Enter your email and we'll share the insights. Hitting submit opts you into our mailing list.
Hire a Chief of Staff through Recruiting from Scratch. We place chiefs of staff at VC-backed startups to drive strategy execution and multiply CEO effectiveness. 29-day average.
A Chief of Staff is an executive force multiplier — someone who extends the CEO's bandwidth by owning strategic projects, running the operating cadence, and ensuring the organization executes against its priorities. At a startup, the CoS role is broad and undefined: they might own the board deck one week, run the annual planning process the next, and troubleshoot an operational crisis the week after that.
Series A through Series C, when the CEO is drowning in operational detail and needs a trusted partner to own execution of strategic priorities. The signal: the CEO is the bottleneck on too many decisions, important projects are stalling for lack of ownership, or the company is scaling faster than the executive team's bandwidth.
The strongest Chiefs of Staff come from management consulting (McKinsey, BCG, Bain), investment banking, or prior roles at high-growth startups in strategy, BizOps, or general management. Recruiting from Scratch looks for CoS candidates with exceptional written communication, structured problem-solving, and comfort operating at the CEO's level of abstraction — from board-level strategy to day-to-day operations.
Based on our database of 92 real postings, the median salary for a Chief Of Staff is $198K. Salaries typically range from $155K to $220K, reflecting variations in company size, industry, and the specific experience required. We see these figures as a strong benchmark for compensation in this critical role.
On average, we find that hiring a Chief Of Staff takes approximately 29 days from initial search to offer acceptance. This is significantly faster than the industry average, which typically ranges from 45 to 60 days. Our extensive network and streamlined process help us identify and place top talent efficiently.
When hiring a Chief Of Staff, we advise looking for exceptional organizational skills, strategic thinking, and strong communication abilities. Candidates should demonstrate a proven track record of supporting senior executives and driving key initiatives. We prioritize individuals who can build trust and adapt quickly to changing priorities within an organization.
To assess a Chief Of Staff candidate effectively, we recommend a multi-faceted approach focusing on their past impact and problem-solving skills. Behavioral interviews should explore how they've managed complex projects and supported leaders in previous roles. We also conduct thorough reference checks to validate their ability to operate with discretion and influence across an organization.
Historically, the Chief Of Staff role has often been in-person due to the close working relationship with the principal and the need for immediate collaboration. While we've seen an increase in remote and hybrid options, many organizations still prefer some level of in-person presence for this critical support function. The decision often depends on the principal's working style and the company's overall culture.
Tell us about your open roles and we'll start sourcing within 48 hours.
