What is a Chief of Staff (CoS) and how do you get the job?

14 June 2025

In the last ten years, the Chief of Staff (CoS) role has quietly become one of the most high-impact positions in the corporate world.

Though it once was a niche role reserved for Fortune 500 CEOs or government leaders, the CoS position has now found a permanent home in startups, scaleups, and venture-backed companies. Whether supporting a visionary founder, managing cross-functional priorities, or driving internal transformation, the Chief of Staff acts as a crucial role in the day-to-day management of a company. 

The CoS role gives you a front-row seat to decision-making at the highest levels. In this role, you are not just watching a company’s strategy unfold. You’re shaping it.  From launching new business lines to managing investor relations, leading special projects, and refining internal processes, the scope is broad, and the stakes are high.

Despite its rising popularity, the role remains deeply misunderstood. To some, it sounds like a glorified executive assistant. To others, it’s a vague blend of strategy, operations, and “other duties as assigned.” The truth lies somewhere in between and can vary dramatically depending on the company, the Principal (usually the CEO), and the business stage. So why is it attracting increasing numbers of MBA graduates, former consultants, ex-founders, and top operators?

The answer is simple: the role’s unparalleled exposure, impact, and acceleration.

As a Chief of Staff, you sit at the centre of the action. You learn how the business really works, build relationships across teams and functions, and develop a unique strategic skill set. For ambitious generalists who thrive in fast-paced environments and don’t tend to shy away from ambiguity, it’s one of the most exciting (and demanding) roles imaginable. 

This guide is designed to help you break into that world.

In this guide, we’ll unpack:

  • What the role actually involves
  • The key traits and skills you’ll need
  • The different pathways into the job (and how others made the leap)
  • Tips for nailing the application process
  • Real-life advice from Chiefs of Staff at companies including Meta

Whether you’re looking to pivot internally, secure your first CoS role after an MBA, or chart a course toward future leadership, this guide will give you a practical, grounded look at how to get there.

Let’s get into it. 

What Is a Chief of Staff?

The Chief of Staff role is one of the least standardised jobs in the tech industry.

So what is a Chief of Staff?

At its core, the role is about maximising the effectiveness of a senior leader, usually the CEO, but sometimes the COO, CFO, or another executive. You act as their thought partner, execution engine, and often, their representative across the business. 

Key Responsibilities of a Chief of Staff

Depending on company size and stage, a Chief of Staff might be responsible for:

  • Strategic Initiatives
    Leading high-impact, cross-functional projects that don’t fall neatly into one department (e.g., new market entry, company-wide transformation, M&A integration).
  • Organisational Operations
    Driving internal planning processes, team goal setting (OKRs), board preparation, and internal communications.
  • Stakeholder & Partner Management
    Acting as a point of contact for external stakeholders from investors to media, enterprise clients to government bodies.
  • Executive Enablement
    Clearing bottlenecks for the CEO: managing their calendar, prepping them for meetings, following up on decisions, and serving as a sounding board on complex decisions.
  • Culture & Talent
    Shaping company culture, running leadership offsites, and sometimes leading key talent or hiring initiatives.

As Davide Lodolini, Chief of Staff at Alpheya puts it:

“One of the most rewarding aspects of the role is working closely with the CEO on high-impact initiatives that directly shape the company’s growth and strategic direction. I enjoy the breadth of the work—spanning product strategy, partnerships, organizational design, and thought leadership. The role also places me at the intersection of strategy and execution, allowing me to see the full end-to-end process from idea to implementation.” 

Likewise, as Saad Alqaddoumi (Chief of Staff at AstroLabs) explains, many CoS responsibilities involve “tackling ad-hoc strategic projects such as new market entry or launching new products, as well as financial analysis for M&A discussions,” showing how deeply embedded the role is in a company’s high-stakes decisions. 

Types of Chiefs of Staff

While every CoS role is bespoke, they tend to fall within the following types: 

Strategic CoS

Prioritisation, project leadership, goal-setting, and board engagement.

Operational CoS

Internal tools, processes, and systems (often with a Chief Operating Officer).

Comms-Focused CoS

Internal/external communication, thought leadership, investor updates.

