Chief of Staff to CEO

Our client, a newly established philanthropic Foundation in Dallas, TX, backed by a private UHNW family office (FO), is seeking a highly professional, discreet, & mission-driven Chief of Staff (CoS) to support its inaugural CEO. This is a rare opportunity to be the first-ever CoS hire for a founding CEO of a foundation making a meaningful impact in the Dallas community & beyond. This is a high-priority hire for the CEO, & as one of the largest foundations in the state of TX, you’ll contribute by helping her to build its systems, rhythms, & culture from the ground up. 

In this high-impact hybrid role, the CoS will serve as a trusted right hand to the CEO, balancing comprehensive EA support (60-70%) w/ strategic operational projects (30-40%). This position maximizes & protects the CEO’s time by managing complex logistics & high-level confidential tasks. Operating w/ strict discretion & independent judgment, the CoS will act as a primary point of contact & trusted proxy to triage requests, manage competing priorities, & streamline daily executive operations. Although the CoS’s role focuses on supporting the CEO & Foundation, the employer of record will be the FO. The CEO is also the Head of Philanthropy for the FO, so strong collaboration w/ the FO team & EAs is vital.

The ideal candidate brings strong business acumen, executive presence, a professional demeanor, & an outstanding attention to detail. We seek a proactive self-starter w/ exceptional discretion, integrity, & high emotional intelligence. This individual should possess a warm, service-oriented disposition & the ability to navigate ambiguity while building something new. Ultimately, the role requires sharp judgment, anticipation of needs, & proactive problem-solving in a fast-paced setting.

This exempt role requires an in-office presence to support the CEO & a growing team. A hybrid work schedule may be added in the future.

Location: The CoS will be provided their own office on the top floor of a beautiful, Class-A mixed-use development in the Preston Center area of Dallas. 

Hours: This is an on-site position w/ standard hours of M-F, 9:00am-5:00pm w/ additional flexibility to stay longer when needed to assist w/ end-of-day wrap-up.

While routine weekend/after-hours work is not expected, the CoS should be available to receive communications from the CEO outside of normal business hours & respond promptly to urgent matters, while addressing non-urgent requests appropriately (e.g., next business day). 

Flexibility is required to attend events alongside the CEO or act on her behalf when needed. 

The Foundation:

The Foundation stands upon the family’s guiding principles of integrity, compassion, community, justice, faith, freedom, loyalty, meaningful opportunity, & empowered self-reliance. They catalyze meaningful change by investing in initiatives that embody these values & create lasting positive impact across generations. Specifically, they support organizations that are creating educational excellence, improving healthcare access to underserved communities, protecting animals, & contributing to the welfare of our first responders and veterans. Additionally, they invest in the vitality of Texas by empowering local organizations and entrepreneurs that drive community transformation. 

About YOU: 

• Supportive/Positive: You're humble, possess a servant's heart, maintain a positive attitude, believe no task is too small, & are a team player.
• Independent/Proactive: You're a resourceful self-starter w/ a "figure it out" mentality who works exceptionally well independently or w/ a team.
• Organized/Productive: You possess strong organizational & project management skills. You can easily prioritize & execute multiple tasks as business needs dictate.
• Detail-Oriented: You have impeccable attention to detail, show strong initiative, & deliver consistent follow-through.
• Good Communicator: You possess excellent interpersonal, communication & relationship-building skills. You confidently interface with high-level executives & cross-functional teams across the organization.
• Trustworthy: You exhibit high personal accountability, utilizing tact, discretion, & sound judgment when handling confidential or sensitive matters.
• Calm/Flexible: You remain calm under pressure, handle shifting workstreams w/ grace, & pivot seamlessly as needed.
• Experienced: You offer a stable career history, hold strong professional references, & are seeking a long-term role.

