Chief of Staff

Confidential Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Company is seeking a Chief of Staff to serve as a trusted strategic advisor, thought partner, and executive operator to the President of a fast-growing nonprofit. This is a highly strategic leadership role that blends intellectual rigor with hands-on execution, aligning leadership and advancing high-impact priorities.

Not a traditional administrative role, the position requires shaping organizational strategy, navigating complex decisions, and driving critical initiatives from

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategy, operations, or complex cross-functional leadership.
• Experience in nonprofit, philanthropy, agency, or startup environments preferred.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, business judgment, and executive presence.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives and influence decisions.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives from strategy to execution.
• Strong written and verbal communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Advise the President as a trusted strategic partner, shaping direction and surface issues for executive attention.
• Translate vision into actionable plans with ownership, timelines, and measurable outcomes.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Business judgment

Communication

Autonomy

Job description

We are seeking an exceptional Chief of Staff to serve as a trusted strategic advisor, thought partner, and executive operator to the President of a fast-growing, mission-driven nonprofit organization.

This is a highly strategic leadership role for someone who combines intellectual curiosity, exceptional judgment, and strong business acumen with the ability to turn ambitious ideas into meaningful action.

The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable challenging assumptions, shaping organizational strategy, navigating complex decisions, and rolling up their sleeves to drive execution. They will serve as an extension of the President, helping to align leadership, advance critical priorities, and ensure high-impact initiatives move forward.

This is not a traditional administrative Chief of Staff position.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Advisory & Executive Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor and sounding board to the President, offering independent perspectives, challenging assumptions, and helping shape strategic direction.
• Provide counsel on complex decisions involving organizational strategy, growth, brand, partnerships, leadership, and operating models.
• Synthesize complex information, identify opportunities and risks, and develop thoughtful, actionable recommendations.
• Anticipate organizational needs, connect the dots across functions, and proactively surface issues requiring executive attention.

Strategic Execution & Special Initiatives

• Translate the President's vision and priorities into actionable plans with clear ownership, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Personally lead high-priority, cross-functional initiatives from strategic development through execution.
• Drive accountability, remove obstacles, and ensure critical initiatives move from discussion to delivery.
• Identify organizational gaps, dependencies, and opportunities to improve effectiveness.

Executive Representation & Decision Support

• Represent the President in select internal and external meetings, communicating priorities and advancing initiatives within delegated authority.
• Frame strategic decisions, evaluate tradeoffs, and prepare concise executive briefings and recommendations.
• Exercise sound judgment in determining which decisions can be advanced independently and which require presidential involvement.
• Navigate sensitive matters and complex stakeholder relationships with discretion, diplomacy, and confidence.

Leadership Alignment & Organizational Effectiveness

• Partner closely with senior leadership to align priorities, resolve cross-functional challenges, and ensure accountability.
• Build trusted relationships across the organization and influence outcomes without relying on formal authority.
• Help establish effective leadership operating rhythms, ensuring meetings drive meaningful decisions and follow-through.
• Coordinate closely with executive leadership while respecting functional ownership and accountability.

Board & External Stakeholder Engagement

• Support preparation for board meetings, strategic partnerships, and other high-priority stakeholder engagements.
• Develop strategic briefing materials, recommendations, and executive communications.
• Represent the President externally when appropriate and authorized.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in strategy, operations, executive leadership, management consulting, or complex cross-functional leadership.
• Experience in brand, nonprofit, philanthropy, agency, or startup environments strongly preferred.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, business judgment, and the intellectual range to engage across multiple organizational disciplines.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives, constructively challenge leadership, and influence consequential decisions.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from strategy through measurable execution.
• Strong ability to synthesize information, connect disparate ideas, and translate complexity into clear recommendations.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, discretion, intellectual humility, and executive presence.
• Highly proactive, resourceful, and comfortable operating with autonomy in a fast-moving environment.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, and evolving organizational structures.
• Genuine passion for purpose-driven work and building organizations that create meaningful impact.

What Success Looks Like

• The President has a trusted strategic partner who brings fresh perspectives, strengthens decision-making, and helps advance the organization's vision.
• High-priority initiatives move forward with clarity, accountability, and measurable results.
• Senior leadership operates with greater alignment, collaboration, and effectiveness.
• The President is able to focus more attention on long-term strategy, external relationships, and organizational leadership.
• The organization benefits from stronger execution, more effective decision-making, and improved coordination across functions.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is intellectually sharp, strategically sophisticated, emotionally intelligent, and exceptionally resourceful. Someone who can see the big picture without losing sight of the details, challenge ideas without ego, and build trust with leaders at every level.

• Above all, this individual should be energized by the opportunity to work alongside an ambitious President, help shape a growing organization, and contribute to work with meaningful national impact.