Specialist CoS

Brings deep functional expertise e.g., finance, AI, or legal to support the exec.

Oftentimes, the type of CoS needed will depend on the Principal’s strengths and weaknesses; thus, the CoS can act as a complement to the Principal’s skillset. For instance, a CEO with a product background may want a commercially-minded CoS; a visionary founder may need someone who focuses on the execution processes for the company. 

As Clara Lee Pagett (Chief of Staff at Battery Associates) notes:

“I have buying power, execution ability, and decision-making authority. Knowing   what type of CoS the company wants is essential.”

Who Do Chiefs of Staff Report To?

Most Chiefs of Staff report directly to the CEO. In larger companies, they may serve the COO, CFO, or even function as a shared strategic resource across a leadership team.

Regardless of who they report to, one facet is key: success in the role depends on a tight, trust-based relationship with the Principal. You must be someone who can anticipate their needs, give candid feedback, and execute without constant direction.

That’s why so many CoS roles are filled internally or via warm introductions: chemistry is everything.

As former Ex-Meta Business Lead and current Founder & CEO at Stealth Startup, Brian Colivet, puts it: “Ultimately, the most important thing in any CoS and Principal relationship is chemistry, so it's important to be your authentic self and decide if this is someone you would actually like to work with 12 hours a day for the next 2 years!” 

Traits of a Great Chief of Staff

There’s no one-size-fits-all Chief of Staff profile. Some come from consulting, others from finance, product, operations, or even journalism. What unites them isn’t their specific background, but rather the traits that they share that enables them to thrive in one of the most ambiguous and demanding roles available. 

If you’re considering this path, ask yourself: are you someone who possesses these traits? 

Comfort with Ambiguity

“You need to be comfortable operating in ambiguity and change,” says Ex-Meta Business Lead and current Stealth Startup Founder Brian Colivet. 

By design, CoS roles are often loosely defined. You’ll be handed problems no one else owns, or asked to build processes from scratch. There won’t always be clear instructions. As Saad Alqaddoumi notes, the CoS role is one where “no two days are the same” and where you need to understand “EVERY aspect of the business” to be effective, highlighting the breadth and ambiguity that defines the position. 

 Ownership Mentality

The best Chiefs of Staff don’t wait to be told what to do. Rather, they proactively take charge. Whether launching a new hiring process, negotiating a partnership, or running a board meeting, they treat problems like owners, not helpers. As Rachit Gupta, CoS – Finance at Wholesum Foods, puts it: “You have to think like an owner to excel.” 

Davide Lodolini (Alpheya) adds: “Highlight initiatives you've led end-to-end — not just supported. That’s what shows you’re ready for this role.”

Exceptional Communication

As a CoS, you’ll be interacting with C-suite leaders, junior analysts, board members, and investors, sometimes all in the same day. You need to know how to translate strategy into action, distill complexity, and communicate with clarity and diplomacy.

Clara Lee Pagett, Chief of Staff at Battery Associates notes that the “ability to command a team (both leadership and the wider company especially when standing in for the founder/CEO” are crucial for succeeding in the role. 

Strategic Thinking and Operational Execution

The complicated and amazing thing about being a CoS is that it is a hybrid role, with one foot in big-picture planning, the other in getting things done. That means knowing when to zoom out and when to dive into the weeds. As Davide Landolini of Alpheya puts it: “A strong ability to move seamlessly between strategy and implementation is key by defining high-level priorities and then driving them through to execution.” 

Coming from consulting, Saad Alqaddoumi notes the difference in execution focus: “I am executing and seeing through the projects I work on, as opposed to the strategy work I did in consulting which was a lot more fluffy.” It’s a role where output matters as much as insight. 

Bonus Skills: Tool Fluency & Operational Rigor

Though CoS roles vary massively, being an expert in internal tools can help set you apart! Especially in startups, CoS roles benefit from being hands-on with internal tools like Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Salesforce, Workday, or Jira. If working with a visionary founder, Clara Lee Pagett suggests that familiarity with these tools can help ‘compliment working with someone who might be more visionary than focussed on execution.’  

Not all Chiefs of Staff will tick every box. But if these traits resonate with you, you're likely on the right path.

