Department head

Aboard starships, a department head is an officer responsible for an entire department of mission critical ship operations.

A department head is responsible for organizing and training the department for battle, preparing and writing orders for the department, and assigning, training, and handling administrative matters for all personnel of the department. A department head in a large ship might have an assistant department head and an administrative assistant, and all department heads normally have a department training assistant. Division officers, the most junior managerial positions, report to department heads.

Department heads have the right to confer directly with the CO concerning matters within their departments, if they believe such action to be necessary. That right should be used carefully, and department heads should always bring the XO up to speed on any matter discussed directly with the CO.