Deputy Chief of Staff

Rice University•Houston, TX

3d•$128,371 - $167,761•Onsite

About The Position

Rice University is implementing Momentous, its ten-year strategic plan, and preparing for the public phase of a comprehensive campaign. The new Deputy Chief of Staff position in the Office of the President supports this period of increased presidential engagement, cross-university work, and decision-making. The Deputy is a strategic generalist and the Chief of Staff’s principal backup, working directly and regularly with the President and senior university leadership to advance institutional priorities and coordinate presidential engagements and initiatives. The role facilitates presidential engagement readiness, staffs the President at significant university and external engagements, and coordinates across offices so he is prepared, supported, and able to follow through on commitments. The Deputy also leads sensitive special projects, staffs key meetings, and keeps institutional priorities moving across divisions and schools. The position represents the Chief of Staff and the Office of the President as delegated. The role requires balancing strategic thinking with tactical execution, careful discernment, productive conflict navigation, and the ability to foster positive relationships across campus and the community. It includes regular travel with the President, including overnight and international travel, and frequent work outside standard business hours around presidential engagements, board meetings, and university events. This is an on-campus role, with the possibility of occasional remote workdays based on office needs, workload, and scheduled activities; work arrangements may change under Rice policy 440.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least four years of progressively responsible experience in an executive office, strategy, public or constituent engagement, or comparable roles, including direct work with a senior executive.
Experience exercising delegated judgment in ambiguous situations.
Ability to independently analyze complex questions, frame problems, gather and weigh evidence, and provide a clear, candid perspective, including when it differs from a senior leader’s.
Demonstrated ability to lead substantial projects from initial question to final recommendation with minimal direction, shifting between strategy and execution as needed.
Ability to absorb a high volume of information, identify what matters and to whom, and turn it into concise, decision-ready material.
Judgment, presence, and poise to work directly with the President and the University Associate, including in informal settings and during travel, and similar fluency with trustees, senior officers, donors, faculty leaders, and external partners.
Strong written communication skills.
Unequivocal discretion with confidential and sensitive material, and sound judgment about what to share and with whom.
Consistent follow-through without prompting.
Fluency in Google Workspace and a project management platform, with the capacity to work independently in Asana within the first several weeks.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or other advanced degree.
At least seven years of progressively responsible experience.
Experience in a president’s or chancellor’s office, or a comparable executive office in a research university or other large, decentralized organization.
Experience preparing and accompanying a principal at external engagements, including advance work.
Experience in a comprehensive fundraising campaign environment.
Experience supporting executive searches.
Familiarity with the work of a governing board.

Responsibilities

Facilitate preparation of the President for consequential engagements, including oral and written briefings.
Coordinate with presidential support teams and partner offices to settle roles, guests, and the President’s needs in advance, ensuring each component has a clear owner.
Maintain a forward view of the President’s engagements and contribute to planning them across the year.
Staff the President at university and external engagements and during travel, including advance coordination, managing his time, providing background on attendees, and addressing needs as they arise.
Use travel and time between engagements to brief the President on broader matters and obtain direction in coordination with the Chief of Staff.
Debrief the President after significant engagements and record discussions and commitments.
Lead sensitive presidential projects from initiation to final recommendation, including confidential consultation inside and outside Rice.
Steward assigned cross-institutional initiatives and Momentous priorities, particularly those at an early stage or without a clear owner.
Work with university partners to identify risks, dependencies, and unresolved issues and bring matters requiring presidential or Chief of Staff attention forward.
Source and maintain information and data used by the President, coordinating with Institutional Research and other offices so materials are ready when needed.
Staff and shepherd executive searches and other institutional processes as assigned.
Support institutional leadership bodies and retreats by building agendas with the Chief of Staff, preparing pre-reads, keeping records, and issuing follow-up with named owners.
Prepare briefing and decision memoranda that explain the question, context, options, and implications.
Track presidential and senior leadership decisions and commitments through completion.
Serve as the Chief of Staff’s principal backup, represent him in his absence, and maintain continuous communication and decision-making.
Represent the Office of the President in university meetings, working groups, and forums as delegated.
Collaborate with the Executive Assistant to the President and colleagues on the office’s operating rhythm, shared practices, and crisis response, and take on operational work as directed.
Complete additional duties as assigned.