Chief of Staff to the Provost

Western Washington University • Bellingham, WA

1d • $153,776 - $176,842

About The Position

The Chief of Staff to the Provost serves as a senior member of the Provost’s leadership team and helps advance the strategic and operational priorities of the Division of Academic Affairs. Reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Chief of Staff works closely with vice provosts, deans, faculty leaders, and administrative partners to facilitate alignment across academic and administrative units, support implementation of key priorities and and ensure alignment across the division.

The position oversees special projects and institutional initiatives on behalf of the Provost and supports executive planning and communications for Academic Affairs. It also provides leadership for institutional accreditation activities, including coordination of accreditation reporting, compliance, and reaffirmation efforts.

The successful candidate will bring strong organizational and communication skills, sound judgment, political acumen, change management expertise, and the ability to work effectively within a collaborative and shared governance environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Progressive professional experience in higher education, public administration, government, or a similarly complex organization.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership to advance strategic priorities and coordinate complex or cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a collaborative environment.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in higher education, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Progressive experience working in Academic Affairs leadership or within a provost’s office.
• Experience with institutional accreditation, assessment, compliance, or institutional effectiveness activities.
• Completion of Peer Evaluation Training for NWCCU accreditation, or equivalent for other accreditation bodies.
• Experience with change management and strategic planning at an institutional level in higher education.
• Experience working within a shared governance environment.
• Demonstrated experience working across university functions and understanding the intersection of Academic Affairs, operations, and strategy.
• Experience preparing executive-level communications, reports, or presentations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Provost on divisional priorities, emerging issues, and operational matters.
• Lead implementation of Academic Affairs initiatives and strategic projects by monitoring progress, identifying barriers, and working with stakeholders to advance execution.
• Facilitate communication, collaboration, and change management among colleges, departments, and administrative units.
• Conduct research, prepare briefing materials, and provide analysis to support executive decision-making.
• Represent the Provost in meetings and university committees as assigned.
• Manage operational processes and workflows that support effective functioning of the Office of the Provost.
• Coordinate and facilitate leadership meetings, retreats, and divisional planning activities, including implementation of resulting actions.
• Track and monitor progress on divisional initiatives and action items. Provide updates and recommendations to support execution and accountability.
• Coordinate development and implementation of policies, procedures, and operational practices.
• Manage sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Coordinate the university's institutional accreditation activities, including Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) reaffirmation processes, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative units to support accreditation standards, assessment activities, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Lead the institution's accreditation efforts, including a team of faculty and staff to coordinate preparation and submission of accreditation reports, substantive change proposals, annual updates, and related documentation.
• Create a broad strategy for communication and integration of accreditation expectations into institutional planning and assessment processes.
• Monitor developments in accreditation and higher education policy and make recommendations to the Provost regarding relevant changes to university policy and process.
• Foster effective communication and collaboration with faculty governance bodies, staff leadership groups, and campus partners.
• Coordinate the development of materials for the Board of Trustees and university leadership groups.
• Facilitate initiatives that involve multiple divisions and stakeholder groups across the university.
• Support communication, transparency, and collaboration between Academic Affairs, governance groups, and administrative initiatives.

Benefits

• Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior