FAQs
What are Chief’s membership requirements?
Our goal is to connect and support women executives so they have a private and trusted community of leaders navigating similar challenges. Diversity is core to our community — we want our member base to be a reflection of what leadership should be, not what it is today. We understand there is a steep hill to climb for women and others across the gender spectrum in business, and it's even steeper when you consider the experience due to factors including one’s race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability. In addition to our membership criteria, we strive to build a diverse community that serves multiple and intersecting identities. That is why one of our membership goals is to double the current representation of women of color in corporate America. And we welcome leaders who identify as a woman, transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming.
Our membership experience is designed for those who have senior leadership responsibility within their organization. We vet applicants for executive seniority to ensure our members can get support from true peers. We use a range of factors to determine if your seniority level meets the criteria for the Chief community.
See our membership criteria here:
After applying, if you have questions about your application or want to provide additional context about your professional experience, please reach out to [email protected].
What additional information does Chief request from employees of extra small businesses?
We welcome extra-small business employees (company size under 30 full-time employees) whose experience within the last two years meets our membership criteria OR whose current business generated $2M or more in annual revenue, during the current fiscal year. For these reasons, we may request additional information or documentation including:
- Annual revenue for current business ($2M annual minimum)
- Prior titles and company sizes
- Largest team size managed
- Reporting level below CEO in prior roles
Criteria effective date: 9/14/23.
What is Chief’s non-solicitation policy?
We understand the power of a strong network naturally leads members to doing business with each other, and we encourage this connection across our community. It is, however, critical that Chief is a trusted community for our members. We have a strict non-solicitation policy and do not allow proactive sales or marketing efforts within the Chief community for the sole purpose of driving future business.
What can I expect from the application process?
The first step is to submit an application. If you meet our membership criteria, we reach out, on average, within one month to schedule a 30-minute phone interview. During the interview, we spend time talking through your career and interest in Chief. We’ll also share more information about our community and answer questions. If you qualify for membership, we’ll send an acceptance email typically within one week after your interview.
How can I check in on an application?
If you have questions about the status of your application, please contact [email protected].
I applied to join Chief and never received a response.
If an applicant does not meet our criteria for membership, we keep their information on file until they experience a role change and/or scope increase. We invite all applicants to proactively email [email protected] for an update or if they meet the criteria for membership based on a role or scope change. We are exploring how we update this process to be more clear about pending membership status. We also provide clear and detailed criteria on our website so applicants have an understanding of how we vet applicants for membership. For more information on our membership criteria, visit our membership criteria page.
I want to nominate my colleague to join Chief.
We welcome our members to submit nominations on our Nominations page: https://members.chief.com/nominations.
What happens if I’m not accepted to Chief?
Our membership experience is designed for those who have senior leadership responsibility within their organization. We vet applicants for executive seniority to ensure our members can connect with true peers. If you do not yet meet our membership criteria, it is not a no, but rather a not yet. We hope to invite you to join as you progress with your career or we evolve to serve more segments of women in the workplace.
Are there industry- or geography-specific titles that are nuanced when considering Chief seniority requirements?
Yes, certain industries and titles can vary in terms of the qualification for Chief membership. Below are examples of industry-specific titles that can inform qualification criteria for Chief membership.
Banking / Financial Services:
- National/Global Banks, seniority criteria includes Managing Director or C-Level
- For Regional Banks without MDs, seniority criteria includes VP who are 3 levels below CEO
PR/Advertising/Marketing Agency
- Seniority criteria includes SVP, C-Level, or Partner
Nonprofit Organizations
- Seniority criteria includes Executive Director
Law Firms
- Seniority criteria includes Partner + with an average team size > 5
Government Administration
- Seniority criteria includes Deputy Director + with an average team size > 5
Higher Education
- Seniority criteria involves Deans and Chancellors
Titles such as "Chief of Staff" and "Head Of" can vary with company size, reporting structure, levels away from CEO, and past experience.
Different geographies (such as the UK) may use alternative titles, such as Managing Director or Director as the seniority equivalent of CXO or Vice President. We consider size of company, levels from the CEO, and size of team, in addition to scope and responsibility for qualification in those circumstances.I am a solopreneur, independent consultant, or executive coach. Is the Chief membership relevant for me?
