The Chief of Staff (CoS) is increasingly becoming a cornerstone role within modern organizations—especially those experiencing growth, transformation, or operational complexity. According to LinkedIn, CoS responsibilities include “leading teams, easing communications, and uniting people across organizations to keep them moving forward.”These multi-talented professionals often serve as the right hand to top-tier executives, including presidents, department heads, and CEOs.” They’re strategic operators, problem-solvers, and trusted advisors all wrapped into one.

But what does this look like in practice? To explore how this definition translates into hiring patterns, we analyzed 40 Chief of Staff job postings across London and New York, split by company size:

● 10 in London, 2–200 employees
● 10 in London, 200+ employees
● 10 in New York, 2–200 employees
● 10 in New York, 200+ employees

Key Functions: A Blend of Strategy, Execution, and Executive Enablement

Across all job postings, several functions consistently emerged: strategic planning and execution, project or program management, and cross-functional collaboration. Regardless of geography or company size, organizations want Chiefs of Staff who can align leadership priorities and drive execution. Following closely are CEO/executive support and advisory and operational efficiency. Whether they’re managing OKRs, coordinating initiatives across departments, or translating vision into actionable plans, Chiefs of Staff are expected to function as strategic integrators.

Top 5 Functions Across All Roles % Job Descriptions
Strategic Planning & Execution
97.5%
Project/Program Management
90%
Cross-Functional Collaboration
85%
Executive Support / Advisory
62.5%
Operational Efficiency
37.5%
However, the nuance lies in how these responsibilities are expressed. Smaller companies (2–200 employees), emphasize adaptability and founder enablement. The CoS often plays a generalist, high-leverage role spanning hiring, fundraising, internal ops, and new initiatives. Being a “force multiplier” for the CEO is a defining characteristic.
In contrast, larger companies (200+ employees) seek more structured operators. CoS roles in these environments focus on structured execution, business cadence management, and executive
communications. There’s greater emphasis on planning, analytics, governance, and cross-department alignment. Here, the CoS becomes a key driver of operational efficiency and accountability, often acting as a central node for aligning strategy with execution across complex business units.
Location adds another layer of nuance. New York-based roles more frequently mention data fluency, decision support, and operating at scale whereas London-based postings lean toward internal performance improvement, risk management, and process-building.
Top Skills: Strategic Thinking + Communication at the Core
Across all postings, certain capabilities rise to the top. The most frequently mentioned are strategic thinking and strong communication and influence skills, both appearing in 75% or more of job descriptions. These are closely followed by analytical problem-solving, project management, and technical fluency—particularly in roles supporting product, engineering, or data-driven leadership. Employers are looking for someone who can anticipate needs, navigate ambiguity, and drive progress—even in complex environments where formal authority may be limited. Top 5 Skills Across All Roles % Job Descriptions
Strong Communication & Influence
95%
Strategic Thinking
75%
Analytical /Problem-Solving Skills
67.5%
Project Management
45%
Technical / Product or Engineering Fluency
25%
That said, smaller companies value entrepreneurial traits and comfort in high-velocity, high-pressure environments more explicitly. Leadership in ambiguous, fast-moving situations also features more prominently in these early-stage roles, where the CoS may serve as a de facto team builder or business partner.
In larger organizations, however, there’s greater demand for analytical rigor, stakeholder management, and structured project delivery. Experience driving accountability and performance across mature business units is also highlighted. The ability to bring structure and data-driven thinking into established (and often siloed) environments is seen as critical to success in these contexts.
Experience: Range is Broad, but Backgrounds Matter
While job descriptions listed anywhere from 1 to 12+ years of experience, most fall into a narrower band. 35.7% of job postings which listed a minimum experience requirement asked for 3 years of experience or more, while 50% listing 5 years or more, often rising to 6–8+ years in larger or more complex organizations.
Top 3 most frequently desired experience traits:
1. Consulting / Strategy background (70%), especially in large firms (75%).
2. Startup / High-growth company experience (72.5%), especially in small firms (85%).
3. Tech industry familiarity (70%), common across all categories.
The ideal candidate profile would likely be:
● Someone with 5–8 years of experience.
● Has worked in consulting, tech, or early-stage / high-growth companies.
● Familiar with both strategic planning and hands-on execution.
This person has likely:
● Led cross-functional initiatives with measurable outcomes.
● Served in founder-adjacent or executive-facing roles.
● Navigated high-growth or transformation-stage environments.
Salaries for Chiefs of Staff vary widely depending on location and company size. In London, compensation for CoS roles at smaller companies ranged from $30,000 to $100,000, reflecting leaner budgets or earlier-stage organizations. In contrast, New York-based roles—especially at larger firms—offered significantly higher pay, with salaries ranging from $120,000 to $342,000, highlighting the premium placed on experienced strategic operators in more competitive U.S. markets.