Chief of Staff

The Chief of Staff serves as a key partner to the IEEE Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer (ED), playing a central role in aligning priorities, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and ensuring coordinated execution across the enterprise. Operating at the center of a complex and mission-driven environment, this role is focused on improving how time, information, and decisions are managed to enable clear direction and effective outcomes.

As a member of the IEEE Management Council (MC), the Chief of Staff helps shape and implement staff and volunteer initiatives and deliver results within their area of responsibility, which may evolve with the needs of IEEE’s priorities. This includes supporting IEEE’s evolving global vision by developing focused plans to deliver KPIs, contributing to a high-performing business development environment, and maintaining the ongoing health of the broader organization.

The Chief of Staff shares collective responsibility with the MC for the management, performance, and evaluation of all IEEE functions and business units.

This position ensures that the business, operational, financial, cultural, and relational frameworks within IEEE are aligned with both current needs and future direction. It is especially vital in moments of growth, transition, or complexity, helping to maintain momentum, unity, and clarity across the organization.In daily practice, the Chief of Staff fulfills several essential functions that support the effective leadership and cohesion of the organization. The role operates: As an air traffic controller for the ED, managing the flow of decisions, communications, and priorities to ensure focus and alignment.

As an integrator, connecting initiatives and workstreams that might otherwise remain siloed, fostering cross-functional collaboration.

As a communicator, serving as a link between the staff leadership team and IEEE’s global community of volunteers and professionals.

As an honest broker, providing balanced, objective insight into complex issues and presenting multiple perspectives without bias.

As a confidante, offering guidance and perspective to the ED, focused solely on the best interests of the enterprise.
Through these contributions, the Chief of Staff plays an essential role in helping IEEE operate with focus, consistency, and cohesion across a diverse and global landscape.

Key Responsibilities Specific duties include but not limited to:

•Serve as a thought partner to the ED, synthesizing key issues, surfacing emerging challenges, and ensuring the ED is equipped with the context, insight, and follow-through required for informed, high-impact decisions.

•Recognize and address political, cultural, and relational challenges among individuals, teams, or OUs that impede collaboration, slow progress, or resist change. Identify areas where silos or entrenched behaviors limit innovation or agility, and propose clear, constructive pathways to foster alignment, break down barriers and silos, and support more effective, future-ready ways of working.

•Foster a culture of shared accountability, commitment to deadlines, and collective ownership, where individuals across all levels work proactively and in alig