Pathways into the Role

As you might have already figured out from this guide, there’s no single route into a Chief of Staff role and that’s what makes it so interesting. While the job is high trust and high impact, it’s also highly bespoke, which means companies often look for candidates who are a great contextual fit, rather than ticking a rigid set of boxes.

Still, some entry paths show up again and again. Here are the most common:

Internal Transition (Most Common Route)

Many Chiefs of Staff are promoted from within. They’ve already built credibility in the organisation and can be trusted by the leadership team.

Being internal means you already understand the company’s priorities, people, and politics, which serves as a major advantage.

Brian Colivet (ex-Meta and current founder) notes: “It's a role that strongly favours internal candidates, given their knowledge and existing relationships in the company. Speak to as many current CoS as you can and get a sense for what they do, what they like / dislike. If it's something you're excited to pursue, then look for ways to get involved in projects where you can show your value and get exposure”

Tip: If you're in a high-growth startup or scaleup, look for unclaimed workstreams or cross-functional initiatives. These often become de facto CoS projects and may help serve as your path into the role.

Ex-Consultants and MBA Grads

Former consultants and business school grads are often hired directly into Chief of Staff roles, especially at later-stage startups or companies building a professionalised leadership bench.

The skill set that is needed for the role, including structured thinking, analytical rigour, stakeholder management, often transfers well into the role. But you’ll need to prove you can execute, not just strategise.

Saad Alqaddoumi transitioned from consulting to CoS at AstroLabs, where his analytical and problem-solving background proved “quite transferable.” He underscores the value of soft skills too, particularly “managing egos of the management team and ensuring harmony,” a reality that isn’t always obvious outside the room. 

Davide Lodolini (Alpheya) emphasises: “Demonstrate your ability to lead initiatives end-to-end.” Thus, while the strategizing that you may do in the classroom will help you land interviews, it’s vital that you can prove your executive prowess. 

Tip: Highlight past projects where you’ve gone beyond the deck and actually delivered results.

Startup Generalists / Early Joiners

Some Chiefs of Staff start as the second or third hire at a startup often as a Business Associate, Ops Manager, or Executive Assistant. Over time, as trust builds and the company scales, they take on more strategic responsibilities and formally evolve into the CoS role.

This is especially common when supporting a visionary founder who needs a trusted operator beside them.

Clara Lee Pagett (Battery Associates) shares:“Subject matter expertise is useful and complimentary but not essential to a CoS role (depending on the sector). It’s highly tuned transferable skills, attitude and character that’ll help a founder go further.” 

Tip: If you’re already embedded in a startup, don’t wait for a CoS title. Start acting like one and the title may soon follow. 

Functional Expert to Generalist Operator

Some Chiefs of Staff come from deep functional expertise (e.g., finance, legal, engineering) and use the CoS role to transition into a more strategic, cross-functional position.

This can work well if the Principal has complementary strengths and needs someone to “fill in the gaps.”

Tip: Think about where you might contrast to the Principal. This might help you figure out how your skill set rounds out theirs.

Direct Placement via VC/Founder Network

In some cases, founders hire a CoS through personal networks or VC intros, especially for first-time CEOs or companies scaling fast after a funding round. 

They’re high-trust, high-reward opportunities, but you need to move fast and learn even faster.

Tip: Leverage your alumni, VC, and LinkedIn networks. Many CoS roles aren’t advertised and they’re filled via warm intros.

No matter which path you take, the goal is the same: build trust, prove your value, and show you can operate at a strategic level while still getting things done. 

Real Chief of Staff Profiles

The Chief of Staff title may be consistent, but the roles themselves are anything but. To give you a clearer sense of what these jobs actually look like in practice, we spoke to Chiefs of Staff across a range of tech companies. Here are their experiences, in their own words:

Davide Lodolini — Chief of Staff, Alpheya (WealthTech)

What do you do in your role? 

