Chief of Staff to President
Job Description
Reporting directly to the President of Brandeis University, the Chief of Staff will play a critical role in helping the President to achieve maximum impact in his role. This will include helping the President to prioritize and make the best use of his time, providing strategic and analytical support to the President, managing certain special projects end to end, and helping the President’s Office and extended senior team to function as effectively as possible. The Chief of Staff supervises the President’s executive assistant (EA), his or her own EA, and a Presidential Fellow, and collaborates closely with the Presidential Writer in the Office of Communications. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organized, seasoned professional who is strategic and action-oriented, enjoys working in a fast-paced environment, and wishes to have a positive impact on a dynamic institution of higher education.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assists the President to prioritize and make the best and most efficient use of time. Assists with fielding incoming requests, issues, and decisions, helping the President to prioritize which responses and actions are needed when and tracking and coordinating the various “balls in the air.” Creates and manages various tracking systems that will enable the President to do his work with economy of effort and time – including maintaining and regularly following up on a master “To Do” action list, among other approaches. A key part of this role is helping the President to make the most effective use of time during meetings. Efforts may include helping to create and circulate meeting agendas and any other materials for key meetings to assist attendees to make efficient use of time. Manages the overall rhythm of key governance processes and recurring leadership meetings in which the President regularly participates. In advance of key meetings, gathers, organizes, and synthesizes or analyzes key information for the President. Is a member of the President’s Cabinet. Attends most internal meetings in which the President participates and manages the setting of agendas for Cabinet and other key meetings; Joins certain meetings to capture notes and follow up on key action items or supervises others in so doing.
- Supports the President in moving specific streams of work or projects forward. Tracks information for the President. Gathers information, coordinating with different involved parties, developing and monitoring execution plans, and keeping track of responsibilities. As appropriate, helps other members of the Brandeis community to make the best use of the President’s time (e.g. could provide guidance to other community members regarding the President’s current top priorities, or regarding the most effective ways to prepare and present key information to the President and make requests, etc.) Working closely with the President’s EA and the Institutional Advancement Division, proactively helps the President to plan for and monitor his relationship-building and stakeholder engagement.
- Provides strategic and analytical support for the President. Gathers information and completes analysis in order to prepare potential solutions and specific recommendations for the President’s consideration. Information-gathering will include speaking with members of the Brandeis community, including faculty. Provides an independent perspective; this may include providing observations regarding key dynamics during meetings, challenging the President’s assumptions, or sharing relevant information of which the President may not be aware. Builds relationships throughout the University and serves as a key information funnel / filter / facilitator for the President – absorbing new information and prioritizing and synthesizing it for the President. Helps the President to monitor alignment between the University’s mission and strategy and how day-to-day operations actually unfold. Provides guidance to members of the President’s Cabinet.
- Collaborating with the Presidential Writer, supervises the preparation of talking points for all of the President’s meetings, and ensures appropriate responses to all email inquiries. As required, helps the President to stay in touch with and communicate regularly with key internal and external stakeholders. (e.g., in some cases take meetings on behalf of the President or help to move interactions forward between key meetings and discussions that are directly with the President).
- Works to keep the President’s Office operating at maximum efficiency and effectiveness
- Leads the President’s Office team, and ensures excellence in all work product and interactions with the public
- Supervises the management of the President’s Office budget
- Owns, manages, and completes “special projects” for the President if and as needed. In some cases, may take on entire specific initiatives or projects for the President, managing them end to end in a bounded way, often in collaboration with the Presidential Fellow.
Educations and Work Experience:
Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred5-8 years related work experience required
Additional Skills & Qualifications:
The Chief of Staff must be a collaborative problem-solver: He or she must know how to work with diverse personalities and interests to efficiently arrive at effective solutions. Must possess the ability to understand and work to effectuate the broad, strategic goals of Brandeis University. Must have excellent written and verbal communications skills. Must be organized and methodical.
Candidates must have some prior experience in higher education, e.g., working at a college or university, or serving on one’s board of trustees.
It is required that the candidate has particular experience or familiarity with one or more of the key administrative functions of a university: faculty governance, faculty hiring and development, admissions, marketing, community and government affairs, continuing education and/or advancement and fundraising.
The candidate should have a proven track record of increased responsibilities.
Although no particular academic background is required, an academic Ph.D. or other exposure to academic administration is preferred.
Please apply on the Brandeis career website at: https://brandeis.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Jobs/job/Brandeis---Waltham-Campus/Chief-Of-Staff-to-President_R0005743-1
Closing Statement
Brandeis University is committed to providing its students, faculty and staff with an environment conducive to learning and working and where all people are treated with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, caste, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, including transgender identity, religion, disability, age, genetics, active military or veteran status and any other characteristics protected under applicable federal or Massachusetts law.