A chief of staff is traditionally the coordinator of the supporting staff of an important individual, usually a high-level politician, military leader or business executive. In some circumstances, the chief of staff may simply serve as the head of an organization who reports to a functionally remote or ceremonial executive. Recent years have seen a proliferation of the term, and it now can be used to refer to coordinative positions ranging from personal assistants (usually to junior politicians) up to the commanders of military formations. Chiefs of staff typically have no personal or positional power of their own, acting only on behalf and with the authority of their superior.
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Military
- Chief of staff (military)
- Chief of the General Staff
- Chief of the Defence Staff is the senior member of the Canadian Forces
- Ramatkal, or Chief of the General Staff, the highest ranking officer in the Israeli General Staff
- Chef des Stabes, commander of the Nazi Sturmabteilung
- Chief of Staff of Irish Republican Army
United Kingdom military
- Chief of the Air Staff
- Chief of the Defence Staff
- Chief of the Imperial General Staff
- Chiefs of Staff Committee, the most senior military personnel in the British forces
- First Sea Lord or Chief of the Naval Staff
United States military
- Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States military
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Chief of Staff of the United States Army
- Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
- Chief of Staff of the United States Navy
Politics
- The chief aide to a political leader
- Chef de Cabinet (UN) to the United Nations Secretary General
- White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States
- Deputy White House Chief of Staff, top aide to the White House Chief of Staff
- Chief of Staff (United States Congress), the most senior staff member in the office of a member of the United States Congress
- Chief of Staff (United Kingdom), the head of the Prime Minister's Office in the United Kingdom
- Chief of Staff (Brazil), the head of the Presidential Office and direct aide to the President of Brazil
- Chief of Staff (Canada), the head of the Prime Minister's Office of Canada
- Chief of Staff (Philippines), the head of the Office of the President in the Philippines