Serving as a strategic advisor to the CEO, driving high-impact initiatives across business strategy, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and organizational development to accelerate Alpheya’s growth in the WealthTech sector. Key projects include: (1) Defining Alpheya’s agentic AI strategy, outlining roadmap, capabilities, and GTM approach to enhance AI-driven advisory for RMs and retail investors; (2) Securing strategic partnerships with a leading regional tech hub and funds to co-develop products and drive economic initiatives; (3) Leading stakeholder engagement and positioning, delivering an annual plan covering events, executive meetings, media, and social activity to elevate branding; (4) Restructuring the organization for efficiency and scale, and launched a talent strategy via university partnerships to build a strong hiring pipeline; (5) Co-authoring publications, including The Longevity Economy and The Future Role of Agentic AI in WealthTech for the World Economic Forum, strengthening Alpheya’s thought leadership.

What are the best things about the role? 

One of the most rewarding aspects of the role is working closely with the CEO on high-impact initiatives that directly shape the company’s growth and strategic direction. I enjoy the breadth of the work—spanning product strategy, partnerships, organizational design, and thought leadership. The role also places me at the intersection of strategy and execution, allowing me to see the full end-to-end process from idea to implementation.

What are the tips for the application process? 

Understand in detail the role and tailor your application to the specific scope of the CoS role, as responsibilities can vary widely. Highlight your versatility and your ability to shift between strategy and execution across functions. Demonstrate executive maturity by showing you can handle sensitive topics and influence without authority. Finally, emphasize ownership by showcasing initiatives you've led end-to-end, not just supported.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role? 

A strong ability to move seamlessly between strategy and implementation is key by defining high-level priorities and then driving them through to execution. Communication and stakeholder management are equally important, especially when working closely with the CEO, aligning cross-functional teams, and engaging external partners. Solid project management skills help ensure that initiatives stay on track, timelines are met, and outcomes are delivered efficiently. Lastly, sharp critical thinking is essential for navigating ambiguity, solving complex problems, and making sound, data-informed decisions.

Clara Lee Pagett — Chief of Staff, Battery Associates

What do you do in your role? 

Support the Founder of the start up with planning our company strategy and operations.

What are the best things about the role? 

In my role I obtain a great overview of the entire business, I have buying power (can stand in for the founder), decision making abilities (on our core projects and day to day), execution (of our strategy), able to work with every member of the team.

What are your tips for the application process? 

I would start by understanding why the company is hiring for a CoS and the type of CoS they want as the role is varied (some roles are project driven, others more SME, others more operational, others more comms/copyright/PR). I would then make sure you package your experience up in a way that makes it relevant to the specific role. Lastly, I'd make sure you understand the CEO inside out as you'll essentially be their right hand woman/man.

What knowledge or skills do you think are relevant for the role? 

Subject matter expertise is useful and complimentary but not essential to a CoS role (depending on the sector). It’s highly tuned transferable skills, attitude and character that’ll help a founder go further. The key skills I would look for are highly organised and methodical (to compliment working with someone who might be more visionary than focussed on execution), solid prioritisation techniques, ability to command a team (both leadership and the wider company especially when standing in for the founder/CEO), familiar with certain tools that compliment the role (trello, asana, workday, Hubspot, SFDC, Jira etc).

Brian Colivet — Chief of Staff, Meta

What do you do in your role? 

Supporting the VP of Global Gaming in a Chief of Staff role - covering strategic project, business operations, comms and everything and anything else where someone was needed to pitch in!

What are the best things about the role? 

The steep learning curve and high stakes decision making that you are involved in.

What are your tips for the application process? 

It's a role that strongly favours internal candidates, given their knowledge and existing relationships in the company. Speak to as many current CoS as you can and get a sense for what they do, what they like / dislike. If it's something you're excited to pursue, then look for ways to get involved in projects where you can show your value and get exposure. Ultimately, the most important thing in any CoS and Principal relationship is chemistry, so it's important to be your authentic self and decide if this is someone you would actually like to work with 12 hours a day for the next 2 years!

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role? 

The specific skillset can vary massively based on the principal that you are working for and their core skillset.. If they are a finance whizz then perhaps you're leaning in more on product or comms, and vice versa. But the traits that are universally applicable are 1) Comfort with ambiguity and change 2) Loyalty and Discretion 3) Proactivity and developing a strong network throughout the company! I recommend checking out this McKinsey article that I contributed to as part of their CoS forum. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-to-be-a-better-chief-of-staff

Rachit Gupta — Chief of Staff, Finance, Wholsum Foods (Slurrp Farm and Mille)

What do you do in your role? 

