Frequently asked questions

The chief of staff plays an important role in minimising distractions and interruptions from the executive's day by prioritising, organising, and executing on projects so they can focus on the vision and growth of the company. The chief of staff bridges the gap between strategy and execution by transforming big-picture thinking into tangible daily actions and facilitating cross-functional collaboration across the C-Suite and organisation.

The chief of staff is able to flex in and out of functional areas as needed, but focuses primarily on strategic advising, business operations, and communication. This may include hosting strategic planning sessions, identifying key initiatives and the critical path for success, identifying gaps in roles and responsibilities, tracking and reporting performance through a Business Health Dashboard, and launching the Rhythm of Business to create accountability.

Typically, the Executive Assistant handles more tactical activities and is responsible for administrative tasks, meeting preparation, note-taking, follow-up, and managing the executive's calendar, expenses, and travel. The chief of staff has a more strategic focus and is responsible for identifying priority projects, delegating, cultivating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and other executives, as well as planning, project management, and communication across departments.

The chief of staff is the right hand to the leader they serve, whereas the COO serves the entire organisation. The chief of staff's primary focus is maximising their executive's time and resources, while the COO is focused on doing the same across the entire organisation. The chief of staff typically operates behind the scenes, advising the CEO and helping them to be the most effective leader, whereas the COO is more outward-facing both within and outside the organisation. The chief of staff and CEO usually share a team, and it is uncommon for a chief of staff to have direct reports, whereas it is common for the COO to have their own team, direct reports, and even their own chief of staff.

Fractional workers are individuals who fulfil the roles and responsibilities of traditional positions for a fraction of the time a normal, full-time employee would work. A key difference is that fractional hiring is not project-based, and the time for which a person is contracted is usually more than a typical part-time work arrangement.

No. An interim employee, unlike a fractional employee, is someone who works full-time at a single company for a set period of time without becoming a long-term employee.

Fractional hiring gives companies access to skilled experts with deep industry experience and knowledge at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time employee. This is especially beneficial for early-stage startups where budgets are tight and gaps are still being identified.

Fractional work provides flexibility to employees and often results in a healthier work-life balance, which has been shown to increase productivity and engagement in the workplace. As fractional hires become more familiar with your organisation over time, they are able to invest more time and attention into your business compared to a freelancer whose primary goal is completing a defined scope of work or a specific project.

We run a rigorous three-round interview process, including a panel interview, business case presentation, and reference and background checks. We work with you to customise the chief of staff support you need, with contracts ranging from 15 to 40 hours per week. Given our team's seniority and consulting background, we are able to ramp up quickly using our customised 30, 60, 90-day onboarding guide. We also provide centralised project management, deliverables, systems, and ongoing support through our Chief of Staff Centre of Excellence.

Our chiefs of staff have experience across a wide range of industries, though we specialise in professional services companies and non-profits in the early stages of growth and funding.

Connect with us or apply to the particular opportunity for consideration by our team of recruiters.