Hierarchy of management titles in Japanese companies

In typical Japanese companies, all managers have a title defining where they stand in the hierarchy, for instance 課長 and 部長, both of which can be translated as "section chief", so sometimes it is hard to tell who is higher or lower.

So, what are the usual titles, in approximate hierarchical order?

Answer

• 代表取締役 (formal) or 社長 (informal) or 経営最高責任者 (translated from English) Chief Executive Officer


• 副社長 Vice President



• 専務 Senior Managing Director or Executive Director


• 常務 Managing Director


• 取締役 Member of the Board or Director


• 非常勤役員 Outside Director


• 本部長 General Manager


• 本部長代理 Acting General Manager


• 部長 Department Manager


• 次長 Associate Department Manager


• 副部長 Associate Department Manager


• 支店長 Branch Manager



• 所長 Division Manager


• 課長 Section Manager


• 課長代理 Acting Section Manager or Deputy Section Manager


• 係長 Assistant Section Manager


• 主任 Supervisor