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Chief of Staff Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Text reads: "A day in the life of a chief of staff: Helping executives throughout the decisionmaking process, Organising procedures to ensure optimal efficiency & productivity , Acting as a liaison between staff, senior executives & CEO, Assisting in the implementation of strategies"

A Chief of Staff, or Head of Staff is responsible for ensuring success in all areas of an organisation’s dealings. Their primary duties include working behind the scenes to mediate disputes, finding solutions to problems and dealing with issues, before they are brought to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

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Chief of staff duties and responsibilities

The main duty of a Chief of Staff is to help Chief Executives prioritise tasks and make better decisions. Other duties and responsibilities include:  

  • Assisting and communicating with executives throughout the decision-making, program management and initiative implementation stages
  • Improving the company’s ongoing processes and organising procedures to ensure optimal efficiency and productivity
  • Designing, reviewing and improving an organisation’s structure and helping address ongoing problems
  • Acting as a liaison between the staff, Chief Executives or CEOs regarding the company’s climate, employee’s well-being and project updates
  • Building good relationships with employees
  • Gathering departmental reports and compiling them into one company report
  • Meeting with the company’s board of directors for business updates and requesting monthly or quarterly meetings with department heads
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What does a Chief of Staff do? 

A Chief of Staff’s work involves managing all financial and administrative activities in an organisation, acting as a point of contact between top management and stakeholders and providing insight into the most essential projects. They prioritise and coordinate critical issues and find essential information that is pertinent for the Chief Executive to have in order to make good business decisions.

Chief of Staff skills and qualifications

A successful Chief of Staff candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:

  • Strong leadership, management and interpersonal skills
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to organise, manage and direct large teams in multiple departments
  • Strategic planning and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to work under pressure and prioritise important tasks over others
  • Ability to analyse and compile a large amount of data and come up with conclusive results
  • Ability to motivate, coordinate and ensure proper time-management among reports

Chief of Staff experience requirements

Chiefs of Staff typically require over eight years of experience in an executive or business management role and a track record of department and team management. They must also have experience performing tasks such as planning and leading strategic activities, budget preparation, budget management, data analysis and project coordination. Experience with Google Sheets and Excel for reporting and analysis is also vital.

Chief of Staff education and training requirements

Chiefs of Staff must have a master’s degree in business administration, finance or similar field for consideration. Candidates with bachelor’s degrees in similar fields and a proven track record of successful team management can also be considered. However, they need to have many years of experience in the industry and a deep understanding of company operations.

Chief of Staff salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of a Chief of Staff in the UK, is £69,148 per year. This figure varies depending on factors including experience, education, geographical location and company.

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Chief of Staff job description FAQs

Why do you need two Chiefs in your organisation?

The Chief Executive Officer usually acts as the public face of an organisation and makes major decisions for a company. They often need more help than an Executive Assistant can provide. That’s why the Chief of Staff is important. They help the Chief Executive Officer by keeping their activities on schedule and substituting at meetings when the CEO is not around.

Is the Chief of Staff the same as an Executive Assistant?

Both the roles of Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant are vital for the success of a CEO. An Executive Assistant typically works with the CEO, providing high-level support to ensure that the office runs smoothly. The Chief of Staff, on the other hand, works closely with the CEO on assignments that are highly confidential and delicate.

How can you make your Chief of Staff job description stand out?

To make your Chief of Staff job description stand out, make sure it contains between 700 and 2000 words. It must also highlight the fact that candidates with more years of experience are more likely to qualify. The Chief of Staff’s primary responsibilities must be highlighted in bold, and should position them as key components of a successful work team.

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