facing functions
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"An associate does not necessarily have to be an employee, but could be a contractor, vendor, etc."
Noun (person)
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board (board of directors)
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the governing body of a company which jointly supervises its activities and determines a strategy
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"The new company venture had to first be approved by the board of directors before it could be set in motion."
Noun (concept)
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C-suite
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also known as 'executive level', the highest ranking executive roles in a company, including all ‘Chief’ positions
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"Our company's diversity manager advocated passionately for having more women in the C-suite this year."
Noun (person)
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Chairperson
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the person elected to preside over the board, at the top of the office hierarchy
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"It was the new chairperson's idea to explore new flavor combinations for the company's frozen food line."
Noun (person)
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CEO (chief executive officer)
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highest ranking managing director, responsible for making managerial decisions, and acts as the company’s public face
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"The CEO reports to the board of directors, but oversees other C-level executives, and oftentimes also holds the title of president."
Proper noun (person)
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CIO (chief information officer)
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the most senior executive responsible for the strategy, management, and implementation of IT
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"A CIO's focus lies on IT and IT integration into other departments."
Noun (person)
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COO (chief operating officer)
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usually second in command under the CEO, in charge of overseeing day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the company
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"As COO of the company, he regularly met with different department heads in order to keep on top of things."
Noun (person)
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CTO (chief technical officer)
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a senior managing director who focuses primarily on development, engineering, and research issues
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"The CTO is the most senior technology officer, mainly responsible for managing a company’s IT requirements and policies."
Noun (person)
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Consultant
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a professional who typically is an expert in a specific field and provides analysis and advice, as well as helps with the execution of projects and optimization of processes
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"His plan was to work as a consultant for 2-3 years, so he could work on different projects before switching to another position."
Noun (concept)
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Entry-level
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a role that is typically given to recent college graduates and does not require any prior job experience
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"Upon starting his entry-level job, Pat received one month of on-site training to sufficiently prepare him for the role."
Noun (person)
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GM (general manager)
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responsible for running the main day-to-day business of the company or department, as well as managing the overall costs and generating revenue
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"The GM position’s importance varies depending on the organization’s size, and could either be one of the highest positions in the company or considered middle management."
Noun (person)
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IC (individual contributor)
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belonging to the lower level of employees, someone who takes part in a company’s operations but without leadership responsibilities
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"An individual contributor oftentimes fulfills a very specific function within a team and focuses more on individual achievements rather than team performance."
Noun (person)
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Intern
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typically a student, trainee, or young professional who aims to gain professional experience, oftentimes working for little or no pay
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"Interns only stay with a company for a relatively short period of time, typically ranging from a few weeks to one year."
Noun (person)
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Manager
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an employee with leadership responsibilities, who oversees individual contributors in a specific department to meet given performance goals
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"Rebecca had to check with her manager if she could leave work early to attend her cousin's bar mitzvah."
Noun (concept)
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Middle management
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group of managers below the executive management level, in charge of leading line managers, implementing the decisions made by their superiors, and ensuring their team’s productivity aligns with the company’s goals
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"The role was titled 'Marketing Manager', which indicated that it was a middle management position."
Noun (thing)
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org chart (organizational chart)
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a graphical representation of an organization's structure in the form of a diagram, showing all company roles and their relation to each other
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"He looked up the company's org chart prior to his interview, so that he could be well prepared when asked about the company's structure and the role he was applying for."
Noun (person)
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Trainee
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typically a young professional who is instructed in a particular role, with the objective to continue at the company in the next level position
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"Traineeships at the Big Four accounting firms are highly competitive, so when she was offered a spot as a trainee at KPMG she was proud beyond measure."
Noun (person)
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VP (vice president)
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a senior level executive below the C-level in hierarchy who reports to the president or CEO and is in charge of managing directors and overall business
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"The vice president generally holds more of a representative role, fulfilling duties such as speaking to the public and upholding the company’s image."
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