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%
$491,860
TOTAL 50%
$692,666
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)
Cites examples and best practices of great business strategies.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in improving programs based on our organization's business strategy.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Administers innovative analytical solutions to optimize business strategy.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Contributes to the business strategy to articulate the broad implications of business trends.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of the latest technologies to implement various business strategies.
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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)
Describes the importance of operations management in optimal production and business functions.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Collects data used by the management for daily and weekly key performance indicators evaluation.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Handles the daily activities across various functions of the operations management and business.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Collaborates with executives to establish objectives for the expansion of business relationships.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions in keeping the business with strong operational discipline in operations management.
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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)
Describes how our business makes money and our key business objectives.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in designing business models and operating plans.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Analyses the business impact of demographic changes; suggests effective responses.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Consults on the selection and adjustment of the go-to-market strategy.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Builds a mentoring model to ensure a continuous increase of business sense within our business.
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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)
Cites critical statistics regarding the industry's size and influence.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Compares the operations of own department and function to the industry best practices.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Communicates industry and market trends affecting business operations to internal stakeholders.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Anticipates client needs using business and industry expertise to maximize competitive advantage.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Contributes to industry association white papers, standards, and regulations.
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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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