Executive Director and Chief of Staff to the Provost

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

19h

About The Position

Reporting directly to the Provost, the Chief of Staff (COS) serves as a senior strategic advisor and key partner in advancing the academic mission of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This role operates at a leadership level, focusing on strategy execution, cross-campus alignment, and institutional impact. The COS functions as a central integrator across the academic enterprise, ensuring that the Provost’s priorities are translated into coordinated action. Working across schools, units, and leadership teams, the COS drives complex initiatives, facilitates decision-making, and ensures follow-through on high-priority efforts. This position requires the ability to synthesize information, anticipate challenges, and navigate a decentralized and highly collaborative environment with sound judgment and discretion. The Chief of Staff focuses on aligning people, priorities, and processes at a strategic level. The COS extends the reach of the Provost by engaging with senior leaders, advancing cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring that institutional efforts are cohesive, forward-moving, and aligned with the University’s academic goals.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and foster positive working relationships across teams and departments
• Demonstrated commitment to operational effectiveness and continuous process improvement
• Ability to gather, interpret, and communicate information to support decision-making and strategic initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to support operational and organizational effectiveness
• Experience coordinating projects and supporting process improvements or organizational initiatives
• Experience providing guidance, support, or oversight to staff or student employees
• Demonstrated commitment to professional integrity, ethical practice, and sound judgment
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters with professionalism and discretion
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships and contribute to a positive and team-oriented work environment

Nice To Haves

• Professional experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred: communications, marketing, data analytics, student affairs, enrollment management, student success, athletics, or related fields
• A master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience supporting senior leadership and coordinating initiatives within a complex organization, preferably in higher education.
• Demonstrated sound judgment and effective problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a variety of stakeholders across the university
• Demonstrated experience supporting programmatic or operational improvements in response to evolving student and business needs

Responsibilities

• Serves as a senior strategic advisor and key partner in advancing the academic mission of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Focuses on strategy execution, cross-campus alignment, and institutional impact.
• Functions as a central integrator across the academic enterprise, ensuring that the Provost’s priorities are translated into coordinated action.
• Drives complex initiatives, facilitates decision-making, and ensures follow-through on high-priority efforts.
• Aligns people, priorities, and processes at a strategic level.
• Extends the reach of the Provost by engaging with senior leaders, advancing cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring that institutional efforts are cohesive, forward-moving, and aligned with the University’s academic goals.

What This Job Offers

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