We believe it’s incredibly important for all women, at every stage of their career, to have access to a supportive community — however, membership of Chief is tailored to support people in executive leadership positions, typically in the corporate sphere. Individuals in executive management are often asked to be the mentor, but go without support for themselves. Our goal is not exclusion — we are focused and intentional in building a trusted community of executive peers. Right now, our member experience does not have services to address the specific needs of independent consultants or executive coaches.
What services come with a membership to Chief?
Chief’s services are designed to connect and support executives. Chief is not a career service or business development network — and while Chief provides general workshops and community groups to support a member’s journey to a board seat, Chief is not a board placement service.
Membership to Chief includes:
- Core Groups: 8-12 person hyper-curated peer groups that meet monthly for two-hour peer coaching sessions. Our Core Groups are made up of leaders at the same career stage, from different roles, industries, and functions
- Speakers: 170+ speakers to date including Michelle Obama, Melinda French Gates, Shonda Rhimes, Robin Roberts, Sara Blakely, Ursula Burns, Bozoma Saint John, Arianna Huffington, Esther Perel, Carla Harris, Amy Poehler, Beth Comstock, and Mellody Hobson.
- Workshops: 200+ workshops on topics spanning DEI, Board Services, Personal Leadership, Career Growth, Industry Trends & Business Tactics, and more. Some recent examples of workshops include: Long-Term Thinking in a Short-Term World with Dorie Clark, Allyship in the Workplace with Minda Harts, Avoiding The Likeability Trap With Alicia Menendez, The Business Case for Inclusion with Annie-Jean Baptiste.
- IRL Community Events: 85 events across the country, connecting thousands of members in-person.
- Confidential Identity Groups: These communities include and are not limited to Accessibility, American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asian Pacific Islander, Black and African American, Hispanic / Latinx, Jewish, LGBTQIA+, Middle Eastern and North African, Muslim, Neuro-Diversity, South Asian, and we’re open to supporting more groups as they emerge from the Chief community. We have experienced facilitators (Chief Guides) host private roundtables throughout the year so these identity groups can connect directly with each other.
- Community Platform: 300+ groups such as local markets (e.g. NYC, LA), industry-specific (e.g. Marketing, Retail/E-Commerce), Career Transitions, Negotiation and Compensation, Board Services, and Parenting, as well as access to a network with 20,000 members.
- Meetups: 2,600+ member-led meetups, both virtual and in-person. Members were eager to gather even beyond all the programming we provide, so we developed this product to make it easier for them to meet online and off. Member meet-ups are voluntary and the leaders of the meetups are not Chief employees or contractors — they are doing this out of their own desire to galvanize members around shared experiences or interests.
- On-Demand Content: 300+ on-demand videos, 250+ editorial articles.
- Job Board: Thousands of active job listings posted by members.
- Member Benefits: 20+ partners with exclusive benefits for Chief members including Bolster or Green Park (UK) for resume help, Squarespace for personal branding, and Headspace for mental health.
- Clubhouses: Chief+ members (an additional cost) can access clubhouses in New York, Chicago, LA, SF, and London. DC was recently announced as the next location.
What is a Core Group?
Core is an 8-12 person hyper-curated peer group that meets every 4-6 weeks for two-hour peer coaching sessions. Our Core Groups are made up of leaders at the same career stage, from different roles, industries, and functions. In contrast to individual executive coaching, Core allows members to confidentially convene, normalize, support, and discuss executive challenges with true professional peers and a certified professional leadership coach.
Our hope is that Core is a transformative experience. Thousands of members have shared how their Core Group has helped them secure promotions, raises, start their own companies, pursue new ventures, and provide invaluable support on big decisions.
We’re continuously investing to ensure Core is delivering on the experience our members expect.
Do I have to join a Core Group?
Core is not required. If you choose to participate, we ask for a commitment to consistently attend meetings because these groups are intended to create an incredible bond among true professional peers. These are deeply personal and challenging conversations, so trust and accountability is paramount.
What happens if I want to change Core Groups?
While we do as much as possible to find the perfect mix of 8-12 people, we understand that needs and preferences can change over time. When this happens, we work with a member to understand how to tweak the group selection criteria so that we can better meet their needs. If a member wants to change Core Groups, we will make that transition in, on average, under a week.
