Chief executives and senior officials are responsible for the success of an organisation. They oversee the coordination and direction of a company, working with managers to organise resources and operations. It’s a high-level, yet demanding job. This guide tells you all about it.
Chief executives, often known as CEOs (Chief Executive Officers), senior officials or managing directors, represent large enterprises and organisations at the highest level.
They lead businesses, hospitals, government departments, trade unions, charities and other special organisations. They’re usually the top-ranking officials who ensure the smooth running of activities, functions, consultations and negotiations.
Pursue this career and you could work in an office and lead a senior team. You’ll be fully committed to the aims of your organisation and may have to travel a lot.
It can be tough as you often work long hours, hold lots of responsibility and come under pressure and criticism. But if you love the idea of being the face of a company and earning a high salary, this could be a position for you.
Daily tasks will vary but could involve:
The average salary for a chief executive or senior official in the UK is £102,440.
Chief executives and senior officials usually travel within the confines of their role. For example, they’ll be expected to attend conferences and meetings and also to visit external sites. Depending on the organisation, overseas travel is often commonplace as well.
Chief executives and other senior officials are often able to work from home if they wish. As a senior member of an organisation, however, most will feel it necessary to be in the office environment for a significant amount of the working week.
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