Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost

Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost

POSITION DETAILS

The Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost serves as a senior strategic advisor and operational leader within the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). The position supports the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost in advancing university-wide priorities across a large, complex academic enterprise that includes a broad portfolio of senior OAA leaders. The Chief of Staff helps translate executive priorities into coordinated action, manages cross-functional initiatives, and ensures that the EVC and University Provost is positioned to lead with clarity, efficiency, institutional impact, and appropriate discretion.

Reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, the Chief of Staff works closely with senior leaders across the OAA, including those responsible for academic policy, faculty affairs, student success, enrollment, research, workforce development, innovation, strategic planning, budget, administration, and related university-wide initiatives. The role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and the ability to operate effectively across academic, administrative, fiscal, and policy matters in a highly visible executive environment. The position provides strategic and operational leadership on university-wide academic priorities and cross-functional matters affecting CUNY colleges, schools, and system offices.

Key duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Executive Strategy and Priority Management

• Serve as a trusted and confidential advisor to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost on institutional priorities, emerging issues, executive decision-making, and cross-functional strategy.

• Coordinate, track, and advance short- and long-term priorities across the OAA leadership portfolio.

• Develop executive briefing materials for Board of Trustees meetings, Chancellor briefings, presidential meetings, legislative hearings, and external stakeholder engagements.

• Monitor progress on university-wide strategic priorities and identify risks, barriers, dependencies, and opportunities requiring executive attention.

• Coordinate responses to emerging issues, executive requests, and other high-priority matters requiring timely cross-functional action.

• Translate the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost’s priorities into workplans, decision pathways, timelines, and accountability structures.

• Represent the interests and priorities of the EVC and University Provost in meetings and interactions, as appropriate and with sound discretion.

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with college leadership, University offices, governance bodies, faculty and staff leaders, public agencies, and external partners.

Operational Coordination and Executive Office Management

• Oversee executive office operations to support effective information flow, timely decision-making, and appropriate follow-through.

• Develop and maintain systems for managing executive requests, deadlines, briefings, agendas, follow-up items, and communications involving the EVC and University Provost.

• Partner with executive support staff and OAA leaders to prepare the EVC and University Provost for meetings, events, presentations, and other engagements.

• Establish accountability mechanisms, project-tracking systems, and executive reporting processes to monitor progress on strategic initiatives.

• Supervise assigned staff and provide leadership to cross-functional working groups, as appropriate.

Leadership Coordination Across OAA

• Serve as a central liaison among senior leaders reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost.

• Facilitate alignment across academic, student, research, enrollment, administrative, and fiscal areas to support the coordinated execution of university-wide initiatives.

• Convene and support leadership meetings, retreats, planning sessions, and follow-up processes that are designed to promote accountability, coordination and shared understanding.

Strategic Projects and Change Management

• Lead or coordinate high-priority special projects on behalf of the EVC and University Provost, including initiatives requiring collaboration across colleges, central offices, and external partners.

• Prepare analyses, presentations, executive briefings, and status reports that enable leadership to support informed decision-making and assess progress toward strategic priorities.

• Perform related duties as assigned.

NOTE:

Until further notice, this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum:

• Bachelor's degree and eight years' relevant experience required.

Preferred:

• Exceptional judgment, professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, and ability to manage sensitive information.

• Strong organizational, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and operate effectively in a fast-paced executive environment.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information for executive audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to build trust, influence without direct authority, and work collaboratively across diverse constituencies.

• Commitment to public higher education, equity, student success, faculty excellence, and institutional effectiveness.

• Significant progressively responsible experience in higher education administration, public sector leadership, government, or a similarly complex mission-driven organization.

• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives, managing strategic initiatives, coordinating cross-functional teams, and advising on confidential institutional matters.

• Strong understanding of higher education operations, shared governance, academic policy, fiscal management, organizational planning, and public-sector accountability.

• Experience preparing executive briefings, policy materials, reports, presentations, and written communications for senior leadership.

• Strong understanding of data management tools and platforms to enhance collaborative work and communication with internal and external partners.

• CUNY TITLE

• University Assistant Administrator

• COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• The salary range is $175,000 - 195,000 , commensurate with credentials, education, and experience.

• CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.