Chief of staff (or head of staff) is a leadership title with different meanings in civilian and military organizations. In civilian government organizations and businesses, a chief of staff is a primary aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a president or leader of a large organization. In military organizations, a chief of staff is the leader of a complex organization, such as one of a country's armed forces, while the role that coordinates supporting staff for a senior military officer may be titled a principal staff officer (PSO). Organizations such as the Chief of Staff Association have created a global community of Chiefs and deliver executive education programmes.
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Civilian
In civilian organizations, a chief of staff provides a buffer between a chief executive and that executive's direct-reporting team. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive. Often a chief of staff acts as a confidant and advisor to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas. Ultimately the actual duties depend on the position and the people involved. In an organization, the chief of staff may play a role that is metaphorically akin to an "air traffic controller" for the leader and the senior team; as an integrator connecting work streams that would otherwise remain siloed; as a communicator linking the leadership team and the broader organization; as an honest broker and truth teller when the leader needs a wide-ranging view; and as a confidant without an organizational agenda. An organization may also hire an associate chief of staff (ACoS), a senior operational role that serves as a partner to the chief of staff (CoS).
Government
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
Chief of Staff of the Presidency
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
Principal Secretary
Chief of Staff of the Presidency
In France, a distinction is made between a politician's directeur de cabinet and chef de cabinet. The directeur de cabinet is tasked with organising the work of the staff and is authorised to make certain decisions or speak on behalf of the politician. It is thus the more political role. The chef de cabinet is under the authority of the directeur de cabinet and is tasked with organising the politician's agenda.
At the Élysée, a third function exists: the Secrétaire général de la présidence de la République (Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic). The officeholder is the de facto chief of staff to the President of France, above the directeur de cabinet and chef de cabinet. The secretary-general is the president's closest advisor, coordinating with the government and taking part in the weekly Council of Ministers.
Head of the German Chancellery
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India
Chief of Staff to the President
Principal Secretary to the President
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
Chief of Staff (Philippines), a former position in the Cabinet of the Philippines, serving under the President of the Philippines
Special Assistant to the President
Chief Presidential Secretary, chief of staff to the President of South Korea
Military
In general, the positions listed below are not "chiefs of staff" as defined at the top of this page; they are the heads of the various forces/commands and tend to have subordinates that fulfill the "chief of staff" roles – the most senior staff officer managing the overall commander's staff.
In general
Chief of the Defence
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the Army Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff
Category:Vice chiefs of staff
Azerbaijan
Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces - head of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Canada
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
France
Chief of the Defence Staff (French: Chef d'état-major des Armées, CEMA)
Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'état-major de l'Armée de l'air, CEMAA)
Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: Chef d'état-major de l'Armée de terre, CEMAT)
Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: Chef d'état-major de la Marine, CEMM)
Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic (French: Chef de l'état-major particulier du président de la République, CEMP)
Ghana
Chief of Defence Staff
Chief of the Army Staff
Chief of the Navy Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
Greece
Chief of the Defence Staff (Greece)
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Army
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Navy
India
Chief of Defence Staff (Indian Armed Forces)
Chief of the Army Staff (Indian Army)
Chief of the Naval Staff (Indian Navy)
Chief of the Air Staff (Indian Air Force)
Indonesia
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force
Ireland
Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces
Israel
Chief of the Israeli General Staff
Italy
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Army Staff
Chief of the Navy Staff
Chief of the Air Force Staff
Pakistan
Chief of Defence Force
Chief of the Army Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
Philippines
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines - exercises command and control over all elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Chief of Staff, Philippine Army
Chief of Naval Staff (Philippine Navy)
Chief of Air Staff (Philippine Air Force)
Portugal
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas, CEMGFA) - operational commander of the Portuguese Armed Forces
Chief of Staff of the Navy (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior da Armada, CEMA) - commander of the Portuguese Navy
Chief of Staff of the Army (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior do Exército, CEME) - commander of the Portuguese Army
Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea, CEMFA) - commander of the Portuguese Air Force
Spain
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of Staff of the Army
Chief of Staff of the Navy
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Sri Lanka
Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka) - the most senior appointment in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
Chief of Staff of the Army - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Army
Chief of Staff of the Navy - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Navy
Chief of Staff of the Air Force - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force
United Kingdom
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) - the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
Chief of the Naval Staff, more commonly called the First Sea Lord
Chief of the General Staff, formerly the Chief of the Imperial General Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
The Sovereign is the Commander-in-Chief. The CDS heads the Chiefs of Staff Committee and is assisted by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.
United States
Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
An Army general (O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Army, but subordinate to any Army O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
An Air Force general (O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Air Force, but subordinate to any USAF O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
In unified combatant commands, headed by a general (O-10) or Navy admiral (O-10)
A major general (O-8) or Navy or Coast Guard rear admiral (O-8) overseeing the command's directorates
In military commands headed by a lieutenant general (O-9), vice admiral (O-9), major general (O-8) or rear admiral (O-8), or brigadier general (O-7) or rear admiral, lower half (O-7)
A colonel (O-6) or Navy or Coast Guard captain (O-6) overseeing the entire general officer's/flag officer's command staff; in some cases may also be referred to as an executive assistant or executive officer
In some commands and organizations, two officers in pay grade O-6 may be assigned as chief of staff and executive assistant, respectively.