What does AVP mean in a title, and why does it matter? The AVP title means that you are an Officer in a company, which increases your legal liability and responsibility for the company’s corporate behaviors. The VP and AVP titles are nothing more than a gold star sticker on your forehead – they are simply the higher level titles for certain positions. The VP and AVP are only given to those who have shown enough leadership to achieve this level of responsibility.
AVP stands for assistant vice president. This type of position reports to the president and oversees the work of the vice president. Typically, the AVP is one rung below the vice president, but with more responsibility than either of them. The AVP typically has higher level duties than vice-presidents, and may oversee promotions of new management, oversee departmental activities, or analyze departmental performance. AVPs may also be responsible for managing the finance department.
An assistant vice president’s education and experience are essential for success in this position. In addition to a strong educational background, he or she must possess exceptional people skills. The role requires extensive communication skills and the ability to interact well with other members of the executive team. Ultimately, the AVP role can lead to a traditional vice president position, which is the next rung on the corporate ladder. AVPs can move up to a traditional vice president position if a job opening opens up or a firm grows in size.
AVP was historically a position with no direct reporting line. The title meant little, but it served a purpose for the bank. In fact, people who did not have the title started feeling insecure and moving down the ladder. AVP was used for promotions in banks in the 1970s, VP in the mid-to-late 20s, SVP in the 40s, and EVP in the fifties.
The AVP’s job description varies depending on the industry he or she works in. In financial institutions, they typically oversee marketing, human resources, and legal affairs. They can also be assigned to regional offices, where they are tasked with high-level management responsibilities. AVPs may be given authority to execute legal documents when authorized by others. AVPs also have power to make business decisions.
