What does a chief of staff do?
A chief of staff primarily supports an executive through performing various administrative tasks. Most of their responsibilities revolve around collaborating with other executive support personnel to devise strategies that will help the company, responding to inquiries and correspondence, approving communications letters, managing schedules, setting appointments, and serving as an advisor to the executive. Furthermore, when it comes to issues and disputes, the chief of staff must be quick to conduct research and perform damage control to help the executive and the company rise from the occasion.
Chief of staff responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real chief of staff resumes:
- Lead headquarters (HQ) operations staff.
- Manage the G3's fiscal year budget planning, formulation, and execution.
- Supervise the G2 administrative section and maintain and manage the G2 budget and material resources.
- Manage the predeployment training and the deployment process to receiving commands, and subsequent redeployment and deactivation.
- Manage budgets of $75,000 to $22 million paying keen attention to cost containment and ROI.
- Credit for managing and improving the HAZMAT program, which serve as a benchmark example for the base community.
- Engage with AMC HQ as necessary to development interim guidelines until CR pass.
- Represent AMC in interactions with senior level personnel in OSD, HQDA, other MACOMS and services.
- Ensure payroll forecasting, payroll accountability, and adjust processes to improve financial performance.
- Provide direct oversight and monitoring of the training and professional development programs for all primary and secondary staff members.
- Develop and conduct fire and ems training.
- Reengineer and document processes to formalize the PMO.
- Supervise QA, database, development, and architecture teams.
- Guide the company through ISO [] compliance and certification.
- Generate revenue and EBITDA growth year over-year and versus budget.
Chief of staff skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Chiefs Of Staff are proficient in PET, Team Support, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Management skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Chiefs Of Staff that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- PET, 15%
Mentored Director of Pet Nursing in obtaining vet tech license through AAHA's Distance Education Veterinary Technician Program (DEVTP).
- Team Support, 11%
Led a 12-member team supporting an annual Directorate budget of $519M.
- Project Management, 8%
Designed and implemented a centralized project management system to control task assignments and control providing positive results in successful project implementation.
- Oversight, 7%
Exercised freedom for developing and adapting operating procedures in order to provide essential oversight and guidance to enhance operational capabilities.
- Direct Reports, 6%
Prepared Director and his direct reports for strategic executive level meetings.
- Marketing Campaigns, 6%
Planned, budgeted and executed advertising and marketing campaigns to increase enrollment.
"pet," "team support," and "project management" are among the most common skills that chiefs of staff use at work. You can find even more chief of staff responsibilities below, including:
Leadership skills. One of the key soft skills for a chief of staff to have is leadership skills. You can see how this relates to what chiefs of staff do because "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Additionally, a chief of staff resume shows how chiefs of staff use leadership skills: "key achievements: helped oversee and allocate $40m budget as part of the cio's senior leadership team. "
Communication skills. chiefs of staff are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to chief of staff responsibilities, because "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." A chief of staff resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "worked with multiple businesses to successfully improve economic development within the town by developing aggressive marketing and communication strategies. "
Problem-solving skills. chief of staff responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." This resume example shows what chiefs of staff do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "resolved constituent issues by directing outreach and casework to staff and/or state agencies. "
Time-management skills. Another common skill required for chief of staff responsibilities is "time-management skills." This skill comes up in the duties of chiefs of staff all the time, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." An excerpt from a real chief of staff resume shows how this skill is central to what a chief of staff does: "project management of conference to provide platform for afghan ministers; delivered on time and within budget. "
The three companies that hire the most chief of staffs are:
- Pwc127 chiefs of staff jobs
- Banfield Pet Hospital76 chiefs of staff jobs
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.74 chiefs of staff jobs
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Compare different chiefs of staff
Chief of staff vs. Operations director
Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, chief of staff responsibilities require skills like "pet," "team support," "good judgment," and "marketing campaigns." Meanwhile a typical operations director has skills in areas such as "customer service," "continuous improvement," "financial management," and "payroll." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Operations directors really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $120,460. Comparatively, chiefs of staff tend to make the most money in the start-up industry with an average salary of $135,040.operations directors tend to reach lower levels of education than chiefs of staff. In fact, operations directors are 5.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Chief of staff vs. Managing director
A Managing Director oversees workflow and progress, making sure that all operations align within the company or organization's mission or set of goals. They are responsible for crafting strategies, devising effective business plans, and executing guidelines that would nurture a company's growth, and as well as to be the driving force that would direct employees to the company's objectives. Furthermore, a Managing Director must coordinate with those in a higher position, such as the members of the board.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, chief of staff responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "pet," "team support," "good judgment," and "marketing campaigns." Meanwhile, a managing director has duties that require skills in areas such as "healthcare," "portfolio," "customer service," and "financial services." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Managing directors may earn a lower salary than chiefs of staff, but managing directors earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $177,065. On the other hand, chiefs of staff receive higher pay in the start-up industry, where they earn an average salary of $135,040.In general, managing directors achieve similar levels of education than chiefs of staff. They're 1.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 5.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Chief of staff vs. Division director
A division director is an individual who is responsible for managing team members and business operations that are assigned in his/her or her division to achieve the goals of a company. Division directors are required to evaluate division performance and ensure that the team's work complies with the company policies and procedures. They must lead new business development efforts with customers or brokers and should work closely with legal to ensure the protection of the company's interest. Division directors also assist in employee recruitment and provide training to the team if there are skill gaps.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, chiefs of staff are more likely to have skills like "pet," "team support," "good judgment," and "marketing campaigns." But a division director is more likely to have skills like "client relationships," "customer service," "healthcare," and "customer satisfaction."
Division directors make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $161,467. On the other hand, chiefs of staff are paid the highest salary in the start-up industry, with average annual pay of $135,040.Most division directors achieve a similar degree level compared to chiefs of staff. For example, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Chief of staff vs. District director
A district director is an executive professional who is responsible for managing staff members of an organization in a particular district. This director is required to conduct store visits to ensure that store employees are following store procedures and maintain inventory levels. The manager must manage all the general ledger revenue and expense activity while maintaining oversight for all operations, policies, and procedures. This manager should also plan and develop workshops, comprehensive training, and professional development for all staff members.
Updated January 8, 2025
