Chief Of Staff

Duke Careers•Durham, NC

6d•$78,161 - $156,319•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Chief of Staff / Director of Executive Operations to the Vice President/Vice Provost for Student Affairs, you will play a central role in advancing priorities that strengthen campus life and support students across every stage of their Duke journey. In this highly visible role, you will serve as a trusted strategic partner to senior leadership, bringing clarity, coordination, and momentum to complex initiatives. Your ability to integrate strategy, data, relationships, and execution will directly influence how Student Affairs delivers meaningful, student‑centered outcomes. This role calls for a confident, agile leader who thrives in complexity, anticipates needs, and translates vision into action.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in education, business administration, public administration, public policy, or a related field preferred.
A working knowledge of university administration or other decentralized, mission-driven organizations is essential.
Minimum of 5 years of management experience, preferably within a complex, decentralized organization such as a selective research university.
Demonstrated working knowledge of university administration or other mission‑driven organizations.

Nice To Haves

7 or more years of management and supervisory experience in a highly complex organization.
Demonstrated commitment to inclusive excellence in programmatic and policy decision‑making.
Exceptional organizational, project management, administrative, and interpersonal skills.
Proven ability to lead with maturity, sound judgment, and responsiveness to equity and inclusion.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively with senior leaders.
Comfort operating in an environment focused on excellence, adaptability, and evolving priorities.

Responsibilities

Translate the Vice President/Vice Provost for Student Affairs’ (VPSA) priorities into clear, time‑bound, executable plans.
Supervise the Student Affairs Assessment team (3 FTE) to ensure data analytics and outcomes assessment are embedded across divisional planning and decision‑making.
Coordinate timelines, track inter‑team progress, and lead select cross‑functional initiatives using fit‑for‑purpose project management tools.
Prepare monthly progress summaries for VPSA leadership and key campus partners to ensure transparency and momentum.
In partnership with the Assistant Vice President (AVP), Strategic Initiatives and Policy, proactively assess and prioritize emerging and ongoing issues.
Support strategic delegation of leadership effort toward high‑impact goals.
Collaborate closely with the Executive Assistant to evaluate competing priorities, provide contextual insight, and recommend sequencing, delegation, or declination of requests for leadership time.
Coordinate planning, preparation, and on‑site support for high‑impact engagements, including divisional town halls, all‑staff events, leadership council retreats, and special functions.
Support internal and external engagements such as search committees, peer cohort convenings (e.g., ACC), donor events, and off‑site functions.
Ensure events are outcomes‑driven, relationship‑focused, and aligned with divisional goals by managing logistics, preparing briefings, coordinating follow‑up, and tracking next steps.
Maintain meeting records and after‑action feedback to continuously improve future efforts.
Participate in evening and weekend events during planned and unanticipated peak periods.
Supervise administrative support staff and the project manager.
Manage the annual VPSA suite calendar, anticipating University milestones, divisional priorities, travel, and student‑facing needs.
Represent the VPSA and AVP on selected campus committees and working groups, ensuring effective follow‑through and clear accountability.
Draft and coordinate executive communications, presentations, and quarterly Board of Trustees updates.
Collaborate with the AVP, Director of Student Affairs Communications, project manager, and assessment leads on annual reports and major divisional correspondence.
Perform related duties as assigned to support departmental, divisional, and University goals.