No, a chief operating officer is not superior to a vice president because they usually hold the same type of position. The Executive Vice President is superior to the Chief Operating Officer (COO). The two executive positions have different functions and salaries, but they usually occupy the same type of position. The difference in names usually varies depending on the location of the company, the way it is organized and the industry of which it is a part.
A chief operating officer is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization and is part of the top management. In business, the functions of vice presidents vary by organization. When an organization has an executive director and a president, the vice president is usually the third in charge. In other organizations, the same person may hold the titles of CEO and president.
In these cases, the vice president is second in command. In some companies, they are referred to by other terms, such as executive vice president of operations, chief operating officer, or chief operating officer. The vice president of operations leads their departments, while chief operating officers typically have responsibilities that span the entire company, including the position of chief of staff to an executive director. The Chief Petty Officer (CPO) is an important rank in both the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard.
Typical high-level executives include the chief executive officer (CEO), chief financial officer (CFO), chief operating officer and chief information officer (CIO). The chief operating officer is responsible for the daily operation of the company and its office building and, on a regular basis, is accountable to the highest-ranking executive, usually the chief executive officer. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a senior executive responsible for managing and overseeing 26% of daily administrative operational functions. An operations officer, also called an operations manager, works for a company to ensure that all operations are executed effectively and smoothly.
A chief operating officer falls into the category of “C” positions (chief executive officer, chief operating officer, IT director, chief financial officer), positions that sometimes overlap with those of president and vice presidents. While vice presidents lead their departments, chief operating officers often have responsibilities that span the entire company, including that of chief of staff to an executive director. A chief operating officer (COO) is responsible for managing daily operations and, at the same time, is accountable to the highest-ranking executive.
