The zuryo was usually a position taken by a kami (長官, director) who was also a kami (守, governor) or a gon no kami (権守, provisional governor), but in shinno ninkoku (provinces whose gubernatorial posts were reserved as sinecures for imperial princes, and where the kami or the gon no kami was not dispatched), such as the provinces of Kozuke, Hitachi, and Kazusa, the position was fulfilled by a jikan (次官, assistant director) who was also a suke (介, vice governor of provincial offices) or a Gon no suke (権介, provisional vice governor).
通常長官である守（かみ）、及び権守（ごんのかみ）であるが、親王任国の上野国、常陸国、上総国など守、権守が現地赴任しない国では次官の介（すけ）、権介（ごんのすけ）であった。