Chief of Staff to Founder - Startup

We are looking at a Chief of Staff to Founder based in Gurgaon for a startup.

Position Title : Chief of Staff to Founder

Reporting To : Founder & CEO

Location : Hybrid / Remote

Role Overview :

The Chief of Staff serves as a strategic partner to the Founder, ensuring alignment between business priorities, people strategy, leadership development initiatives, and organizational execution. This role combines strategic planning, HR and talent management, learning & development, project management, and executive support to drive organizational growth and operational excellence. The ideal candidate is highly organized, commercially aware, people-centric, and capable of translating the Founders vision into actionable initiatives across the organization.

Key Responsibilities :

Strategic Partnership & Business Operations :

- Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the Founder.

- Drive execution of strategic priorities and organizational initiatives.

- Monitor business performance against key objectives and KPIs.

- Coordinate cross-functional projects and ensure timely delivery.

- Prepare executive reports, presentations, and business reviews.

- Track action items from leadership meetings and drive accountability.

Human Resources & Talent Management :

- Support workforce planning and organizational design initiatives.

- Develop and implement talent management strategies.

- Oversee recruitment and onboarding for key positions.

- Partner with department heads on performance management processes.

- Support employee engagement, retention, and culture-building initiatives.

- Drive succession planning and leadership pipeline development.

Learning & Leadership Development :

- Design and implement leadership development frameworks.

- Manage coaching, mentoring, and talent development programs.

- Conduct training needs assessments and create learning roadmaps.

- Identify external learning partners, facilitators, and coaches.

- Measure training effectiveness and leadership impact.

- Promote a continuous learning culture across the organization.

Founder Office Management :

- Manage strategic priorities and special projects on behalf of the Founder.

- Ensure alignment of leadership teams with organizational goals.

- Prepare briefing notes, meeting agendas, and follow-up actions.

- Represent the Founder in internal and external meetings when required.

- Support stakeholder management and key partnership initiatives.

Culture & Organizational Effectiveness :

- Champion company values and culture.

- Facilitate leadership workshops and team effectiveness initiatives.

- Drive employee listening and feedback mechanisms.

- Support change management and transformation projects.

- Build systems that enhance collaboration, communication, and productivity.

Qualifications :

Education :

- Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Psychology, Organizational Development, or related field.

- Masters degree or relevant certifications preferred.

Experience :

- 8 - 15 years of experience in HR, Talent Development, Learning & Development, Consulting, or Business Operations.

- Experience working directly with senior leadership or founders.

- Proven track record of managing strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects.

- Experience in leadership development, coaching, mentoring, or organizational development is highly desirable.

Key Competencies :

Strategic & Business Skills :

- Strategic thinking and business acumen

- Project and program management

- Data-driven decision making

- Stakeholder management

- Problem-solving and execution excellence

People & Leadership Skills :

- Leadership development expertise

- Talent management

- Coaching and mentoring capabilities

- Organizational development

- Change management

Personal Attributes :

- High emotional intelligence

- Exceptional communication skills

- Strong influencing and relationship-building abilities

- Ability to operate in ambiguity and fast-paced environments

- Confidentiality and professional maturity

Success Metrics :

- Successful execution of Founder-led strategic initiatives.

- Leadership development and succession readiness across key roles.

- Employee engagement and retention improvements.

- Timely completion of organizational projects and priorities.

- Enhanced leadership effectiveness and organizational capability.

- Improved alignment between business objectives and people strategy. If keen please call at 9811967450