Skills & Competencies for Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer 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.

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)
Discusses business strategy constraints in meeting our organizational objectives.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Reports statistical data for presentations to support business strategy.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Implements change initiatives to ensure successful delivery of business strategy.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates new business opportunities to develop an effective strategy and win business resources.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops business strategy to support the vision of our organization.
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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)
Explains basic management and budgeting principles and techniques.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Enters daily activities into the database and operations management information systems.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Monitors expenses and budgeting to help our organization optimize costs and benefits.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Oversees the operations departments to align with our organization's strategic goals.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops policies and best practices in supervising production processes and service delivery.
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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)
Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of our products and services.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Explains advantages and disadvantages of different organizational structures from an efficiency perspective.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Demonstrates an innate sense of how to achieve positive results in the current environment.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages the latest technologies and tools that enhance business analytics.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Conceptualizes new and creative business initiatives to boost business growth.
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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)
Explains the industry's essential products and services.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Gathers market and customer needs to provide input for product and service solutions.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Implements and troubleshoots the industry-specific technical tools and systems.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors the industry regulatory trends and changes to ensure compliance.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads the research and discussion on industry-specific issues and challenges.
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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.

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