Job Specifications
Our client delivers innovative solutions for global clients in retail, sport, leisure, and corporate sectors. They are entering a new phase of rapid growth, brand evolution, and international expansion and are seeking an Interim Chief of Staff to step in as a trusted partner to the CEO and the leadership team, ensuring the business continues to run with clarity, accountability, and ambition.
Job Title: Chief of Staff
Contract: Fixed-term, Maternity Cover (approx. 13 – 14 months)
Reports to: CEO
Location: London – hybrid, 4 days per week office based
Salary: up to £75K
Consultant: anna@lilyshippen.co.uk - Please direct all enquiries to Anna.
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE AVAILABLE TO START WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
Role Overview
The Chief of Staff is a pivotal role at the heart of the organisation. Acting as the CEO’s strategic partner and the leadership team’s driver, this role will ensure the business continues to operate with pace, clarity, and ambition. This role is about much more than coordination, it’s about making the organisation sharper, more accountable, and more innovative every day.
The successful candidate
Will earn immediate credibility with senior leaders and teams
Bring authority and presence to hold people accountable and challenge constructively
Bring new strategy & execute
Keep existing projects and strategy on track whilst bringing new strategy innovation into the mix and successfully executing it
Embed innovation, bring fresh ways of thinking
Be the cultural custodian, shaping how leaders lead, how teams collaborate, and how success is recognised
Unite the leadership team, ensuring meetings are purposeful, decisions are followed through, and communication flows smoothly across companies and management layers
In short, the Interim Chief of Staff ensures that the leadership team functions at its best and that the group continues to innovate and grow
Role Responsibilities
Leadership Alignment & Accountability
Drive the operating rhythm of the business ensuring Senior level meetings, Focus Days and strategy reviews are run with discipline and impact
Hold senior leaders accountable to commitments and KPI’s
Ensure decision-making is fast, issues are resolved rather than carried forward, and momentum is maintained
Strengthen alignment between the Executive Leadership Team and Middle Management, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and communication flows
Strategic Execution
Oversee the delivery of critical group initiatives
Keep cross-company projects on track with clear ownership, milestones, and resourcing
Introduce innovative ways of working to improve the pace, collaboration, and effectiveness of execution
Provide structured updates to the CEO and leadership team on progress, risks, and actions
Partner with the People team to roll initiatives including updated job role profiles, and updated appraisal processes
Champion leadership development programmes
Promote a culture of ambition, collaboration, humour, and resilience
Drive adoption and effective use of systems and reporting dashboards to create data-driven decision-making
Ensure quarterly and annual planning cycles are disciplined, realistic, and aligned to strategy
Personal Specification Experience & Knowledge
10+ years’ experience in a Chief of Staff, Strategy, or senior leadership role in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial organisation
Strong track record in driving leadership accountability, delivering strategy, and managing cross-functional initiatives. Experience working with leadership frameworks
Experience in working with fast-paced entrepreneurs
Experience embedding culture, values, and organisational change programmes
Skills & Competencies
Presence and authority to gain respect quickly and challenge constructively
Strategic thinker who can turn vision into clear, measurable action
Skilled facilitator and communicator with the ability to influence at senior level
Organised, analytical, and data-driven with excellent project leadership skills
Innovative mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
Commercial thinker
Confident, firm but fair. Can walk into a room and own it; not afraid to push back and protect focus
Independent thinker who evaluates ideas realistically rather than saying yes to everything
Accountable, resilient, and collaborative with strong relationship-building skills
Brings energy, creativity, and positivity while driving high standards
Quick learner and adapter to drive people
Not scared of a fast-paced environment and excited at the prospect of change
Lily Shippen is a leading recruitment agency, specialising in executive support and business support recruitment. We connect top talent with exceptional opportunities across the UK and internationally. Our expertise spans Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, Office Manager, Chief of Staff, and HR recruitment, offering tailored solutions for businesses across various industries.
We recruit for permanent, temporary, and fixed-term contract roles