The appointment owns
The chief of staff sets the meeting rhythm, prepares decision material and follows up cross-team commitments for the CEO.
permanent executive recruitment
Hire Chief of Staff
Hire Chief of Staff: write the CEO’s continuing mandate first: the decisions the seat may make, the priorities it must follow through, and where the executive team remains accountable.
Brief us on this role →Chief of Staff briefChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
CEO mandate
Name the decisions the chief of staff can take for the CEO and those reserved for the CEO.
Part 02 / 04
Leadership rhythm
Set who prepares priorities, runs the executive meeting and follows decisions across teams.
Part 03 / 04
Board work
Define the papers, governance and risk information the seat will coordinate.
Part 04 / 04
Boundaries
Keep executive support, operational delivery and each functional leader’s accountability explicit.
Hire Chief of Staff: what must the role own?
Name the decisions the chief of staff can take for the CEO and those reserved for the CEO.
CEO mandateName the decisions the chief of staff can take for the CEO and those reserved for the CEO.
Leadership rhythmSet who prepares priorities, runs the executive meeting and follows decisions across teams.
Board workDefine the papers, governance and risk information the seat will coordinate.
BoundariesKeep executive support, operational delivery and each functional leader’s accountability explicit.
Role reference: NHS employer: Chief of Staff role example. This original employer brief sets out board governance, risk, cross-organisation priorities and support to a chief executive; it is an example, not a universal job specification.
What changes when the Chief of Staff is permanent?
A permanent chief of staff holds an ongoing seat beside the CEO. The job needs a clear boundary with the executive assistant, who handles support and administration, and the COO, who owns company operations.
permanentChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Seat
Describe the continuing role, reporting line and decisions the appointment will own.
Part 02 / 04
Search
Set the evidence and assessment criteria before comparing candidates.
Part 03 / 04
Offer
Confirm employment terms, authority and any conditions before the offer is accepted.
Part 04 / 04
Induction
Arrange access, introductions and a clear first assignment.
How would this work in a real brief?
The hiring decision becomes clearer when the work and its boundary are written down together.
Illustrative brief · a growing organisation with a busy CEO
The CEO chairs each leadership meeting, prepares much of the board pack and chases decisions between functions. Those activities now need a continuing owner.
The chief of staff sets the meeting rhythm, prepares decision material and follows up cross-team commitments for the CEO.
Another owner retains
The CEO retains strategic and reserved decisions; functional leaders own delivery, and the executive assistant owns diary and administrative support.
How should you assess Chief of Staff candidates?
Put the same work and evidence in front of each candidate before comparing answers.
The evidenceChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
CEO partnership
Ask for a priority the candidate challenged with a principal and how the decision changed.
Part 02 / 04
Decision flow
Give every candidate the same leadership notes and ask for the next decision log.
Part 03 / 04
Peer trust
Ask how the candidate won cooperation without becoming another functional boss.
Part 04 / 04
Discretion
Test what they would share, with whom, when a board issue affects several leaders.
Acas recommends a consistent, fair selection process: choosing who to interview.
Does this hiring pattern fit the work?
Test the amount of the week, the expected end and the continuity needed before writing the contract.
The working pattern · permanent
A permanent Chief of StaffAn employee holds a continuing full-time seat. Assess the long-term remit, reporting line and induction plan.
What must happen before the Chief of Staff starts?
Agree decision rights with the CEO and explain the seat to the executive team.
A clear startChoose a part of the brief
Part 01 / 04
Mandate
Agree decision rights with the CEO and explain the seat to the executive team.
Part 02 / 04
Access
Provide current priorities, board calendar, governance papers and open risk items.
Part 03 / 04
First cycle
Let the new hire prepare and close one leadership meeting cycle.
Part 04 / 04
Review
Check where the chief of staff has helped decisions move and where authority is unclear.
- 1
Mandate
Agree decision rights with the CEO and explain the seat to the executive team.
- 2
Access
Provide current priorities, board calendar, governance papers and open risk items.
- 3
First cycle
Let the new hire prepare and close one leadership meeting cycle.
- 4
Review
Check where the chief of staff has helped decisions move and where authority is unclear.
A useful Chief of Staff brief names the decision, the working pattern and the evidence before it names a candidate.
What should the brief say?
Hire Chief of Staff begins with ceo mandate, a stated working pattern and the evidence you will ask every candidate to show.
15 minutes · video or phone
Brief us on a Chief of Staff
Tell us what the role must own, how it will work and when it must start.
- 01A brief built around the decisions and working pattern.
- 02A shortlist of 3–5 with pay or day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
- 03Five-stage vetting before a candidate reaches you.
Pick a day that suits · live availability
