Chief of staff

The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a president, or a senior military officer, or leader of a large organization.

In general, 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 chiefs of staff act 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.

Civilian

Government

Chief of Staff of the Presidency (Brazil)
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister (Canada)
Chief Presidential Secretary, chief of staff to the President of South Korea
Chief of Staff (Philippines), a former position in the Cabinet of the Philippines, serving under the President of the Philippines
Moncloa Chief of Staff (Spain)
Chief of Staff to the President (Nigeria)
Downing Street Chief of Staff (United Kingdom)
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Chief of Staff of PM)
- Principal Secretary to the President of Pakistan
Chief of staff (United States Congress), the most senior staff member in the office of a member of the United States Congress
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India (PS to PM)

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.

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

In Azerbaijan

Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces - head of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces

In Canada

Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
- Chief of the Air Staff (Canada)

In 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 Staff of the French Gendarmerie (French: Directeur-Général de la Gendarmerie, DGGN)

In Ghana

Chief of Defence Staff
- Chief of the Army Staff
- Chief of the Navy Staff
- Chief of the Air Staff

In 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

In India

Chief of Defence Staff
- Chief of Staff of the Indian Army
- Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy
- Chief of Staff of the Indian Air Force

In Indonesia

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force

In Ireland

Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces

In Israel

Chief of the Israeli General Staff

In Italy

Chief of the Defence Staff
- Chief of the Army Staff
- Chief of the Navy Staff
- Chief of the Air Force Staff

In Pakistan

- Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
  - Chief of Army Staff
    - CGS
  - Chief of Naval Staff
    - Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
  - Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)

In the Philippines

Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines - exercises command and control over all elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

In 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

In 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

In 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

In the 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.

In the 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.