You may have heard that so and so is The Chief of Staff and are wondering what that means, their roles and what it takes to be one. Instead of a long and essay in the name of answering you, let’s go straight to the point, shall we? A Chief of Staff’s main role is to support the company’s CEO as far as the management of staff is concerned. Want more? Read on…
These people are also responsible for executive business management. In fact, the job description for the chief of staff does not align them to a specific job family. As senior officers in the company/organization, a chief of staff may only answer to the CEO and or the board of directors.
Politically speaking, they are only answerable to the congressmen/MPs, Senators, Governors, Vice/Deputy Presidents, and Presidents…I mean, they manage the managers.
Primary Responsibilities
- Planning and directing administrative, operational and financial of the firm on behalf the CEO and or Board of Directors is among the key roles of the Chief Of Staff
- Acting as the contact person between the company’s top management and employees/stakeholders
- Overseeing and managing highly prioritized projects
- Leading and directing the work of others.
- Regularly submitting reports to the CEO.
- Providing strategic advice to chief executive officer and or the management to improve the daily management of the company
- The chief of staff job description requires them to works with the different aspects of organizational finance.
- Participating in the development of financial strategies is also among the roles of the Chief Of Staff
- Advising the on the benefits and drawbacks of using optional financial analysis tools
- Creating and interpreting various financial reports
- Suggesting problem resolution approaches and procedures
- Coaching others on how to interpret the financial results based on the use of analytical tools
- Taking up other responsibilities as directed by the CEO
Academic Requirements
- To execute the roles of the Chief Of Staff, a bachelor’s degree within a relevant field
- At least a master’s degree in business, economics and other managerial disciplines
- A PhD in the relevant field is an added advantage (not compulsory though)
Experience
- Chief of Staff job description requires the applicants to have at least 15 years of experience in middle to upper management positions
Skills and Abilities
- The candidate must have exceptional communication skills and the ability to multitask
- The chief of staff should be a renowned performer, manager and have solid leadership skills
- The chief of staff job description also demands he/she be a skilled coach as well as supervisor
- The holder of the office must be result driven and able to motivate or inspire both junior and senior staff
- Must be focused on quality i.e. delivering excellent services to the company and customers
- Must be an outstanding developer of budgets (i.e. be able to come up with effective budgets within the shortest time possible and as directed)
- One of the Staff Manager’s required skill set is the ability to work with different people and ability to remain calm under pressure
- The holder of the office must have high analytical skills, be able to see patterns, be a fast thinker and a good decision maker
- Should be strong willed, a fast learner and able to effect changes fast (based on customer or employee feedbacks)
- The office holder must be proficient in basic computer modules especially using the Office suite
- Carrying out the roles of the Chief Of Staff requires strong presentation skills
The position of Staff Manager (as they are sometimes called) is a sensitive one. Therefore, the employers are advised not to overlook academic qualifications, experience, and the recommended skill sets. Instead, they should be thorough and only pick candidates who posses almost or all that is the chief of staff job description. Was that helpful? Let me know via the comment box
