20 Essential Business Roles Within an Organization

In an organization, there are many types of business roles that are integral to company operations. From
executive-level professionals to entry-level employees, these roles involve specific tasks that contribute to a
company's success. Learning about the different business roles in a company can help you form a defined career
path. In this article, we explore several key business roles, what their responsibilities are and how they help a
business succeed.
Business roles are positions that have certain sets of responsibilities. Business owners typically plan an
organizational structure that outlines the different types of jobs and the tasks that each job type is responsible
for. Depending on the industry and the nature of the company, business roles can range from executive-level
titles, such as chief executive officer (CEO), to more operational business roles like an administrative assistant
or customer service representative.
Business roles allow owners and stakeholders to designate specific titles and duties to employees. Setting up
business roles allows employers to delegate important tasks to professionals who are qualified to perform these
jobs. When employees have a clear understanding of their responsibilities, they can better contribute to the
company's success.

Types of business roles

In many organizations, business roles follow an organizational structure, where employers designate executive-
level, managerial and operational roles:

Executive
Executive-level roles include senior-level positions and often feature a central executive in charge of an entire
organization or large department within an organization. For instance, a chief financial officer (CFO) is
responsible for overseeing the entire financial department. Executive jobs typically require extensive work
experience in addition to qualifications like education, skills and certifications.

Manager
Managers and supervisors make up many of the essential mid-level business roles within an organization.
Executives usually assign these roles and are generally in charge of directing them. For example, a chief
operating officer outlines the needs for a human resources department. They hire and oversee an HR manager
who is responsible for supervising the human resources staff.

Operations and production

At this level, business roles can encompass one or more professionals fulfilling the responsibilities of the same
role, especially in larger organizations. For example, a corporation could have a team of accountants who fulfill
the same duties. In smaller businesses, there may be only one professional, such as an administrative assistant,
filling the needs of the business within a given role.
Executive and top-level business roles
The following business roles include executive-level positions:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Controller
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
President
Vice President
Executive Assistant

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

The chief executive officer (CEO) of a company is the leading role responsible for making top-level decisions,
gathering resources that support the company and driving operational and structural changes that directly
influence organizational growth. In smaller businesses, this role can be interchangeable with the president, and
it's also common for an owner to hold these titles.

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

A chief operating officer (COO) oversees the company's operations. In smaller organizations, this role can defer
to the general manager, a similar role to a COO. These top-level business roles ensure processes run efficiently
and often oversee various departments to ensure employees are completing their work properly and in a timely
manner.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Controller

The chief financial officer (CFO), or controller, is responsible for the cash flow and the financial success of a
business. Typically, a CFO and controller are two separate business roles within large corporations, but smaller
organizations may combine these two roles into one job title. The CFO is usually responsible for finding investors
and external funding opportunities for growing their business, while the controller oversees the expenses and
assets of the company. When one individual assumes both financial roles, they manage both incoming revenue
and outgoing expenses.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

The chief marketing officer (CMO) directs marketing campaigns, plans marketing budgets and manages the
entire marketing department of their company. This role may be in charge of multiple marketing teams, each
with their own team leader or marketing manager. Additionally, the CMO usually makes the final decisions
regarding the development and implementation of various marketing projects.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

The chief technology officer (CTO) manages the technological functions of their organization. They commonly
integrate new technology trends and ensure any technology they introduce meets the needs of their company.
In companies that have large IT departments, the CTO oversees the high-level functions.
President
Some organizations designate a president instead of a CEO. While many of the responsibilities are the same
between these two roles, a president may take on additional tasks that a CEO may not. They could perform
some of the tasks that a COO and a CFO are in charge of in larger businesses. As a company grows, though, the
president's role may encompass more defined tasks—like handling top-level decisions and directing their
management teams—rather than a broad range of executive functions.

