Traliant, a Kansas City-based leader in online compliance training, operates as a fully remote, PE-backed company with a team of 150 employees. Since being acquired by PSG three years ago, the company has been on an aggressive growth path, supported by a recently appointed CEO, Mike Dahir, and a new executive team spread across the U.S. and Canada. This new leadership team, mostly appointed within the last 18 months, was working to align on strategic objectives while managing the complexities introduced by recent acquisitions.

With ambitious growth targets set for the next 12-24 months, Traliant identified the need for a Chief of Staff to the CEO to drive organizational readiness and cohesiveness. The Chief of Staff was expected to be instrumental in helping the company adopt and internalize a new set of shared values while establishing a rhythm of business to support a high-performance culture. Traliant sought a candidate with a B2B SaaS and PE-backed company background, experienced in working with various stakeholders to align the team with the CEO’s vision and execute on long-term strategic priorities. They reached out to Vannin Chief of Staff in Q2 of 2024 to lead the placement process for this new and pivotal role. 

Vannin Chief of Staff executed a comprehensive, nationwide search to identify a Chief of Staff who could complement a first-time CEO and bring the strategic acumen required for a PE-backed SaaS company operating in a high-growth environment. The search focused on candidates with the requisite blend of private equity experience, leadership capabilities, and adaptability to thrive in a 100% remote role.

Key steps included:

• Defining the Role’s Scope and Alignment:
  Consulted with the CEO, hiring their first Chief of Staff, to establish the role's scope and align expectations. This involved a deep dive into the CEO’s leadership style, identifying strengths and gaps, and crafting a tailored job description that reflected both immediate and long-term organizational needs.

• Targeting Top-Tier Candidates:
  Launched a national search focused on professionals with prior experience in private equity or PE-backed companies, ensuring alignment with the rigorous standards of professionalism and performance required. From a pool of over 700 applicants, we presented the top 1% for consideration.

• Collaborative Interview Design:
  Partnered with key executives—including the CFO, CSO, CRO, and Head of HR—to develop a bespoke interview guide and evaluation process. This approach ensured a holistic assessment of candidates’ technical skills, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.

• Securing the Final Candidate:
  Supported the negotiation process to secure the top candidate, culminating in an immediate verbal acceptance of the offer.

• Accelerating Onboarding and Collaboration:
  Delivered a tailored onboarding experience through our Chief of Staff Accelerator program, working closely with the new hire and CEO. This program focused on building a strong foundation for their working relationship, clarifying priorities, and accelerating the Chief of Staff's impact within the organization.

• Vannin Chief of Staff successfully placed Kelly Meeker as a full-time Chief of Staff with our client, marking Traliant’s first hire in this critical role.

• Kelly's extensive experience in scaling teams and processes within the PE-backed e-learning and SaaS industries, including her leadership at Articulate in building operations teams and establishing a PMO, positioned her as an exceptional fit for the role.

• Kelly and her CEO participated in our Chief of Staff Accelerator program, accelerating her onboarding and ensuring strong alignment with the CEO’s vision and priorities.

• Her start date aligned with a critical leadership offsite, providing immediate face time with key stakeholders and enabling her to build trust and rapport with the executive team from day one.

• Her proven ability to lead cross-functional projects, act as a trusted resource for executives, and deliver operational excellence in remote-first environments has quickly earned her the trust and confidence of the CEO and the broader leadership team.

“Keziah and Emily were true pros from the beginning of the relationship through full implementation. They are excellent listeners and experts in the Chief of Staff recruiting space. They also provided a unique consultation and implementation service we valued. We were exceptionally pleased with the engagement and outcomes when performed and remain so 6+ months later.”

Mike Dahir, Traliant CEO