Starting or creating a family office
Should the First Hire Be an Administrator, Controller, Chief of Staff, or Investment Professional?
Short answer. Choose the first hire based on the office's largest unresolved workload, not the title that sounds most senior. Map the recurring work, identify where errors or delays create the greatest burden, and compare the skills needed. Keep specialist work with outside advisers until there is enough ongoing need to bring it in-house.
Choose the first hire by identifying the work the family office most needs to own and perform consistently. An administrator, controller, chief of staff, or investment professional can each be the right choice, but the best fit depends on the family's workload, priorities, and existing advisers.
Map the Work Before Choosing a Title
Write down the recurring tasks that are falling through gaps or consuming too much family time. These may include collecting statements, coordinating advisers, processing invoices, producing reports, managing calendars, or evaluating investments. Note who handles each task now, how often it occurs, and what happens when it is delayed.
Group the work by skill. Administrative coordination may call for an organized operator. Financial reporting and controls may point toward a controller. A chief of staff can help when priorities and communication across the family and advisers are the main burden. An investment professional may fit when the family has a defined investment program requiring internal attention.
Compare the Role With the Office's Priorities
Decide which problems matter most to solve first. If the family lacks reliable records and reporting, hiring an investment professional may not address the immediate operational gap. If the family's reporting is already handled well by advisers, a controller may duplicate existing work. Consider what expertise is already available and whether the family needs a full-time employee to manage it.
Keep the role focused enough to recruit for and evaluate. A small office may ask one person to cover several duties, but the job description should still identify the primary responsibility and the authority attached to it. The fundamentals guide can help frame the operating model, and the family office cost calculator can help compare staffing with other operating expenses.
Use Outside Support Where It Fits
Some work may be occasional or require a narrow technical specialty. In those cases, an external provider can be more suitable while the office establishes its needs. Keep responsibility for oversight clear, even when the work is outsourced. The office should know what information it needs, who reviews it, and how the provider's work connects to other responsibilities.
Talk with your attorney or CPA about legal and tax specifics that affect staffing or the office structure. For investment responsibilities, define who can recommend, approve, and execute decisions. The operational processes guide can help the family document how recurring work is handled.
Make the First Role Measurable
Before making an offer, agree on the executive's reporting line, priorities, and the results the family expects. Set a review process and identify who can change priorities when family needs shift. These steps help avoid hiring a senior person before the family has settled what that person will own.
There is no universal first title. A careful workload review will show whether the first need is administration, financial control, coordination, or investment expertise. Hire for that need, then revisit the structure as the office's responsibilities become clearer.
In my experience, it is better to hire a specialist and gradually expand that person's role to take on more general responsibilities.
Sources: The Single Family Office. Informational only, not financial, legal or tax advice.