Chief of Operations and Strategy (COO)

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The COO to the President serves as a senior strategic partner and a key architect of the future direction of the institution. This executive leader will play a central role in advancing institutional strategy and positioning the organization for its next phase of growth as a university-level institution dedicated to innovation in health professions education and interdisciplinary collaboration. The COO provides executive oversight of institutional operations, ensuring the effective integration and performance of technology, campus services, compliance, facilities, and auxiliary functions. This role ensures that operational infrastructure, resources, and systems are aligned with strategic priorities, enabling efficient execution, regulatory compliance, and a high-quality environment that supports teaching, research, and administrative excellence. Working closely with the President, Provost, Deans, and executive leadership, the COO leads Institute strategic planning, institutional integration and innovation initiatives that connect institutional vision with measurable results. The role ensures institutional strategy translates into execution by coordinating cross-organizational initiatives, strengthening partnerships, and building systems and processes that support sustained institutional growth. The COO also serves as Chief of Staff to the President, acting as a principal strategic advisor and coordinating the execution of presidential and institutional priorities. The role ensures alignment among executive leadership, supports governance and Board engagement, and represents the President in institutional and external matters as appropriate. The COO serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Health Administration, Higher Education Administration, or related field required.
Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in strategy, administration, finance, or institutional operations within higher education, academic health sciences, healthcare organizations, or related sectors.
Demonstrated success leading strategic planning, institutional transformation, and partnership development initiatives.
Experience working in complex academic or healthcare environments with multiple stakeholders.
Proven ability to translate institutional strategy into operational execution with measurable outcomes.
Strong financial and business acumen including strategic financial modeling and sustainability planning.
Demonstrated experience building partnerships across healthcare systems, academic institutions, and industry.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and navigate complex organizational environments.
Strong analytical capabilities and experience leveraging data to inform strategic decision‑making.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for development, implementation, and refinement of the institutional strategic plan in collaboration with the President, Provost, Deans, and senior leadership.
Translate institutional priorities into actionable implementation frameworks with defined milestones, accountability structures, and measurable outcomes.
Lead the Institute portfolio of strategic initiatives across programs, operations, partnerships, and innovation efforts, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and measurable impact.
Ensure institutional strategy remains dynamic, data-informed, and responsive to emerging opportunities in healthcare education and workforce development.
Ensure institutional strategy translates into measurable progress by coordinating execution of cross-organizational initiatives and drive institutional transformation initiatives.
Facilitate collaboration across schools, administrative units, and external partners to advance major institutional initiatives.
Identify and address barriers that impede implementation of institutional priorities.
Promote alignment and collaboration across institutional units and initiatives.
Lead development of innovation initiatives that strengthen leadership in health professions education.
Facilitate evaluation and development of strategic initiatives and pilot programs aligned with institutional priorities.
Collaborate with the Provost, Deans and senior leadership to develop and evaluate partnerships with healthcare organizations, academic institutions, industry partners, and community organizations.
Identify partnership opportunities that advance institutional mission and strategic priorities.
Provide executive oversight of Institute operations including academic and administrative technology, campus services, compliance, facilities, security, and auxiliary services in support of institutional mission and growth.
Lead capital planning and operational budgeting processes, managing ~$15M operating budget and $2.5M–$10M capital portfolio with focus on lifecycle management, infrastructure optimization, and resource stewardship.
Direct campus operations and space planning across multi-site environments, including facilities, leasing, security, and vendor management, ensuring safe, compliant, and high-performing learning and work environments.
Oversee Institute technology strategy and implementation, integrating instructional technologies and digital infrastructure to support academic delivery, research, and administrative functions.
Serve as institutional Chief Compliance Officer, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., HIPAA, Title IX, ADA, Clery), while leading contract management and risk mitigation efforts in partnership with General Counsel.
Chair Emergency Preparedness and Compliance functions, leading organizational readiness, crisis response coordination, and Institute risk management.
Build and manage strategic relationships with health system partners, real estate entities, and operational stakeholders to align resources, enhance service delivery, and drive institutional effectiveness.
Lead cross-functional teams (30+ FTEs and contractors) across IT, compliance, and campus services, fostering a service-oriented, high-performance culture.
Implement service excellence frameworks and integrated systems to improve operational efficiency, user experience, and institutional performance.
Partner with the President, Provost, and finance leadership to evaluate strategic investments, develop multi-year financial models, and ensure long-term financial sustainability of institutional initiatives.
Identify and advance new revenue streams through industry partnerships, continuing education, and strategic alliances.
Serve as the President’s principal strategic advisor and coordinate execution of institutional and presidential priorities and emerging opportunities across the institution.
Lead cross-organization initiatives directed by the President and ensure alignment among executive leadership teams.
Support preparation and follow‑through for Board of Trustees meetings and governance activities.
Represent the President in institutional and external meetings as delegated.
Facilitate alignment across executive leadership teams.