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Are you looking to grow your team next year?

Or it might be one of your new year’s resolutions to change your job in 2018.

Whether you want to get a new position or hire someone new in your company, here are some ideas!

*Note: This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

Organizational chart

Look at the organizational chart below. Which job title abbreviations can you find? Can you guess the meaning of these job title abbreviations in English?

Important Job Title Abbreviations in English

Here are 10 common English abbreviations for job titles you can use in the workplace.

1) VP

/ˌviːˈpiː/

Vice President

He’s now the VP of the company.

She spent 13 years as a VP of marketing.

A VP is someone responsible for one of the main parts of an organization. For example: VP of human resources/marketing/sales

2) CFO

/siːɛfˈəʊ/

Chief Financial Officer

I’ve been CFO and VP of this company for seven years.
As CFO he was responsible for the financial situation of a company employing more than 1,000 staff.

The CFO, chief financial officer, is a senior executive responsible for a company’s finances.

3) COO

/siːəʊˈəʊ/

Chief Operating Officer

I was COO of a successful organic cosmetics company.

As COO he has responsibility for several special projects, as well.

The COO is the person with responsibility for managing the usual activities of an organization. A chief operating officer is in charge of the day-to-day running of a company.

4) CIO

/siːʌɪˈəʊ/

Chief Information Officer

He has been the company’s CIO since 2011.

The software giant will announce the name of its next CIO tomorrow.

A CIO is a person part of the top management who is responsible for an organization’s information resource and IT affairs.

5) CMO

/siːɛmˈəʊ/

Chief Marketing Officer

Have you talked to the CMO regarding the new corporate branding and marketing channels?
As CMO, he was in charge of the design and implementation of our customer outreach strategy that has helped us grow our customer base.

A CMO is an executive responsible for all marketing aspects of a company, such as advertising, marketing channels, and branding. The CMO is considered part of the top management.

6) PA

/piːˈeɪ/

personal assistant

Many PAs say their role is very demanding.

She is PA to the company’s CMO.

A personal assistant is someone whose job is helping a manager in a higher position. The PA usually helps with administrative tasks, e.g. by writing letters, planning, arranging meetings, and making phone calls.

PA to sb Read more: PA definition

7) HRM

/eɪtʃɑːrˈɛm/

Human Resource Manager

He is a game-changing HRM, but also a great mentor to us.

We need the HRM to make the employee arrangements to support our strategic decision.

An HRM is responsible for all activities regarding employees and their employment, including attracting, developing, and maintaining effective staff.

8) PRO

/piːɑːrˈəʊ/

public relations officer

She assumed the position of PRO in June.

His dream is to become a PRO in a major corporation one day.

A PRO is responsible for providing information about an organization so that people have positive ideas about it. The PRO improves a company’s public image by leading PR exercises or campaigns.

PRO definition

9) PM

/piːˈɛm/

project manager

She works as a PM for a tech company.

You will be meeting with the PM later today to work on the budget.

PMs are managers who plan a project or activity and organize and control the work of all the people involved in it.

10) CEO

/siːiːˈəʊ/

Chief Executive Officer

In January 2001, he became CEO, leading the company through its initial public offering.

Being a CEO of a company at such a young age is not common.

This abbreviation is commonly found in companies. A CEO is the head of an organization and the person in charge of the overall performance of a company.

Study the new words: Job title abbreviations in English

As always, I have prepared flashcards for you on Quizlet to memorize and practice the new words.

Click on the speaker icon on each flashcard to listen to the pronunciation of the abbreviations. Then, repeat the words!

You can test yourself using Quizlet’s many fun quiz modes!

Study the new vocabulary on Quizlet

Happy learning!

Let’s practice

I would like to know from you: What is the abbreviation for your job in English? What are you responsible for? Let us know by commenting below!

Read also: 10 English Business Abbreviations