Core Responsibilities Include (but not limited to): 

• Executive & Calendar Management: Manage a complex, high-volume calendar (business/personal) for the CEO — facilitating seamless coordination, prioritizing & scheduling internal & external meetings, & ensuring the CEO is well-prepared & on time for every commitment; Maintain a weekly & monthly view of the CEO’s schedule to anticipate needs & resolve conflicts proactively.
• Email Management: Manage complex executive email communication, including filtering, categorizing, & ghostwriting or responding on behalf of leadership w/ flawless discretion.
• Board & Governance Support: Coordinate board & committee meetings end-to-end — scheduling, preparing & distributing agendas & board materials, capturing minutes and action items, & tracking follow-through on governance matters w/ a high degree of accuracy & confidentiality.
• Grantmaking & Program Support: Provide logistical support across the grantmaking cycle — helping to organize applications, schedule reviews & site visits, maintain grant records & deadlines, & ensure timely, well-formatted materials for the CEO & program staff.
• Donor & Community Relations: Support the CEO in cultivating relationships w/ donors, board members, civic leaders, & community partners — coordinating correspondence, meetings, acknowledgments, & thoughtful follow-up that reflects the Foundation’s values.
• Operational & Project Support: Serve as a strategic thought partner & sounding board to the CEO, helping translate organizational vision into actionable priorities & operational plans; Support the CEO in managing departmental priorities, strategic initiatives, & special projects.
• Meeting & Event Coordination: Plan & coordinate meetings, convenings, & special events — managing logistics, venues, vendors, materials, & hospitality so that every engagement runs seamlessly & reflects well on the Foundation.
• Travel Management: Arrange & manage domestic (occasional international) travel, building detailed itineraries & anticipating needs so the CEO can move efficiently between commitments; Travel (domestic) w/ the CEO as needed (minimal travel expectation).
• Communications & Correspondence: Draft, proofread, & manage correspondence, briefings, & communications on behalf of the CEO, ensuring a consistent, polished, & professional voice.
• Office Operations & Vendor Management: In conjunction w/ the FO, help establish & maintain the day-to-day operations of a growing office — managing supplies, vendors, technology, records, & workflows, & building efficient systems where none yet exist.
• Financial Administration: Process & track expense reports, invoices, & reimbursements for the CEO & office, coordinating w/ finance to ensure accuracy & timeliness.
• Special Projects: Take on special projects & initiatives as needs arise, bringing structure, ownership, & follow-through to a fast-moving, founding-stage environment.
• Personal Support: Assist the CEO w/ personal items such as gifting, personal & family travel coordination, home/event vendor management, credit card reconciliation, etc. 
• Contact Database: Maintain the CEO’s contact database & ensure timely updates.
• Professional Representation & Discretion: Serve as a warm, professional first point of contact for the Foundation, grantees, donors, community partners, external senior advisors & experts, & other key stakeholders, handling sensitive information & relationships w/ the utmost discretion, judgment, & confidentiality.

Qualifications:

• Experience: 5–10 years of experience supporting senior executives or principals, ideally w/in a foundation, nonprofit, family office, or mission-driven organization
• Technology: 
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office & comfort learning new tools
• Experience using AI productivity tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot) & AI-powered tools for document summarization, meeting transcription, action items, & briefing prep
• Experience w/ CRM, grants management, or board-portal software is a plus
• Adept at building & improving systems & processes
• Understanding of data privacy, responsible AI use, & cybersecurity best practices as they relate to executive-level information & organizational confidentiality
• Mission Alignment: A genuine passion for philanthropy & community impact, & enthusiasm for helping shape a founding organization
• Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred

Compensation/Benefits: 

• $145,000-$165,000 base salary (potential for more DOE)
• Annual performance-based bonus of 10-15%
• M/D/V (Employer currently pays 100% premium)
• 401k - up to 8% employer match
• PTO/Paid Holidays
• Complimentary bevs, snacks, & lunch provided daily
• & more..

*Successful completion of background & reference checks required prior to employment.* 

We appreciate your interest in this opportunity & review all submissions. Candidates of interest will be contacted via email w/ a questionnaire to further assess potential fit/next steps. Those not selected will have their resume kept on file for consideration of other opportunities.

Trademark Hire, LLC is an equal opportunity recruiting firm, & doesn’t discriminate w/ its sourcing/recruiting, screening, or placement practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by law. All hiring decisions, compensation, benefits, & employment terms are determined by the client. Trademark Hire, LLC is acting solely as a recruiting and placement firm for this position & is not the employer of record for this role.

Salary : $145,000 - $165,000