Your job is to be an extension of a senior leader so they have more capacity. You will learn how to think and operate like them so you can make decisions on their behalf and represent them throughout the business.
Your work will be extremely varied - it can be everything from giving feedback on a product demo to opening the new office in Bangkok.
This is a great role for 1-3 years early in your career to get exposure to all parts of a business and build a relationship + learn from an amazing operator and senior leader.
Having PnL responsibilities early in your career is a great opportunity in some CoS roles, and you can learn a lot about managing people and projects without directly being in those roles.
Don't expect to do much deep work. You will get thrown ambiguous tasks and be expected to "figure it out". Everything from recruiting for urgent hires, to preparing presentations, to launching a new product. Depending where you are, don't be surprised if you get late night or weekend messages with last minute actions, and be prepared to learn how to manage expectations and prioritise.
The #1 thing to consider when looking at CoS roles is who the leader you will work with is. You will spend more time with this person than your partner.
Are they a good operator, mentor and personality fit for you?
Equity in the business that typically vests over 4 years with 25% per year.
Chief of Staffs will often start a new business or lead a division within the company after their stint. If they leave the company it's common for them to start their own companies or take a leadership role elsewhere.
You will learn skills that are useful in many types of roles and businesses from the broad range of tasks you'll have on your plate as a CoS.
You will build relationships across the entire organisation and maybe even with external stakeholders like customers and investors. These will serve you well in the future.
You will be an extension of someone on the leadership team. At a startup or scale-up this means you will need to keep up with them while they build a rocketship.
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