The Chief Of Staff Job Description

3 min read

When you hear the title Chief of Staff (COS), you probably think of a man or woman standing next to a country’s President. And you are not wrong! The most visible and prominent chiefs of staff are those serving highly visible and complex organizations such as governments and the military. The chief of staff job description is identified in connection to leaders of such organizations. It is also the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a president, senior military officer, or leader of a large organization.

In general, a chief of staff provides a buffer between a chief executive and that executive’s direct-reporting team. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before being brought to the chief executive. Often chiefs of staff act as a confidant and advisor to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas. Ultimately the actual duties depend on the position and the people involved.

 

Corporate Chief of Staff Job Description

In the corporate setting, a Chief of Staff manages the daily affairs of an organization, working and solving problems to ease the burden on the Chief Executive. Chief of staff is essential to productivity and effectiveness. They provide the direction that drives teams forward and serves as buffers in communications and unite people. Another important and often unspoken role of the Chief of Staff is acting as a consultant to the Chief Executive, offering staffing recommendations and measuring progress. This role can hold several different responsibilities depending on the organization’s evolving needs. Despite the many responsibilities associated with the position, the primary function of a Chief of Staff remains to be leading and supporting the entire staff.

 

Chief of Staff Job Description (Example)

We are searching for a highly qualified chief of staff to work closely with our executive team. From day one, the chief of staff will immediately impact our productivity, streamlining strategic initiatives, overseeing program management, and communicating objectives between departments. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in a business management role, focusing on executive-level advising and interdepartmental collaboration.   

 

Objectives of this Role

  • Oversee strategic business initiatives from development through successful execution under the guidance of senior leadership and departmental heads
  • Assist and communicate with executives in decision-making, program management, and initiative implementation
  • Review, design, and execute on improvements to org structure find knowledge and skills gaps and help address them
  • Improve current processes and coordinate organizational procedures for optimized efficiency and productivity

 

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities

  • Serve as liaison between staff, executives, senior leaders, and CEO regarding company climate, employee well-being, project updates, proposals, and planning
  • Assist the human resources department with new hires, including documentation and onboarding, and collaborate to address and resolve all employee concerns
  • Establishes standards and procedures for hiring and managing the office staff and personnel for the CEO/President.
  • Oversee daily operations through collaboration with senior management and department leaders, performing an array of administrative tasks from managing calendars, generating correspondence, maintaining hard copy and electronic files, planning and coordinating annual corporate meetings, and scheduling facilities
  • Researches and recommends new and revised policies and strategies.
  • Creates and supports systems and processes to streamline operations.
  • Build and develop relationships with all employees for increased efficiency and effective responsiveness into existing operations, and help to define new operational strategies, working with CEO and executives on special projects
  • Acts as a strategic advisor to the CEO/President and senior management team.
  • Represents CEO/President in meetings, by email, and phone calls with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Drafts letters, emails, reports, and other correspondence on behalf of the CEO/President.
  • Participates with the CEO/President and senior management team in strategic planning, policy development, and decision-making.
  • Ensures timely and effective completion of projects and initiatives of the CEO/President
  • Serve as a subject matter expert, handling inquiries and developing action plans to address them, and assisting with the preparation and dissemination of communications
  • Maintains accurate, confidential files and data records.

 

Skills and Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Business Administration or similar field
  • 7+ years in a business or executive management role
  • Proven experience organizing and directing multiple teams and departments
  • Excellent communicator in written and verbal form
  • Extremely versatile, dedicated to efficient productivity
  • Experience planning and leading strategic initiatives
  • Written and verbal communication skills
  • Time management
  • Critical thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Relationship-building
  • Detail-oriented
  • Patience
  • Flexibility
  • Positive outlook

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with data analysis
  • Experience with budget management
  • Consulting experience with a focus on operations management
  • Proven success in a project coordination role
  • Agile business mind with an emphasis on developing creative solutions
  • Strong project reporting skills, with a focus on interdepartmental communication

 

Have we missed anything or have any questions? Get in touch

If you enjoyed reading this, don’t forget to share.

You might also enjoy these popular chief of staff related articles What Does The Chief of Staff Do?The Chief Of Staff Responsibilities and A Guide To Working With A Chief Of Staff on the same topic.

 

Scaling Partners – Who We Are

At Scaling Partners, we are experienced at scaling startups. 

Scaling Partners helps you bridge the knowledge, process and gaps in your business. Connected services. Hands-on solutions. Real experience. 

We know business growth isn’t easy. But we make it easier. Faster. More sustainable. How do we do that? By partnering you with the processes and insight you’re missing and the people who’ve been through it all before. And because we do it as a service, it’s brilliantly affordable.

Learn more about how we support startups with their growth and Chief of Staff needs.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Don’t forget to share this post!

Don’t forget to share this post!

Related Articles

Market Expansion Strategy

Market Expansion Strategy: All You Need To Know

A good marketing strategy must tap all the bases. At all times, the primary focus must be that the markets currently in your pocket are satisfied and content with the services and products you and your organization are peddling. Thus, the proficiency of your facilities, assets, the new and even existing product, and what potential new grounds could be focused on with your current strategy are all carefully examined.

international business expansion example

International Business Expansion Example

Of course, many companies and organizations have successfully established themselves as global leaders in their respective markets. Most of them started locally on a small scale. If you aim to replicate their success and expand your business globally, then learning from their example will provide valuable insights. So, in today’s post, we’ll look at five cases of highly successful companies that have expanded internationally by overcoming the limitations of geographical and cultural differences.

Why Is It Important To Understand Your Target Market

Why Is It Important To Understand Your Target Market?

The target market is the market that a business focuses on when launching a new product/service. This market comprises an audience or people who would likely use your product/service. These are the end-users who will end up using your product/service.
For instance, a business that manufacturers walking sticks will treat elderlies as their target market. Similarly, a company that makes microwaves will treat bakers, chefs, and people interested in cooking as their target audience.

Market Expansion Strategy

Market Expansion Strategy: All You Need To Know

A good marketing strategy must tap all the bases. At all times, the primary focus must be that the markets currently in your pocket are satisfied and content with the services and products you and your organization are peddling. Thus, the proficiency of your facilities, assets, the new and even existing product, and what potential new grounds could be focused on with your current strategy are all carefully examined.

international business expansion example

International Business Expansion Example

Of course, many companies and organizations have successfully established themselves as global leaders in their respective markets. Most of them started locally on a small scale. If you aim to replicate their success and expand your business globally, then learning from their example will provide valuable insights. So, in today’s post, we’ll look at five cases of highly successful companies that have expanded internationally by overcoming the limitations of geographical and cultural differences.

Why Is It Important To Understand Your Target Market

Why Is It Important To Understand Your Target Market?

The target market is the market that a business focuses on when launching a new product/service. This market comprises an audience or people who would likely use your product/service. These are the end-users who will end up using your product/service.
For instance, a business that manufacturers walking sticks will treat elderlies as their target market. Similarly, a company that makes microwaves will treat bakers, chefs, and people interested in cooking as their target audience.