Role's Mission Increase the CEO's effectiveness and the company's execution velocity by owning the leadership operating cadence, driving cross-functional initiatives and ensuring decisions translate into measurable outcomes. Key Responsibilities • Own executive operating rhythm: agendas, pre-reads, actions, accountability tracking. • Partner with CEO to define annual/quarterly priorities and translate into OKRs and scorecards. • Lead cross-functional, high-priority initiatives from scoping through delivery. • Create decision clarity: write problem statements, options, tradeoffs, recommendations. • Maintain "single source of truth" on strategic initiatives: roadmap, risks, dependencies. • Prepare CEO for key meetings; draft comms for board/investors/leadership as needed. • Identify operational friction and implement process improvements. • Establish escalation mechanisms and ensure rapid resolution of blockers. Success Metrics (Examples) • On-time delivery rate of top initiatives; reduction in "stalled" cross-functional work. • Improved meeting quality: fewer recurring issues, clearer decisions, faster cycle times. • Visibility: accurate dashboards, predictable reporting, fewer surprises. • CEO leverage: measurable reduction in CEO time spent on coordination/chasing. Required Qualifications • 3-5+ years in operating, consulting, banking, strategy, or high-growth leadership roles (range depends on company stage). • Demonstrated ownership of cross-functional programs with measurable outcomes. • Strong structured thinking, financial literacy, and data-driven decisioning. • Exceptional written communication (memos, briefs, narratives). • High EQ and credibility with senior leaders; can influence without authority. • Discretion and integrity with confidential information. Preferred Qualifications • Experience in the company's industry and/or scaling a private business. • Experience with operating cadences (OKRs, MBR/QBR), KPI dashboards. • Prior Chief of Staff (CoS), GM, Strategy & Ops, or Program Leadership experience. Operating Style Expectations • Bias to action; comfortable with ambiguity. • Low ego, high standards. • Can switch between "big picture" and "in the weeds" quickly. • Willing to be accountable, not just advisory. CoS Core Responsibilities 1) CEO "operating system" • Run the executive meeting cadence (weekly exec, monthly business review, quarterly planning). • Build/maintain the CEO's priorities, OKRs, and performance dashboard. • Ensure decisions get made (clear owners, deadlines, escalation paths). • Turn strategy into a sequenced execution plan. 2) Cross-functional execution and unblock • Drive alignment across leaders when work spans multiple functions. • Identify bottlenecks early; surface tradeoffs and force resolution. • Follow-through: ensure commitments are delivered, not just discussed. 3) Communications and stakeholder management • Draft CEO updates: board/investor memos, leadership narratives, critical internal comms. • Prepare briefing docs for key meetings. • Ensure messaging consistency across leadership. 4) Special projects and "keep the trains running" • Handle urgent, ambiguous problems with incomplete data. • Create structure where none exists: timelines, RACI, risk logs, decision records. Common CoS Archetypes • Execution CoS (Operator): owns key initiatives + drives cadence (most common in private companies). • Strategy CoS: analysis, market work, narrative, board materials (more common near fundraising/M&A). • Transformation CoS: process redesign, metrics, systems, cost/margin programs. • People/Org CoS: org design, performance management, leadership operating model.