The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

, 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 President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

, 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

Brazil

Chief of Staff of the Presidency The Minister Head of the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic ( pt, Ministro Chefe da Casa Civil da Presidência da República) is the chief of staff of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), o ...

Canada

* Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister *

Principal Secretary The Principal Secretary is a senior government official in various Commonwealth countries. * Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan * Principal Secretary to the President of Pakistan * Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Ind ...

India

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India (PS to the PM) is the senior-most bureaucrat in, and the administrative head of, the Prime Minister's Office. The officeholder is generally a civil servant, commonly from the Indian Adminis ...

Nigeria

* Chief of Staff to the President

Pakistan

* Principal Secretary to the President * Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister

Philippines

Chief of Staff (Philippines) The Malacañang Chief of Staff, named after Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the president of the Philippines, also referred to as the "presidential chief of staff," was an official position under the Office of the President of the ...

, a former position in the

Cabinet of the Philippines The Cabinet of the Philippines ( fil, Gabinete ng Pilipinas, usually referred to as the Cabinet or Gabinete) consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines. Currently, it includes ...

, serving under the

President of the Philippines The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...

South Korea

* Chief Presidential Secretary, chief of staff to the

President of South Korea The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...

Spain

Moncloa Chief of Staff The Moncloa Chief of Staff, officially called Director of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, is the most senior political appointee in the Office of the Prime Minister of Spain. The Chief of Staff is appointed by the Prime Minister as its senior ...

United Kingdom

* Private Secretary to the Sovereign *

Downing Street Chief of Staff The office of Downing Street Chief of Staff is the most senior political appointee in the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, acting as a senior aide to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The holder of the office retains ...

* Cabinet Secretary * Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister *

Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The principal private secretary to the secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs is the head of the private office of the foreign minister of the His Majesty's Government, and is located in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Main B ...

United States

* Chief of staff, the most senior staff member in the office of a member of the United States Congress * White House Chief of Staff

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 The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( United States) * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Af ...

* Chief of the Army Staff * Chief of the Air Staff * Chief of the Naval Staff * :Vice chiefs of staff

Azerbaijan

Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Republic ( az, Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri Baş Qərargahı) is the military staff of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. It is the central organ of the Armed Forces Administration ...

- head of General Staff of

Azerbaijani Armed Forces The Azerbaijani Armed Forces ( az, Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri) were re-established according to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Armed Forces from 9 October 1991. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) had originally formed ...

Canada

Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada) The chief of the Defence Staff (CDS; french: chef d'état-major de la Défense; french: CEMD, label=none) is the professional head of the Canadian Armed Forces. As the senior military position, the chief of the Defence Staff advises the Cabine ...

Chief of the Air Staff (Canada) The Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (French: ''commandant de l'Aviation royale canadienne'') is the institutional head of the Royal Canadian Air Force. This appointment also includes the title Chief of the Air Force Staff and is based a ...

France

* Chief of the Defence Staff (French: , CEMA) ** Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: , CEMAA) ** Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: , CEMAT) **

Chief of Staff of the French Navy The Chief of the Naval Staff (French: Chef d’état-major de la Marine, acronym: CEMM) is a French general officer, adviser to the Chief of the Defence Staff for the French Navy and responsible to the Minister of the Armed Forces for preparin ...

(French: , CEMM) **

Chief of Staff of the French Gendarmerie Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

(French: , DGGN)

Ghana

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

Greece

* Chief of the Defence Staff (Greece) **

Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Army Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Navy Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

India

* Chief of Defence Staff (Indian Armed Forces) ** Chief of the Army Staff (Indian Army) ** Chief of the Naval Staff (Indian Navy) ** Chief of the Air Staff (Indian Air Force)

Indonesia

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army ( id, Kepala Staf TNI Angkatan Darat, abbreviated KSAD or KASAD) is the highest position in the Indonesian Army. The position is held by the four-star General appointed by and reporting directly to the ...

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy ( id, Kepala Staf TNI Angkatan Laut, abbreviated KSAL or KASAL) is the highest position in the Indonesian Navy. The position is held by the four-star Admiral or Marine General, appointed by and reporting ...

* Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force

Ireland

* Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces

Israel

* Chief of the Israeli General Staff

Italy

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

Pakistan

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee The Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) ( ur, ) is, in principle, the highest-ranking and senior most uniformed military officer, typically at four-star rank, in the Pakistan Armed Forces who serves as a Principal Staff Officer an ...

** Chief of Army Staff *** CGS ** Chief of Naval Staff ***

Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) may refer to: *Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India) *Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (Pakistan) * Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (United Kingdom) The Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (V.C.N.S.) was a senior appoint ...

Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan) The Chief of Air Staff ( ur, ) (reporting name: CAS) is a military appointment and a statutory office held by an Air Chief Marshal in the Pakistan Air Force, who is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and final confirmation by the P ...

Philippines

*Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, later renamed to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, AFP - exercises command and control over all elements of the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...

Portugal

* Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

: , CEMGFA) - operational commander of the

Portuguese Armed Forces The Portuguese Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas) are the military of Portugal. They include the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the other unified bodies and the three service branches: Portuguese Navy, Portuguese Army and Portuguese Air F ...

** Chief of Staff of the Navy (Portuguese: , CEMA) - commander of the

Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...

** Chief of Staff of the Army (Portuguese: , CEME) - commander of the

Portuguese Army The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...

** Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: , CEMFA) - commander of the

Portuguese Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 1 July , equipment = , equipment_label ...

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

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 ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை , image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png , image_size = 180px , caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy , dates = , c ...

** Chief of Staff of the Air Force - deputy commander of the

Sri Lankan Air Force The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්‍රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...

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 The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed ...

, formerly the

Chief of the Imperial General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board. Prior to 1964, the title was Chief of the Imperial G ...

** Chief of the Air Staff The

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...

is the Commander-in-Chief. The CDS heads the

Chiefs of Staff Committee The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CSC) is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces who advise on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations. The committee consists of the Ch ...

and is assisted by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

United States

Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...

, headed by the

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...

(CJCS) **

Chief of Staff of the United States Army The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a ...

*** An Army

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

(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 The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office () held by a general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to th ...

*** An Air Force

(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 command A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, an ...

s, headed by a

(O-10) or Navy

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

(O-10) ** A

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

(O-8) or Navy or Coast Guard

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

(O-8) overseeing the command's directorates * In military commands headed by a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

(O-9), vice admiral (O-9),

(O-8) or

(O-8), or

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

(O-7) or rear admiral, lower half (O-7) ** A

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

(O-6) or Navy or Coast Guard

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

(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.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chief Of Staff * *

Civilian

Government

Brazil

Canada

India

Nigeria

Pakistan

Philippines

South Korea

Spain

United Kingdom

United States

Military

In general

Azerbaijan

Canada

France

Ghana

Greece

India

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Pakistan

Philippines

Portugal

Spain

Sri Lanka

United Kingdom

United States

See also

References

External links