Chief of Staff
Position Summary
The Chief of Staff serves as a senior strategic advisor and operational partner to the President of La Roche University. Reporting directly to the President and working closely with the Cabinet, the Chief of Staff advances institutional priorities through executive coordination, Board governance support, government and external relations, strategic communications, and cross-functional project leadership.
The Chief of Staff functions as a central integrator across the University, helping ensure alignment, accountability, and follow-through on presidential and institutional priorities. The role supports the President’s engagement with trustees, elected officials, civic and community leaders, external partners, and campus constituencies in a manner consistent with La Roche University’s Catholic mission and strategic direction.
The Chief of Staff attends Cabinet and other senior leadership meetings as assigned by the President and helps coordinate communication, decision follow-up, and implementation of priorities across senior leadership. Acting on behalf of the President when appropriate, the Chief of Staff convenes institutional leaders, monitors progress on presidential priorities, and ensures timely follow-through on strategic decisions and initiatives.
Success Profile
The successful candidate will be a highly trusted, politically astute, mission-centered professional who can operate with discretion, synthesize complex information, build relationships across diverse constituencies, and move institutional priorities from discussion to execution. The Chief of Staff must be equally comfortable supporting executive decision-making, managing sensitive governance matters, engaging external stakeholders, and coordinating complex institutional projects in a fast-paced and highly relational environment.
Essential Functions
1. Presidential Strategy and Executive Coordination
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the President on institutional priorities, emerging issues, organizational effectiveness, and executive decision-making.
- Work closely with the President and Cabinet to advance institutional priorities and ensure alignment across senior leadership.
- Attend Cabinet and other senior leadership meetings as assigned, supporting agenda development, preparation, documentation, communication, and follow-up.
- Facilitate communication and coordination among Cabinet members, senior leaders, and key institutional stakeholders.
- Track presidential priorities, Cabinet-level decisions, and strategic initiatives to ensure timely follow-through and accountability.
- Conduct research, analysis, and briefing preparation to support the President’s leadership, decision-making, and external engagement.
- Prepare executive-level reports, presentations, correspondence, talking points, and briefing materials for the President.
- Assist in coordinating institutional responses to sensitive, time-sensitive, or high-priority matters.
- Promote a culture of professionalism, collaboration, accountability, transparency, and mission-centered leadership.
2. Board Governance and Trustee Engagement
- Serve as principal staff liaison to the Board of Trustees.
- Coordinate Board and committee meeting logistics, agendas, materials, minutes, records, and follow-up actions.
- Ensure timely preparation and distribution of Board materials, governance documentation, and related communications.
- Support the President and Board Chair in governance planning, trustee engagement, and effective Board operations.
- Assist with trustee onboarding, orientation, continuing education, and governance best practices.
- Maintain Board records, bylaws, policies, committee materials, and related governance documents in coordination with appropriate University officials.
- Facilitate communication between trustees and institutional leadership as appropriate.
- Track Board-related action items and ensure appropriate follow-through with the President, Cabinet, and senior leadership.
3. Government, Civic, and External Relations
- Assist in developing and implementing the University’s government relations strategy at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Serve as a key liaison with governmental officials, agencies, legislative staff, higher education associations, civic organizations, and community stakeholders.
- Monitor legislative, regulatory, public policy, and regional developments affecting higher education and institutional priorities.
- Coordinate advocacy efforts and institutional engagement related to public policy, funding opportunities, and regional initiatives.
- Prepare policy briefings, advocacy materials, correspondence, talking points, and strategic communications for the President and senior leadership.
- Support the President’s participation in civic, governmental, nonprofit, faith-based, educational, philanthropic, and regional leadership organizations.
- Represent the President or University at meetings, events, and external engagements as assigned.
- Help identify and advance strategic partnerships that support institutional priorities, community engagement, and regional impact.
4. Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Project Leadership
- Lead or coordinate complex cross-divisional initiatives and strategic projects on behalf of the President.
- Develop project timelines, accountability structures, implementation plans, and assessment metrics.
- Monitor progress on institutional priorities and provide regular updates to the President.
- Convene institutional leaders and cross-functional teams to advance projects, resolve barriers, and support timely execution.
- Support institutional planning, implementation, assessment, change management, and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
- Facilitate problem-solving and collaboration across departments, divisions, and functional areas.
- Help translate presidential and institutional priorities into actionable plans, measurable outcomes, and sustained follow-through.
Additional Responsibilities
Presidential Visibility and Institutional Profile
- Support efforts to elevate the President’s and University’s visibility, reputation, and influence throughout the region.
- Coordinate strategic external engagement opportunities for the President, including speaking engagements, meetings, partnerships, and regional initiatives.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Media Relations, University Advancement, and other University offices to align presidential activities and messaging with institutional priorities.
- Assist in developing speeches, presentations, remarks, briefing materials, and messaging for high-profile internal and external engagements.
- Monitor emerging regional opportunities, partnerships, and issues relevant to institutional positioning and public profile.
Office of the President Operations
- Assist in managing the operations, workflow, and priorities of the Office of the President.
- Support presidential scheduling priorities and coordination of key institutional events as appropriate.
- Help ensure the President is appropriately prepared for meetings, events, Board engagements, external commitments, and institutional priorities.
- Maintain confidentiality and discretion in all matters related to the President, Board of Trustees, Cabinet, personnel issues, institutional strategy, and sensitive University matters.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the President.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- Significant progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education, government relations, nonprofit administration, public policy, executive administration, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience working with governmental entities, elected officials, community stakeholders, public policy initiatives, or external partners.
- Experience supporting executive leadership and managing complex strategic projects.
- Strong understanding of governance structures, organizational operations, and executive decision-making processes.
- Exceptional written, verbal, analytical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrated judgment, discretion, diplomacy, political acumen, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, synthesize complex information, meet deadlines, and advance work through influence and collaboration.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with senior leaders, trustees, public officials, community partners, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and other stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience serving as a liaison to boards of trustees, governing bodies, public boards, or senior advisory groups.
- Experience in higher education administration, public affairs, government relations, or executive leadership support.
- Familiarity with Catholic higher education and mission-driven institutions.
- Experience supporting institutional strategy, transformation, change management, or organizational effectiveness initiatives.
- Experience preparing executive communications, policy briefings, Board materials, speeches, or high-level institutional reports.
Core Competencies
- Strategic thinking and execution
- Executive advising and decision support
- Project and change management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Government and external relations
- Governance and stakeholder management
- Political and organizational acumen
- Executive communications
- Sound judgment and discretion
- Accountability and follow-through
- Mission-centered leadership
Work Environment
This position requires substantial interaction with the President, Cabinet, senior institutional leadership, trustees, elected officials, community leaders, alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders. The Chief of Staff must be able to operate with discretion, professionalism, responsiveness, and sound judgment in a highly visible executive office environment.
Occasional evening and weekend responsibilities, including Board meetings, presidential events, and external engagements, are expected.
Compensation
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package included.
In order for applications to be fully processed, a cover letter, curriculum vitae/resume, and contact information for at least three professional references must accompany a completed application. Candidates are subject to background clearances and must submit official transcripts prior to the issuance of a contract.Review of applicants will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled.
Qualified applicants can complete an online application by clicking on the following link:
Applicants for this position must have current legal authorization to work in the United States. La Roche University will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.
It is the policy of La Roche University to promote equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, creed, age, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, non-job-related disability or medical condition, or any other legally protected status.
How to Apply
You must submit a separate online application for each position that you want to apply for. The positions listed on this site are those currently available at the University. The information listed for each position is all that is available at this time. There is no further need to contact the Human Resources Department.
To apply for a position at La Roche:
- Identify the position in which you want to apply.
- Complete an online application by clicking on “Click Here to Apply” at the bottom of the job posting. The application must be completed in its entirety. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- An online application must be submitted for each position in which you want to apply. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. Resumes can be attached to the online application.
- Your information will be reviewed by a hiring manager, and you will be contacted if we feel your qualifications closely match the description of the position.
Employment Policy
It is the policy of La Roche University to promote equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color creed, age, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, non-job related disability or medical condition, or any other legally protected status.
This policy provides for equal opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship. This includes, but is not limited to: recruitment, employment, job assignment, transfer, promotion, demotion, compensation, training and development, employee benefits, layoff, discharge and general working conditions.
This policy is administered in accordance with all applicable federal and state statutes. La Roche University does not take action against an employee because he or she has opposed a practice made unlawful under federal or state law or has filed charges, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or lawsuit pursuant to those statutes.
All employees are expected to implement and abide by La Roche’s policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity employment within their assigned work areas. Any violation of this policy by an employee of La Roche University may result in disciplinary action, including, when appropriate, discharge.
The Associate Vice President of Human Resources/Compliance Officer is assigned the overall responsibility for effective administration of this program throughout La Roche University. Individuals who believe that they may have experienced illegal discrimination should immediately report their complaint to the Associate Vice President of Human Resources/Compliance Officer.