How do I submit an event or speaker idea to Chief?
We love receiving event and speaker ideas from the broader business community and invite you to share those recommendations by emailing [email protected]. Because we receive an extremely high volume of these requests, and plan our programming roster in advance, we are only able to respond to event and speaker submissions that may potentially fit into our editorial calendar.
How can I partner or collaborate with Chief?
We would love to learn more about a potential partnership. Please email [email protected] with background on the opportunity. Because we receive an extremely high volume of these requests, we are only able to respond to partnership ideas on which we would like to move forward.
What is your DEI commitment?
Chief was founded as a place where women executives could grow, learn from, and support one another. As an organization whose mission is to change the face of leadership, we want our membership to be a reflection of what leadership should be, not what it is today. We understand there is a steep hill to climb for women and others across the gender spectrum in business, and it's even steeper when you consider the experience due to factors including one’s race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability. In addition to our membership criteria, we hope to build a diverse community that serves multiple and intersecting identities. That is why one of our goals is to double the current representation of women of color in corporate America. And we welcome leaders who identify as a woman, transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming. For more details on the above other commitments, please see our full DEI commitment here: https://chief.com/commitment-to-dei
What is the Chief Grant Program?
Chief was created to connect and support women and all those on the gender spectrum who are executives. We believe the diversity of our community makes us exponentially more impactful, and our vision is a future where one's race, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, disability or nationality is not a barrier to leadership.
The Chief Grant Program was developed to reduce the financial barrier for executives who have historically faced identity-based inequity and those employed in the non-profit sector.
Grants offer a subsidy toward annual Chief membership and are available for both new and existing members at their time of renewal. The subsidy offered is the same for all grant recipients.
Who is eligible for a grant?
Grants are available for executives who have historically faced identity-based inequity (as defined by our criteria below) and those employed in the non-profit sector. We give grants to both new and existing Chief members at their time of renewal.
Eligibility is defined as meeting at least one of these criteria:
- Racial & ethnic identity (racial ethnic minority, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, people of color)
- LGBTQIA+
- Non-binary / gender fluid
- Veteran
- Disability
- Non-profit sector executive
In addition to meeting at least one criteria, we also request a personal statement from each applicant to understand any circumstances that led them to apply for a grant.
Because we have a limited number of grants, we prioritize a number of factors when evaluating applications including intersectional identities and individual circumstances (i.e. meeting multiple criteria) and whether an applicant’s organization is able to sponsor their membership.
How can I apply for a grant?
New members can apply for a Grant after they complete the application process. The Grant application is separate from the Chief membership process.
Existing members can reach out to their Membership Manager or [email protected] as they approach membership renewal.
Once an application is received, our Grant Committee evaluates applications based on a short personal statement, criteria that includes racial and ethnic identity (racial ethnic minority, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, people of color), LGBTQIA+, non-binary / gender fluid, veteran, disability, non-profit senior executive, and whether an applicant’s organization is able to sponsor their membership.
Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis. We aim to notify members of their Grant status via email within 4 weeks of application receipt.
Because we have a limited number of grants, we prioritize a number of factors when evaluating applications including intersectional identities and individual circumstances (i.e. meeting multiple criteria) and whether an applicant’s organization is able to sponsor their membership.
Does membership include access to Chief Clubhouses?
For Clubhouse access, members need a Chief+ membership which is an additional $1,000 fee. Visit https://join.chief.com/chief-plus for additional information on Chief+ membership.
What amenities are included in Chief Clubhouses?
Chief’s Clubhouses feature elevated lounge spaces, bookable meeting rooms, private call rooms, and mother’s rooms, as well as all-day food and beverage service. With Chief+ membership, you can host clients or team offsites, enjoy cocktails, and attend member gatherings at any of our five exclusive Clubhouses.
Can Chief Members bring guests to the Clubhouses?
Yes, Chief+ Members can bring up to three guests to any of our Clubhouses which are located in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London.
Can my company work directly with Chief?
Yes, in January 2023 we announced Chief Enterprise for businesses looking to proactively invest in their women leaders. Chief Enterprise is for companies that want to progress their gender diversity commitments by engaging, developing, and retaining their women executives. Companies can learn more about Chief Enterprise here.