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Chief of Staff Role

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Pitching Yourself as a Chief of Staff

Writing your Proposal

No part of this template should be directly copied or used without properly tailoring it to your unique situation, qualifications, and the specific opportunity you are pursuing.

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⏰ Section 1: Proposal Introduction

{a blurb relevant and specific to the company and your conversations thus far with the leadership/individual you would support. For example:}
I've truly enjoyed our discussions about {company_name}'s future and growth opportunities, and I've felt a strong alignment with your vision and values, especially regarding customer success and building out an infrastructure to support a full-time team and culture. The opportunity to build out internal operations from almost-scratch like this is a dream to me as an operator at heart with COO ambitions.
{a blurb about you and what makes you unique - your USP (unique selling point) - and how it aligns with them. For example:}
My approach is deeply rooted in the relationships I build, the teams I support, and the positive impact we have together. This people-first perspective is why I'm drawn to the culture at {company_name} and excited about the potential for a synergistic collaboration that leverages my experience in driving operational excellence, developing and implementing strategic initiatives, and providing key insights to support decision-making and company development.
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💼 Section 2: Being a Chief of Staff at Company XYZ

What is a “Chief of Staff”?
{even if they know, describing what a Chief of Staff is to you is a powerful introduction to the proposal. For example:}
Why Chief of Staff?
{explain why you feel this is what they need. For example:}
Here’s how I aim to contribute:
{based on the discussions you’ve had and the areas they’re looking for help in, outline some of the ways you plan to contribute; you can weave in a light SWOT analysis based on your understanding of the current state and opportunities you see. For example:}
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🤝 Section 3: Compensation Plans

{you can go so far as to provide compensation plan options. For example:}
This proposal is offered in a spirit of partnership and openness, with a genuine and keen interest in finding a mutually beneficial agreement. I look forward to your thoughts and am more than willing to discuss any aspect of this proposal further.
Given our discussions, the breadth of responsibilities inherent in the Chief of Staff role, my understanding of industry benchmarks, alongside personal considerations such as covering health, dental, and vision insurance independently, I propose the following compensation options:
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💡 Section 4: Appendix

{including information on the rationale behind the proposal, some research you did, etc., can help get ahead of potential questions, provide context and show the thought that went into your proposal
Context & Considerations:
Previous Salary: I was making {$}/year ({$}/month) in my previous role at {company_name} with full medical, dental, and vision insurance covered for me in addition to this.
Health Insurance: I’ve estimated that I will pay about {$}/month, so {$}/year, for medical, dental, and vision insurance (I have already researched the plans I would elect).
Tax: I will be responsible for withholding and paying income and self-employment taxes myself.
Fixed-Rate Preference: Personally, I prefer a fixed-rate over commission-base, hence the higher salary option and my commitment to doing sales without commission. If I happen to crush it in sales, good for {company_name} as a whole!
Research:
I spoke with folks at {company_name} for two reasons: to learn how they run operations internally (team structure, how team members are paid, etc.) and to research what my role(s) could be.
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