Stakeholder management, FP&A, fundraising

What are the best things about the role?

I get to know the business in depth and learn directly with senior management

What are your tips for the application process? 

Be clear why you want the role and understand you have to think like an owner to excel

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role? 

Communication, data analysis, financial modelling

Saad Alqaddoumi, Chief of Staff, CEO Office @ AstroLabs 

What do you do in your role?

Tackle ad-hoc strategic projects (e.g., new market entry, launch of a new product), financial analysis and forecasting (e.g., unit economics, profitability analysis, and forecasting for the sake of potential acquisition discussions), stakeholder management across the management team (n-1) and the C-Suite, structuring / brainstorming support across multiple business problems

What are the best things about the role?

Exposure to entire C-Suite and the Founder team, dynamic role in which no two days are the same, a built in need to understand EVERY aspect of the business across all verticals in order to do your job well. I'm learning a lot and the role is quite tangible - I am executing and seeing through the projects I work on as opposed to the strategy work I did in consulting which was a lot more fluffy.

What are your tips for the application process?

My process involved four rounds and multiple case studies, I would prepare very similarly to how you would for a consulting role. Understand and research the business very well as the cases will likely be real life business problems they're currently faced with and looking for solutions on. I am actually contributing to the implementation of the solution for one of the case studies I worked on.

What knowledge and skills do you think are relevant for your role?

I come from a consulting background and have found that my skillset has been quite transferrable. In addition to the hard skills, the soft skills around stakeholder management have been key. The CoS role has also involved managing egos of the management team and ensuring harmony there.

Will insert more as the responses start coming in 

These profiles highlight just how varied and rewarding the CoS role can be. Whether you’re coming from consulting, finance, operations, or the startup hustle, there’s a route in. What matters is how well you align with the Principal’s needs, and whether you’re prepared to step into a role that requires trust, versatility, and execution.

Tips for the Application Process

The Chief of Staff (CoS) application process is as much about fit as it is about capability. It’s not enough to be highly competent; instead, the strongest candidates are those who demonstrate emotional intelligence, strategic range, and an ability to work closely with a founder or senior executive over long, high-pressure periods. Below are tips drawn from those who’ve secured the role, alongside common themes that came up in our interviews.

Tailor your application to the specific CoS role

“Understand in detail the role and tailor your application to the specific scope of the CoS role, as responsibilities can vary widely.”
— Davide Lodolini, CoS at Alpheya

Unlike traditional roles, there is no universal CoS job description. Some are strategic project leads, others operational integrators, and others act as force multipliers for the CEO. Read the job description carefully, research the company’s stage and challenges, and tailor your CV and cover letter to show how your experience matches the role’s particular focus. 

Show that you understand the CEO/founder dynamic

“Make sure you understand the CEO inside out as you'll essentially be their right hand woman/man.”
— Clara Lee Pagett, CoS at Battery Associates

Many CoS roles effectively operate as a one-to-one partnership. Demonstrating that you’ve done your homework on the CEO or founder (including their background, communication style, values, and priorities) shows that you’re already thinking like a Chief of Staff. This will be especially important in interviews, where the CEO may assess your chemistry, discretion, and trustworthiness.

Demonstrate ownership and versatility

“Emphasize ownership by showcasing initiatives you've led end-to-end, not just supported.”
— Davide Lodolini, CoS at Alpheya

“Ultimately, the most important thing in any CoS and Principal relationship is chemistry... look for ways to get involved in projects where you can show your value and get exposure.”
— Brian Colivet, Stealth Startup Founder & former Business Lead

Highlight projects where you took the lead and delivered results across multiple functions. CoS roles require self-starters who can drive progress with minimal supervision in fast-changing and even ambiguous environments. Use your experience to demonstrate this kind of initiative.

Be authentic and assess fit

“The most important thing in any CoS and Principal relationship is chemistry... it’s important to be your authentic self and decide if this is someone you would actually like to work with 12 hours a day for the next 2 years!”
— Brian Colivet

Founders often say they can train for skills but not for fit. Be honest about your motivations, your working style, and your ambitions. The best CoS-principal pairings are built on mutual trust, shared values, and complementary styles.

