Table 1Transition record

business managertochief operating officer

A business manager already meets 71% of what the chief operating officer role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From business manager

71%

Overlap1

To chief operating officer

27 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

34.4 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 34.4

This move: 34.4 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the chief operating officer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the business manager profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 27 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A chief operating officer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a business manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held ensure lawful business operations assisting and caring
already held interact with the board of directors communication, collaboration and creativity
already held collaborate in company's daily operations communication, collaboration and creativity
already held shape organisational teams based on competencies management skills
already held shape corporate culture management skills
already held conclude business agreements communication, collaboration and creativity

All 27 carried skills, including the 17 the chief operating officer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 missing skills fall into 4 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 6 supplementary

required, not held establish collaborative relations required

optional, not held apply import strategies optional
optional, not held implement operational business plans optional
optional, not held apply export strategies optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held implement strategic planning optional
optional, not held liaise with shareholders optional

02 management skills 1 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held lead managers of company departments required

optional, not held define organisational standards optional
optional, not held define the corporate structure optional
optional, not held imprint visionary aspirations into the business management optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional
optional, not held set organisational policies optional

03 business, administration and law 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held operations management required

optional, not held lean manufacturing optional

04 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held interpret financial statements required

optional, not held analyse financial performance of a company optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a chief operating officer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 27 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held abide by business ethical code of conducts skill
already held analyse business plans skill
already held business process modelling knowledge
already held collaborate in company's daily operations skill
already held company policies knowledge
already held conclude business agreements skill
already held develop professional network skill
already held ensure lawful business operations skill
already held evaluate performance of organisational collaborators skill
already held financial statements knowledge
already held integrate strategic foundation in daily performance skill
already held make strategic business decisions skill
already held marketing management knowledge
already held negotiate with stakeholders skill
already held plan medium to long term objectives skill
already held shape organisational teams based on competencies skill
already held track key performance indicators skill
already held assume responsibility for the management of a business skill
already held develop business plans skill
already held develop company strategies skill
already held develop organisational policies skill
already held develop revenue generation strategies skill
already held financial management knowledge
already held follow the statutory obligations skill
already held interact with the board of directors skill
already held manage budgets skill
already held shape corporate culture skill

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply import strategies optional
optional, not held implement operational business plans optional
optional, not held analyse financial performance of a company optional
optional, not held apply export strategies optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held define organisational standards optional
optional, not held define the corporate structure optional
optional, not held implement strategic planning optional
optional, not held imprint visionary aspirations into the business management optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional
optional, not held lean manufacturing optional
optional, not held liaise with shareholders optional
optional, not held set organisational policies optional

57 held skills the chief operating officer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accounting knowledge
not needed by the target role align efforts towards business development skill
not needed by the target role analyse business processes skill
not needed by the target role analyse financial risk skill
not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
not needed by the target role apply business acumen skill
not needed by the target role banking activities knowledge
not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
not needed by the target role business communication knowledge
not needed by the target role business law knowledge
not needed by the target role business loans knowledge
not needed by the target role business management principles knowledge
not needed by the target role control financial resources skill
not needed by the target role corporate law knowledge
not needed by the target role corporate social responsibility knowledge
not needed by the target role cost management knowledge
not needed by the target role create a financial plan skill
not needed by the target role create a financial report skill
not needed by the target role create a work atmosphere of continuous improvement skill
not needed by the target role describe the financial situation of a region skill
not needed by the target role establish communication with foreign cultures skill
not needed by the target role execute marketing plan skill
not needed by the target role exercise stewardship skill
not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
not needed by the target role financial jurisdiction knowledge
not needed by the target role follow company standards skill
not needed by the target role human resource management knowledge
not needed by the target role impart business plans to collaborators skill
not needed by the target role integrate headquarter's guidelines into local operations skill
not needed by the target role international trade knowledge
not needed by the target role keep updated on the political landscape skill
not needed by the target role liaise with local authorities skill
not needed by the target role liaise with managers skill
not needed by the target role maintain relationship with customers skill
not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
not needed by the target role manage financial risk skill
not needed by the target role manage office facility systems skill
not needed by the target role manage relationships with stakeholders skill
not needed by the target role manage staff skill
not needed by the target role market entry planning knowledge

17 further entries not listed here

2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held operations management required
optional, not held lean manufacturing optional

Index

Other moves recorded from business manager

Full index of moves from business manager

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.