Chief of Staff to the CEORole SummaryThe Chief of Staff will manage the leadership team's operating rhythm, drive cross-functional projects, and provide the CEO with clear visibility into progress, risks, and pending decisions.
The CEO currently has an Executive Assistant who manages scheduling, travel, administrative support, and related coordination. The Chief of Staff will work closely with the Executive Assistant but will focus primarily on strategic priorities, leadership effectiveness, decision support, and companywide execution.
Success in this position requires exceptional organization, sound judgment, concise communication, discretion, and a strong bias for action. The ideal candidate can move quickly without sacrificing accuracy or follow-through.
ResponsibilitiesExecutive Priorities and Follow Through- Convert the CEO's priorities into work plans with clear owners, milestones, and deadlines.
- Maintain a reliable system for tracking the company's most important commitments and decisions.
- Identify stalled work, surface risks early, and drive issues through resolution.
- Determine which matters require the CEO's attention and which can be resolved by other leaders.
- Ensure that decisions, assignments, and deadlines are clearly communicated and completed.
Leadership Operating Rhythm- Plan and manage leadership meetings, including agendas, preparation materials, decisions, action items, and follow-up.
- Document decisions and communicate ownership and next steps to the appropriate leaders.
- Improve the flow of information between the CEO, leadership team, and key departments.
- Prepare concise briefings, decision memos, presentations, and executive updates.
- Monitor leadership commitments and follow up until required actions are completed.
Partnership With the Executive Assistant- Work closely with the CEO's Executive Assistant to coordinate priorities, meetings, information, and follow-up.
- Provide the Executive Assistant with the context needed to support the CEO's schedule and preparation.
- Maintain a clear distinction between the Chief of Staff's strategic and operational responsibilities and the Executive Assistant's administrative responsibilities.
- Ensure that executive priorities and administrative coordination remain aligned.
Cross Functional Initiatives- Lead high-priority projects involving multiple departments or projects without a natural owner.
- Bring the appropriate people together, clarify responsibilities, remove obstacles, and maintain momentum.
- Turn ambiguous goals into practical plans and adjust those plans as circumstances change.
- Introduce practical processes that improve accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
- Monitor deadlines, dependencies, and risks across companywide initiatives.
Analysis and Executive Support- Research important business questions, summarize findings, and recommend a course of action.
- Serve as a candid thought partner to the CEO and respectfully challenge assumptions when appropriate.
- Anticipate upcoming decisions, meetings, and business needs so the CEO is prepared.
- Provide clear and timely information to support executive decision-making.
- Handle confidential and sensitive matters with sound judgment and discretion.
Measures of SuccessThe Chief of Staff will be evaluated on the quality and speed of execution, reliability of follow-through, completion of high-priority initiatives, and improvement in leadership effectiveness.
First 30 Days- Build trusted working relationships with the CEO, Executive Assistant, and leadership team.
- Learn the business, current priorities, organizational structure, and major constraints.
- Establish a reliable system for tracking decisions, commitments, deadlines, and follow-up.
- Identify the company's most urgent priorities and projects requiring executive attention.
First 90 Days- Improve the preparation, decision-making, and follow-up associated with leadership meetings.
- Create clear visibility into the status, owners, risks, and next steps for the company's top priorities.
- Take independent ownership of at least two important cross-functional initiatives.
- Reduce the time the CEO spends chasing information, clarifying ownership, or revisiting unresolved decisions.
- Establish an effective working partnership with the CEO's Executive Assistant.
First Year- Become a trusted operating partner to the CEO and leadership team.
- Build a consistent record of completing complex, high-impact work quickly and reliably.
- Help the leadership team maintain clear priorities, make timely decisions, and hold owners accountable.
- Improve coordination and communication across departments.
- Increase the CEO's capacity to focus on the company's most important strategic and operational matters.
Qualifications- Seven or more years of experience in operations, strategy, general management, consulting, program leadership, or another high-accountability role.
- A demonstrated record of leading complex projects across multiple departments from definition through completion.
- Exceptional organizational skills and dependable follow-through.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to reduce complex information to clear recommendations.
- Sound business judgment and the ability to make progress when information is incomplete.
- Confidence working directly with executives and influencing others without relying on formal authority.
- High emotional intelligence, low ego, and excellent discretion.
- Proficiency with common productivity, presentation, spreadsheet, and project-management tools.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
Working Style- Moves with urgency while maintaining high standards.
- Creates order from ambiguity and keeps details from falling through the cracks.
- Anticipates what is needed and acts before being asked.
- Communicates directly, concisely, and constructively.
- Works comfortably at both the strategic and practical levels.
- Takes ownership, closes communication loops, and persists until the work is finished.
- Focuses on results, builds trust quickly, and remains calm under pressure.
- Works collaboratively with the CEO's Executive Assistant and company leadership.
Compensation and BenefitsHollman offers a team-focused work environment with a competitive salary and benefits that include health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a 401(k) plan with company-matching contributions.
How to ApplyTo be considered, please upload your resume and complete the Culture Index survey at:
http://www.cindexinc.com/c/48EB46