Approach the Interview Like a Consultant – But Be Ready to Execute 

One of the unique aspects of the CoS hiring process is how frequently it blurs the line between interview and onboarding. Unlike traditional roles where case studies are hypothetical, CoS interviews can centre on real challenges the business is currently facing; in some cases, your ideas might help shape actual execution plans. 

Take Saad Alqaddoumi, Chief of Staff to the CEO at Astrolabs. His application process involved “four rounds and multiple case studies,” many of which were based on real-time problems the company needed to solve. His advice? Prepare for the process as you would a consulting interview: structured thinking, clear communication, and business acumen are all essential. 

But that’s only half the story. As Saad points out, the most successful candidates are the ones who treat the interview not just as a test, but as a taster of the role itself: “ I am actually contributing to the implementation of the solution for one of the case studies I worked on.” 

This highlights a key difference between consulting and CoS work: Chiefs of Staff don’t just make recommendations. They are expected to roll up their sleeves and execute. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Chief of Staff (CoS) role often raises more questions than answers, and for good reason. It’s a role that varies widely by company, principal, and stage of growth. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we've encountered from prospective candidates.

What does a Chief of Staff actually do?

It depends, but broadly, a CoS maximises the effectiveness of a senior leader (usually the CEO) by acting as a strategic advisor, execution partner, and cross-functional coordinator. Some focus on internal operations and OKRs, others on partnerships and fundraising. The common thread is trust, range, and the ability to drive business-critical initiatives forward.

What’s the difference between a Chief of Staff and an Executive Assistant?

An Executive Assistant (EA) typically focuses on logistical support: scheduling, travel, inbox management, etc. A CoS, by contrast, operates at a strategic and operational level, often leading projects, owning internal processes, and shaping decision-making. The roles can be complementary, and in smaller startups, the boundaries may blur, but the CoS is generally expected to act as an extension of the CEO’s decision-making capacity.

How senior is the Chief of Staff role?

Seniority can vary, depending on the company. Some CoS roles are stepping stones to Director or VP-level positions; others function as high-level generalists with no direct reports but strong influence. It often depends on the size and maturity of the company. 

What backgrounds are most common for CoS candidates?

Top candidates often come from:

  • Consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, etc.)
  • Strategy and operations roles at startups
  • MBA programs
  • Finance, product, or founder backgrounds

That said, there’s no fixed route. What matters more is versatility, maturity, and the ability to think and act at both strategic and operational levels.

How long do people typically stay in the role?

CoS roles usually last around 2 years. Some evolve into formal leadership roles (e.g. VP Ops, Head of Strategy, GM), while others are designed as high-intensity sprints. Many companies use the role as a proving ground for future leadership. 

What comes after a Chief of Staff role?

Many former Chiefs of Staff go on to:

  • Found their own companies
  • Move into VP/GM-level leadership roles
  • Join the C-suite in Ops, Strategy, or Finance
  • Transition into investing or venture roles
  • Take Chief of Staff roles at larger companies or different functions (e.g., Chief of Staff to CFO)

The role opens doors because of the exposure and trust it demands, but where it leads is ultimately shaped by your goals and the relationships you build.

Resources & Further Reading

Breaking into a Chief of Staff role is as much about understanding the nuances of the job as it is about networking, positioning, and preparation. We’ve included a curated list of tools, resources, and communities that can help you go deeper, whether you're just getting started or actively preparing for interviews.

Articles & Blogs

Communities & Networks

  • Chief of Staff Network Events
    • The Chief of Staff Network’s events include in-person mixers, virtual workshops, and member-only programs designed to help current and aspiring Chiefs of Staff build skills, share experiences, and expand their professional network. 
  • On Deck Chief of Staff Fellowship (ODCoS)
    • A structured learning and networking program for current and aspiring CoS professionals.
  • Chief of Staff Collective
    • A global community and knowledge hub that offers resources, events, and peer support for current and aspiring Chiefs of Staff across industries.

Job Boards & Search Platforms

LinkedIn Jobs
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