As high-tech organizations face more pressure from changing technology, AI and an increasingly demanding business climate, more CIOs and CTOs are adding a key role to their team: the Chief of Staff.
Besides being a staple in presidential administrations, the Chief of Staff (CoS) has long been a strategic role for business executives across multiple industries. However, demand for Chiefs of Staff in the technology space has been on the rise over the past several years as C-suite executives seek help to make operations more efficient, improve communications, and free up time to handle other executive priorities.
The rise of this crucial role gained significant momentum between 2019 and 2022, during which time LinkedIn saw a 33 percent increase in Chiefs of Staff profiles and a remarkable jump of over 1900 percent in the number of CoS job listings, a trend that has continued to grow.
According to professional organization Chief of Staff Network, technology organizations top industries that employ Chiefs of Staff with 25.7 percent. They are followed by the banking and investment industry with 17.6 percent.
Among the factors driving the demand by CIOs and CTOs is the fact that digital transformation, AI, and cyber security initiatives in their organizations are becoming more complex and faster paced. That acceleration and broader transformation scope creates more demand for their time in order to keep up. At the same time, they are grappling with heightened business and economic demands in an increasingly competitive market, as well as an evolving geopolitical climate.
So, the pace of business is moving faster. The pace of technology change is moving faster. Expectations are higher, especially for new CIOs or CTOs that have to be savvy business leaders and technology experts, all at the same time.
As a result, many are considering the merits of having a Chief of Staff as a trusted advisor to give them leverage and gain efficiencies.
The many hats of the CoS
The day-to-day specifics of what a CoS does and the skillsets they bring to the role depend, in part, on the needs of the individual tech leader. The executive should seek a CoS with skills that complement rather than duplicate their own.
For example, the tech leader might be very good technically but less adept at driving employee engagement and communication across their team. The CoS can then help build camaraderie with team building and collaboration efforts. They can also augment the executive’s financial management with detailed budget oversight and can be instrumental in directing operational activities across the organization.
There are many ways to describe the role of a CoS. They connect people across different teams. They operate behind the scenes to clear roadblocks and reduce friction in operational processes. They are good influencers, and the nature of the role positions them to more easily drive widespread support for programs and initiatives.
An effective CoS is a utility player who needs to be able to flex and go where they are needed at any given time on behalf of the tech leader in order to help the organization run more effectively. They are like the coxswain on a rowing team. They make sure that all the oars are rowing in the same direction, with the same cadence, smoothing out the water as they go.
A wide range of benefits
CIOs and CTOs can gain many advantages from partnering with a CoS. Among them:
- As a connector and communicator across the organization, the CoS provides the ability to increase the reach of the tech leader across more stakeholders
- Helps balance and reinforce strategic priorities, providing direction on key initiatives and promoting alignment across the organization
- Supports management decisions and provides meeting preparation, supplying background data and trusted advice
- Defines and helps facilitate the implementation of operational efficiencies and processes within the organization, ensuring everyone is using standardized practices
- Acts as a liaison with HR and finance, to oversee a centralized approach to hiring, training, talent management and recruiting, as well as budget and vendor management
- Serves as a first line of defense in budget management, including cost containment, forecasting, and driving financial efficiencies in the organization
- Helps to accelerate project implementation and monitor key initiatives that are going on across the teams
- Provides conflict resolution, using communications skills and relationship building to resolve issues
- Centralizes crisis response efforts, whether it is reacting to a security breach, a pandemic or major technology outage, the CoS ensures a coordinated approach across teams and helps facilitate key decision making
- Brings stability and calm to the organization, particularly in the face of chaos
Ultimately, having a CoS gives tech leaders leverage to focus on relationship building with key stakeholders, strategy development and business alignment across the C-Suite. It tends to increase overall productivity and results driven by the organization. It can also lead to a more positive team environment due to increased communication, collaboration and overall transparency—which drives employee engagement.
As one CTO of a leading private equity firm put it, “Throughout my career in executive-level technology roles, I have found the Chief of Staff role to be indispensable. This trusted advisor not only ensures executive program structure but also drives the success of technology functions across diverse verticals. As a key player in aligning the organization with the business strategy, the Chief of Staff offers unparalleled program leverage while fostering a structured approach across multiple dimensions.”
For organizations considering the benefits of a Chief of Staff, or those seeking support in this capacity, Vizionara offers experienced professionals who can provide a department-agnostic and unbiased perspective. Our team has a strong track record of serving as Chiefs of Staff for leading global CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives across a variety of industries.
— Denise Keller, Principal Consultant, and Barbara DeLoureiro, CEO and Founder, were joined in writing this blog by longtime CoS Susan McCartin.