Vice President
The vice president initiates the president's decisions and plans by directing mid-level managers and team
leaders. They can act in an operational role, overseeing business operations and initiating organizational
structures among the other roles.

Executive assistants
An executive assistant usually reports directly to the CEO and handles much of the CEO's administrative tasks.
A business often relies on an executive assistant to organize and maintain the CEO's schedules, agendas and
appointments.

Managerial business roles

Several managerial business roles are important to overall business operations, including:
Marketing manager
Product manager
Project manager
Finance manager
Human resources manager

Marketing manager
A marketing manager oversees the entire marketing department, depending on the size of the company. In
large corporations, there can be multiple teams within the marketing department, each with their own
marketing manager. Each manager reports directly to the CMO. In smaller businesses, the marketing manager
may be the only top-level business role in charge of directing marketing efforts.

Product manager
Product managers analyze product markets and streamline processes related to product development. A
product manager may focus their efforts on researching customer markets, evaluating in-demand products,
assessing manufacturing processes for making products, analyzing competitor products and collaborating with
marketing teams to develop strategies for promoting products.

Project manager
Project managers oversee many of the planning and development processes for business projects. These
professionals initiate, design, monitor, control and finalize projects. This business role may have the added
responsibility of analyzing and mitigating risks to various projects, and they commonly work with other
department managers—such as marketing and product managers—to plan and develop each aspect of a
project, including budget, resources and timelines.

Finance manager
Finance managers usually analyze costs and revenue and use this data to prepare financial reports. In smaller
organizations, this business role may oversee several financial aspects of business operations, such as calculating
and projecting incoming revenue and company expenses. In larger businesses, the finance manager may be
responsible for managing staff accountants and bookkeepers, and they rely on the work of these professionals
to create accurate financial reports and forecasts.

Human resources manager

Human resources managers direct the human resources department. They oversee large teams within the
human resources department, or in smaller organizations, they may be in charge of only a few staff members.
This business role is crucial for operations because they recruit, interview, hire and onboard employees. HR
managers commonly consult with top-level executives to initiate strategic plans and act as a liaison between
upper-level management and company staff.

Operational roles
The operational business roles within a company are essential for day-to-day processes and include positions
such as:
Marketing specialist
Business analyst
Human resource personnel
Accountant
Sales representative
Customer service representative
Administrative assistant

Marketing specialist
A key role in the marketing department is the marketing specialist. Specialists perform several functions, such
as gathering customer data, researching target demographics and optimizing content for SEO purposes. Many
organizations have more than one marketing specialist working in the department, and this role typically reports
directly to the marketing manager.
Business analyst
Many companies employ business analysts who are responsible for evaluating the growth and development of
the business. This role analyzes market trends, projects future revenue and develops plans that help businesses
track profitability, product viability and the overall success of operations.

Human resource personnel

The human resources department is an essential component for any business, and the employees in this
department work under the supervision of the HR manager. The staff in these business roles commonly handle
payroll tasks, employee schedules and performance reviews and evaluations. In large companies, the HR
department can consist of several HR managers and many staff members under their direction.

Accountant
An accountant oversees the day-to-day transactions of companies, including sales transactions, expense
payments and tax reporting. Accountants in smaller organizations may have responsibilities that finance
managers or CFOs handle in large business environments.

Sales representative
Sales representatives connect with customers to sell their business' products or services. Successful sales teams
use effective communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with and maintain loyalty among
their company's customers, which directly influences the revenue stream of the business.

Customer service representative

Customer service representatives help customers solve problems, handle product returns and refunds and
resolve issues when customers are unsatisfied. These operational roles are essential for building a reputation
for their company and fostering long-lasting customer relationships.

Administrative assistant
The administrative assistant, office assistant or receptionist serves as the first point of contact for visitors and
clients entering the business. They may perform many essential tasks such as managing the phone lines,
communicating between clients and business partners and keeping staff schedules organized. They may even
have tasks like data entry to help keep company documents current and accurate.