President job description.
A President leads the overall direction, operations, and performance of an organization, working closely with the CEO or board to set strategy and drive execution across business units. They oversee senior leadership, represent the organization externally, and are accountable for organizational results.
The President job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: President Reports to: Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer
A President leads the overall direction, operations, and performance of an organization, working closely with the CEO or board to set strategy and drive execution across business units. They oversee senior leadership, represent the organization externally, and are accountable for organizational results.
- Set and drive organizational strategy in partnership with the board or CEO
- Oversee performance of business units and senior leadership team
- Represent the organization to stakeholders, partners, and the public
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Set and drive organizational strategy in partnership with the board or CEO
- Oversee performance of business units and senior leadership team
- Represent the organization to stakeholders, partners, and the public
- Own key operational, financial, and growth targets
- Build and maintain a strong senior leadership bench
- Ensure organizational compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
- Guide major strategic decisions including expansion or restructuring
- Report results and strategic progress to the board of directors
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- 10+ years of progressive senior leadership experience
- Demonstrated success leading multi-function organizations
- Strong financial and strategic planning acumen
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree often expected
- MBA or equivalent advanced degree
- Board or governance experience
- Industry-specific executive experience
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the President job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this President job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- Is a president the same as a CEO?
- Not always; in many organizations the president reports to the CEO and focuses on internal operations, while the CEO owns overall strategy and external representation.
- What qualifications are typically required to become a president?
- Most organizations look for a decade or more of senior leadership experience along with a strong track record of driving organizational results.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Chief Executive Officer
The CEO sets and executes the company's strategy, is accountable to the board, and represents the organisation externally.
Managing Director
A Managing Director leads the overall strategy, operations, and financial performance of a business unit, firm, or regional office.
General Manager
A General Manager oversees the operational, financial, and people performance of a business unit.
This President job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.