The HR job titles hierarchy usually runs from HR Assistant or HR Coordinator at the bottom, through HR Generalist, HR Specialist and HR Business Partner in the middle, to HR Manager, HR Director, Vice President of HR and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at the top. Larger companies add specialist ladders for recruiting, compensation, learning and HR systems that run parallel to the generalist track.
Human resources covers hiring, pay and benefits, employee relations, training, policy and compliance. This page is about how those roles stack up: who reports to whom and how people move up. For descriptions of individual HR jobs, see our HR jobs with descriptions.
HR Job Titles Hierarchy: Entry-Level Titles
- HR Intern: supports the team with filing, scheduling interviews and data entry while studying.
- HR Assistant: handles paperwork, employee records, onboarding forms and first-line questions. Reports to an HR Generalist or HR Manager.
- HR Coordinator: runs processes such as onboarding, benefits enrolment or training scheduling end to end. Usually one step above Assistant.
- Recruiting Coordinator: schedules interviews and manages candidate communication for recruiters.
- Payroll or Benefits Clerk: processes pay changes, timesheets and benefit records.
The entry level is covered in more depth in our guide to entry-level HR job titles.
Mid-Level HR Titles
- HR Generalist: covers a bit of everything, from employee relations to policy and benefits. In a small company this may be the whole HR department.
- HR Specialist: focuses on one area, for example benefits, compensation, training or HR information systems (HRIS).
- Recruiter / Talent Acquisition Specialist: sources, screens and hires candidates.
- Employee Relations Specialist: handles workplace complaints, investigations and disciplinary processes.
- Compensation Analyst: researches pay levels and maintains salary bands.
- Learning and Development Specialist: designs and runs training programmes.
- HR Business Partner (HRBP): a senior mid-level role that works with one department’s leaders on workforce planning and people issues.
- Senior HR Generalist / Senior Specialist: the top individual-contributor step before management.
Senior and Leadership HR Titles
- HR Supervisor or Team Lead: leads a small group of assistants or coordinators.
- HR Manager: runs HR for a site, business unit or small company and manages the generalists and specialists.
- Specialist Managers: Talent Acquisition Manager, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Training Manager, HRIS Manager, each leading one function.
- Senior HR Manager / Senior HR Business Partner: covers a larger division or several HR managers.
- HR Director: sets HR policy and plans for a region or the whole company, usually reporting to the VP of HR or straight to the CEO.
- Vice President of HR: leads HR strategy, budget and senior hiring across the organisation. See the VP of HR job description.
- Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) / Chief People Officer: the top HR executive, part of the leadership team and usually reporting to the CEO.
Typical HR Hierarchy and Reporting Line
A mid-sized or large company usually looks like this, from the top down:
- Chief Human Resources Officer (or Chief People Officer)
- Vice President of HR
- HR Director (by region, or by function such as Total Rewards or Talent)
- Senior HR Manager or Senior HR Business Partner
- HR Manager and specialist managers
- HR Business Partner, Senior Generalist, Senior Specialist
- HR Generalist, HR Specialist, Recruiter
- HR Coordinator
- HR Assistant and HR Intern
Small companies compress this. A business with one HR person may have an HR Generalist or HR Manager reporting to the owner or the finance director. A growing company often adds an HR Manager, then an HR Director, before it ever has a VP or CHRO.
There are two common ways up. The generalist track goes Assistant, Coordinator, Generalist, Business Partner, Manager, Director. The specialist track stays in one field (recruiting, compensation, HRIS, learning) and climbs to a manager or director of that function. People often switch tracks once, typically at the manager level.
Skills These HR Roles Share
- Employment law awareness: knowing which rules on hiring, pay, leave and termination apply where you work, and when to ask a lawyer.
- Confidentiality: handling pay, health and disciplinary information discreetly.
- Communication: explaining policies clearly and holding difficult conversations calmly.
- HR systems and data: working in an HRIS or payroll system and building simple reports.
- Judgement: balancing what the business needs with fair treatment of employees.
- Business sense: more important at each step up, especially for HR Business Partners and directors.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the highest HR job title? Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), sometimes called Chief People Officer.
- Is an HR Generalist higher than an HR Coordinator? Yes, in most companies. A Coordinator runs set processes; a Generalist handles a wider range of issues with more independence.
- Where does an HR Business Partner sit? Between a Senior Generalist and an HR Manager. In some large companies a Senior HRBP is at manager or director level.
- Who does the HR Manager report to? Usually an HR Director; in smaller companies, the CEO, owner or head of finance.
- Do HR titles mean the same thing at every company? No. A “manager” at a small firm may do the work of a director at a large one, so compare responsibilities and team size, not only the title.
Related
- Sun Dried Tomato Sourdough Bread: Complete Guide & Tips
- Can 10 20 30 Make a Right Triangle? Proof and Explanation
- Crock Pot Fruit Cobbler with Cake Mix: Easy Step-by-Step Guide