How long does a Chief of Staff search take?

Typical timeline is 10-14 weeks from kickoff to signed offer. Complex family office mandates can extend to 16 weeks.

What compensation range should we expect?

US-based Chiefs of Staff for single-family principals typically range from $250k to $600k base, plus performance and long-term incentives. We benchmark against a private, current data set at kickoff.

Do you also place Executive Assistants and Directors of Residences?

Yes. Many Chief of Staff mandates lead directly into a supporting EA search and, on multi-property portfolios, a Director of Residences hire.

What if the hire does not work out?

We offer a 12-month replacement guarantee on Chief of Staff placements, subject to the retainer terms in our engagement letter.

Do you work internationally?

Yes. We regularly run Chief of Staff searches across the US, UK, Uruguay, Argentina, Panama and Brazil.

Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff & Family Office Head Placement

The chief of staff is the highest-trust hire a principal will ever make. We conduct a deliberate, discreet search — usually off-market — to place a leader who can align residences, staff, aircraft, philanthropy and the family office around one operating rhythm.

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What we deliver

Chief of Staff to the Principal
Head of Family Office / Director of Operations
Director of Residences (multi-property portfolios)
Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff
Governance, staffing and vendor architecture design
Succession planning for existing Chiefs of Staff
Compensation benchmarking and offer structuring
90-day integration coaching for the successful hire

How we work

Step 1
Mandate & governance design
We spend the first two weeks with the principal and existing leadership defining the role, decision rights and success metrics — not just a job description.
Step 2
Off-market search
6-10 week search focused on candidates who are not on the market. Structured interviews, psychometric assessment and 360-degree references.
Step 3
Integration & first-year check-ins
We stay engaged through onboarding, quarterly check-ins for 12 months, and a replacement guarantee if the fit is wrong.

Why principals retain Valmore

Single-firm, retained only

We take one Chief of Staff search per principal at a time. No competing engagements, no shared candidate pipelines.

Governance before recruitment

Most failed Chief of Staff hires fail on scope, not on candidate. We fix the mandate first.

Household + family office fluency

We understand both sides — the residences and staff on one hand, the entities, trustees and investments on the other.

Confidential search

Long-form NDAs, blind mandates and named-only introductions. Your name never appears on a job board.

Frequently asked

How long does a Chief of Staff search take?: Typical timeline is 10-14 weeks from kickoff to signed offer. Complex family office mandates can extend to 16 weeks.
What compensation range should we expect?: US-based Chiefs of Staff for single-family principals typically range from $250k to $600k base, plus performance and long-term incentives. We benchmark against a private, current data set at kickoff.
Do you also place Executive Assistants and Directors of Residences?: Yes. Many Chief of Staff mandates lead directly into a supporting EA search and, on multi-property portfolios, a Director of Residences hire.
What if the hire does not work out?: We offer a 12-month replacement guarantee on Chief of Staff placements, subject to the retainer terms in our engagement letter.
Do you work internationally?: Yes. We regularly run Chief of Staff searches across the US, UK, Uruguay, Argentina, Panama and Brazil.

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