Chief Operations & People Officer - UC Davis

Another Source • Davis, CA

4d • $190,000 - $230,000

About The Position

Another Source’s client, University of California, Davis , is recruiting a Chief Operating and People Officer to join their Continuing and Professional Education team. This is a brand new position established to help lead and scale an expanding division during a period of significant growth. Here’s a little about UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education: UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) is the lifelong learning arm of the university. The division maintains the most diverse program portfolio on campus, offering pre-college programs, professional continuing education, workforce development, international academic and cultural exchange, and training services for corporate and agency partners. As a global leader in continuing education, CPE serves learners regionally, nationally, and internationally, posting more than 55,000 enrollments annually and ranking as the third-largest UC Extension by enrollment. Learn more about CPE: https://cpe.ucdavis.edu/ About the role: The Chief Operating & People Officer (COPO) is a senior executive leadership role responsible for the overall health, effectiveness, and alignment of CPE’s people, operations, and internal administrative systems. Reporting directly to the Dean, the COPO serves as the division’s chief advisor on workforce strategy, organizational culture, and operational excellence. This role is intentionally designed to provide unified executive leadership across Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, and Dean’s Office Operations, ensuring that internal systems, people practices, and service standards operate cohesively and proactively. The COPO is charged with moving CPE from fragmented, reactive operational practices toward a modern, prevention-focused, metrics-driven operating model that supports growth, accountability, and a healthy workplace culture. The role reflects the Dean’s commitment to clarity, transparency, and sustained organizational excellence. The anticipated yearly salary range for this position is: $190,000-$230,000. Relocation support available.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Administration, Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations, HR, organizational management, or administrative leadership. Any equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated success in culture-building, employee relations, conflict resolution, and change leadership.
• Experience implementing metrics-driven management frameworks and modern performance systems.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trust, communicate clearly, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree (MBA, MPA, MA, JD, or related field).
• Experience in higher education or within the UC system, including academic personnel processes.
• Experience leading organizational transformation, workforce modernization, or digital operations improvement.
• Familiarity with UC labor relations, HR systems, and collective bargaining environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Dean’s primary partner on division-wide operations, workforce strategy, and administrative planning.
• Lead the modernization of internal systems, workflows, and service standards across HR, IT, Facilities, and Dean’s Office Operations.
• Establish clear operating rhythms, standard operating procedures, and cross-unit coordination protocols.
• Implement metrics-driven management practices, including Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), to improve accountability, transparency, and performance.
• Reduce operational ambiguity by clarifying roles, decision rights, escalation paths, and service expectations.
• Anticipate operational risks and design systems that prevent recurring “fire-fighting” scenarios.
• Provide executive oversight for all academic and staff human resources functions through direct supervision of the HR Director.
• Strengthen HR service quality, employee experience, and organizational trust through consistent communication, empathy, and follow-through.
• Lead workforce planning, talent development, performance management frameworks, and employee relations strategy.
• Champion a respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace aligned with UC Davis’ Principles of Community.
• Support leadership capability across the division through coaching, training, and development initiatives.
• Ensure people practices reinforce clarity, accountability, and shared ownership rather than reactivity or avoidance.
• Lead CPE’s evolution toward a data-informed, agile, and high-performing organization.
• Identify structural, cultural, and workflow barriers that impede effectiveness or morale.
• Design and implement solutions that improve collaboration, role clarity, and decision-making.
• Partner with leadership to align organizational structure with growth, sustainability, and service expectations.
• Lead initiatives to strengthen hybrid work practices, communication norms, and in-person engagement.
• Serve as a member of the CPE Executive Leadership Team.
• Coordinate operational communication to ensure division-wide clarity around priorities, initiatives, and expectations.
• Act as a visible, trusted, and steady leadership presence across the division.
• Represent CPE with campus HR, Academic Affairs, IT, and administrative partners, advocating for divisional needs and alignment.
• Support the Dean in reinforcing consistent leadership expectations and organizational standards.

Benefits

• UC Davis received the 2017 World at Work Seal of Distinction, marking the fifth year the university has been honored for our range of employee benefits, including extras and work-life initiatives that go beyond salary to create a positive work environment.
• You can learn more about the offerings here: https://hr.ucdavis.edu/employees/benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees