Choose the role by the bottleneck, not the title. An Executive Assistant protects executive capacity; a Founder’s Office operator owns defined cross-functional problems; a Chief of Staff can coordinate the leadership agenda. Actual scope varies widely between companies.
Start with the work you are currently doing
For two weeks, record the tasks that keep returning to the founder. Separate logistics, individual projects and leadership coordination. Include the consequence of each delay. A late calendar invitation and an unresolved pricing decision may both be frustrating, but they require different capabilities.
Do not turn every item into one job description. If the list includes scheduling, enterprise sales, fundraising, recruitment and running operations, you may be describing several hires.
Compare the three mandates
| Role | Typical central mandate | Evidence to seek |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | Calendar, communication, preparation and follow-through | Discretion, anticipation and operational accuracy |
| Founder’s Office | Execution of specified strategic or cross-functional projects | Problem framing, analysis and delivery |
| Chief of Staff | Leadership alignment and the executive operating rhythm | Influence, prioritisation and handling sensitive trade-offs |
These are working distinctions, not universal standards. An experienced EA may run major projects; a Chief of Staff may have a narrow remit. The offer and scorecard should state the actual job.
A simple decision exercise
Imagine the founder is away for a week. What must the hire keep moving? If the answer is meetings, preparation and communications, start with an EA mandate. If it is a launch or a process improvement with measurable deliverables, define a Founder’s Office project role. If it is coordinating decisions across functional leaders, assess whether a Chief of Staff has enough authority and founder backing to do so.
In a very small startup, a senior-sounding title does not automatically create senior-level work. Match the scope to the business stage and the available compensation.
Write down decision rights
For each responsibility, state whether the hire can decide, recommend, coordinate or execute after approval. Name the budget owner and escalation route. Avoid making someone accountable for outcomes while requiring founder approval for every minor action.
Explain the role to the existing team before the person joins. Otherwise, a cross-functional hire can be mistaken for a shadow manager or an additional reporting layer.
Before you publish the vacancy
- Choose three outcomes for the first 90 days.
- List work that is explicitly outside scope.
- Disclose logistics or personal-assistance duties if they exist.
- Agree the reporting line and founder access.
- Describe how the role may evolve without promising a promotion.
A precise, honest role attracts better-matched candidates than an impressive title attached to an undefined job.
FounderSide’s practical editorial guidance for startup hiring and operations. Examples and assessment frameworks are illustrative, not reported client outcomes. Adapt them to your company’s stage and needs.
Define the role before you hire.
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