High School

Classes in mathematics, business, economics, and accounting will provide a good foundation for future chief revenue officer work. Communication skills are essential so be sure to take English and speech classes while in high school. Computer classes are also important. Courses that cover emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence, are also important.

Postsecondary Education

Most companies prefer to hire chief revenue officers who have a minimum of a bachelors degree in business administration, economics, or finance. Chief revenue officers may also have a degree in accounting or marketing. Fortune 500 companies and large corporations often prefer to hire chief revenue officers who have a masters degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or taxation.

Certification

Colleges and universities, online learning platforms, and professional associations offer certificate programs in business, finance, business management, artificial intelligence and other types of emerging technology, and other fields. These programs, which typically last six months to a year, are offered in-person, online, and in hybrid formats. Some providers offer chief revenue officer certificate programs. For example, the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton Executive Education program offers a seven-month Chief Revenue Officer Program for students with at least 10 years of work experience and international exposure (preferred). To earn the certificate, students must complete two core modules (Growth Strategy Revenue and Product Management) and two short courses (Driving Strategic Innovation and Executive Presence and Influence). Visit https://online-execed.wharton.upenn.edu/chief-revenue-officer-program for more information.

Other Education or Training

Continuing education seminars, webinars, and other learning opportunities are provided by professional associations, online learning platforms, and postsecondary institutions. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification

Voluntary certification improves chief revenue officers knowledge and skills, and also increases their marketability. Chief revenue officers with accounting backgrounds can become certified by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (https://www.aicpa-cima.com), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (https://www.accaglobal.com), and other organizations. The Revenue Operations Alliance (https://www.revenueoperationsalliance.com) also provides certification.

Chief revenue officers typically have 10 or more years of experience working in leadership roles in their industry.

The job requires strong communication skills; chief revenue officers must be able to clearly and effectively share information with people inside the organization as well as outside of the organization. Strong decision-making and leadership skills are essential, as is the ability to collaborate with others. Excellent mathematical and analytical skills are critical in this type of work. Chief revenue officers must be critical thinkers, able to identify problems, evaluate options, and devise solutions. People who do best in this profession are results oriented, able to work independently as well as with teams, have integrity, are responsible and dependable, and are willing to assume responsibilities and challenges. They are also able to calmly handle the high stress that comes with the job.