Skills & Competencies for Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer job profile

Book a Demo and Receive a Sample Job Profile

JOB SUMMARY for Chief Operating Officer

Leads the planning and development of an organization's operational objectives and initiatives.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Chief Operating Officer

Develops strategies and oversees the execution of plans to attain short- and long-term financial and mission-critical operational goals. Directs the development of the organization's functional capacity that will produce sustainable growth and minimize risk. Develops operating budgets. Establishes effective operational policies and procedures.

Chief Operating Officer SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$493,040
TOTAL 50%
$694,333
Job Level
M07
Job Code
EX05000002
Education/Degree
Master's Degree or MBA
Reports To
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Chief Operating Officer Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Chief Operating Officer skill and competencie below to view definitions.
JOB FAMILY COMPETENCIES CORE COMPETENCIES
BOOK A DEMO

4 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Chief Operating Officer

1 Job Family Competencies – Business Strategy
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Developing and implementing plans to assess the actions and goals of a business.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Cites examples and best practices of great business strategies.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in improving programs based on our organization's business strategy.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Administers innovative analytical solutions to optimize business strategy.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Contributes to the business strategy to articulate the broad implications of business trends.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of the latest technologies to implement various business strategies.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
2 Job Family Competencies – Operations Management
Proficiency Level -5
Skill definition-Planning, controlling, organizing, and directing different operations within a business to achieve the highest level of efficiency.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Discusses the standard procedures in operations management.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Compiles monthly collection operations management statistics and reporting.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Implements important policy and strategic decisions to comply with operation requirements.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Manages the identification of gaps in performance to improve operations management strategies.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Creates metrics to evaluate the performance of various business operations.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
3 Chief Operating Officer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Chief Operating Officer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Chief Operating Officer
Proficiency Level - 5

18 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Chief Operating Officer

1 Core Competencies – Business Acumen
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Insight into our organization's business, goals, and values. Ability to design and implement initiatives that facilitate successful outcomes.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the market conditions that impact the business.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Collects and compiles competitor information for competitive analysis.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Communicates financial insights that positively influence the business plan development process.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates and explains the financial aspects of a business initiative to different teams.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions organizational change and digital transformation to drive higher business performance.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
2 Core Competencies – Industry Knowledge
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Demonstrating thorough knowledge of the industry's value chain, business, issues, trends, etc., and the ability to apply them appropriately.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the entire value chain of the industry.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows and respects the industry standards and regulations.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Gathers and analyses market intelligence to drive operational optimization.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Educates others to enhance product and industry-specific knowledge across our business.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Keeps apprised of industry trends and applies the expertise to business strategy.
See 4 More Skill Behaviors
3 Chief Operating Officer - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Chief Operating Officer
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Chief Operating Officer
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Chief Operating Officer skills and competencies

There are 0 hard skills for Chief Operating Officer.
4 general skills for Chief Operating Officer, Business Strategy, Operations Management, Strategic Management, etc.
18 soft skills for Chief Operating Officer, Business Acumen, Industry Knowledge, Organizational Savvy, etc.
While the list totals 22 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Chief Operating Officer, he or she needs to be skilled in Business Acumen, be skilled in Industry Knowledge, and be skilled in Organizational Savvy.

It's Easy to Get Started

Get the precision you need to assess, hire, and develop top talent with skills and competencies – see how with a personalized demo.