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Chief Executives & General Managers

These professionals provide strategic leadership and direction for organizations across public and private sectors, from corporate boardrooms to legislative chambers. They develop policies, oversee operations, manage budgets, and coordinate with stakeholders to achieve organizational goals and address complex challenges. Their responsibilities span from guiding company sustainability initiatives to enacting legislation and directing multi-departmental operations.

Median Annual Pay
$112,074
Range: $21,010 - $232,110
Training Time
Less than 6 months
AI Resilience
🟡AI-Augmented
Education
High school diploma or equivalent

🎬Career Video

🤖AI Resilience Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 4/6: strong human advantage means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟡AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Medium+1

48% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+4% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Strong+2

EPOCH score: 20/25

Total Score4/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09

📋Key Responsibilities

  • Direct or coordinate an organization's financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
  • Confer with board members, organization officials, or staff members to discuss issues, coordinate activities, or resolve problems.
  • Prepare budgets for approval, including those for funding or implementation of programs.
  • Direct, plan, or implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations or businesses to ensure continuing operations, to maximize returns on investments, or to increase productivity.
  • Prepare or present reports concerning activities, expenses, budgets, government statutes or rulings, or other items affecting businesses or program services.
  • Implement corrective action plans to solve organizational or departmental problems.
  • Analyze operations to evaluate performance of a company or its staff in meeting objectives or to determine areas of potential cost reduction, program improvement, or policy change.
  • Direct or coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.

💡Inside This Career

Leaders and senior managers in this category spend their days navigating between high-level strategic thinking and hands-on problem-solving. A typical morning might begin with reviewing performance dashboards, overnight reports, or key metrics that drive organizational success. The day quickly fills with a diverse mix of meetings—from one-on-one sessions with department heads to formal board presentations, stakeholder calls, or committee hearings. These professionals constantly switch contexts, moving from analyzing financial projections to addressing operational challenges, reviewing policy proposals, or discussing sustainability initiatives that will shape their organization's future.

Much of their time involves collaborative work across different levels of the organization and with external partners. They might spend an afternoon meeting with cross-functional teams to tackle specific projects, participating in industry conferences, or engaging with community leaders, regulatory bodies, or other stakeholders. Whether working from corporate headquarters, government offices, or traveling between multiple locations, these leaders are frequently called upon to make decisions that balance competing priorities—financial performance, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and long-term strategic goals.

The work environment varies significantly depending on the specific role and industry. Some days are spent in traditional office settings reviewing reports and conducting virtual meetings with global teams, while others might involve site visits to manufacturing facilities, public hearings, or external events. Throughout it all, these professionals serve as key communicators, translating complex organizational challenges into actionable plans while ensuring their teams and stakeholders remain aligned with broader objectives and emerging opportunities.

📈Career Progression

What does this mean?

This shows how earnings typically grow with experience. Entry level represents starting salaries, while Expert shows top earners (90th percentile). Most workers reach mid-career earnings within 5-10 years. Figures are national averages and vary by location and employer.

1
Entry (10th %ile)
0-2 years experience
$21,010
$18,909 - $23,111
2
Early Career (25th %ile)
2-6 years experience
$57,436
$51,692 - $63,180
3
Mid-Career (Median)
5-15 years experience
$112,074
$100,867 - $123,281
4
Experienced (75th %ile)
10-20 years experience
$172,092
$154,883 - $189,301
5
Expert (90th %ile)
15-30 years experience
$232,110
$208,899 - $255,321

📚Education & Training

Requirements

  • Entry Education: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Experience: Several years
  • On-the-job Training: Several years
  • !License or certification required

Time & Cost

Education Duration
0-0 years (typically 0)
Estimated Education Cost
$96,440 - $323,400
Public (in-state):$96,440
Public (out-of-state):$186,120
Private nonprofit:$323,400
Source: professional association (2024)
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💻Technology Skills

Microsoft OfficeBusiness intelligence toolsERP systemsVideo conferencingFinancial softwarePresentation toolsAdobe AcrobatAdobe PhotoshopEmail softwareFacebookManagement information systems MISMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Dynamics GPMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software

Key Abilities

Oral Comprehension
Oral Expression
Written Comprehension
Speech Clarity
Written Expression
Deductive Reasoning
Problem Sensitivity
Inductive Reasoning
Information Ordering
Speech Recognition

🏷️Also Known As

Chief Executives & General ManagersAeronautics Commission DirectorAgency OwnerAgricultural Services DirectorArts and Humanities Council DirectorBank PresidentBureau ChiefBusiness Development Executive (BD Executive)Business Development Officer (BD Officer)Business Enterprise Officer+20 more

📑Specializations

This career includes 4 specialized roles with different focuses and compensation levels.

🔗Related Careers

Other careers in management

🔗Data Sources

Last updated: 2026-01-09

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