Senior Advisor for Executive Operations, Office of the President

Fort Hays State University•Hays, KS

19d

About The Position

Fort Hays State University seeks a strategic, high-impact leader to serve as an operational leader within the President’s Office. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the executive leadership team, the Senior Advisor for Executive Operations provides broad direction and operational coordination in partnership with the vice presidents across all university divisions. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the Senior Advisor for Executive Operations acts as a force multiplier for the President, managing complex institutional initiatives and ensuring that the university’s highest priorities are executed with precision and alignment. The successful candidate will act as both a senior strategist and institutional catalyst, overseeing high-stakes communications and the flow of critical information. By leading planning efforts and serving as a pivot point for crisis and issue management, Senior Advisor for Executive Operations fosters a culture of transparency and collaboration while ensuring institutional accountability through robust performance and change management systems.

Requirements

A Master’s degree or higher in Public Administration, Higher Education Leadership, Business, Communication, or a related field.
A minimum of five years of experience in a senior leadership or administrative role, with supervisory responsibilities, within a complex organization - preferably in higher education, government, or a large non-profit.

Nice To Haves

Operational Integration: Proven track record of managing cross-functional initiatives and ensuring that disparate departments (e.g., finance, marketing, and operations) are aligned with a central mission.
Crisis & Issue Management: Demonstrated experience leading organizational responses to sensitive, high-profile, or urgent challenges with a high degree of diplomacy and judgment.
Strategic Communication: Superior written and verbal communication skills, with experience drafting executive-level correspondence and collaborating with marketing/communications teams on institutional branding or crisis messaging.
Change Management Expertise: Experience leading or facilitating significant institutional transformations, such as technological shifts, structural reorganizations, or new enrollment paradigms.
Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to build and maintain trust-based relationships with a wide range of internal and external constituents, including boards, donors, faculty, and community leaders.

Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Advisor: Serve as a trusted, unbiased and communicative advisor to the President on institutional priorities and policy regarding the day-to-day management of the University. Ensure the university’s highest priorities are executed with precision and alignment. This includes anticipating challenges, identifying solutions, and overseeing the coordination of Executive Leadership Team (ELT) activities. The Senior Advisor tracks and reports on progress and outcomes, acting as an institutional integrator to ensure budget, communications, and operations remain synchronized.
Institutional Coordination & Accountability: Facilitate high-level collaboration among senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, and governance groups. Manage executive decision-making processes by prioritizing critical issues and ensuring timely follow-through on presidential directives. Oversee special projects and key institutional initiatives, maintaining effective feedback loops from stakeholders, including donors, legislators, and campus constituents—to inform executive strategy.
Strategic Communication & Marketing: In partnership with the University President, provide supervision and guidance to the Office of University Marketing. Coordinate crisis and high-stakes communications, serving as a senior University spokesperson when necessary. Oversee the development of executive-level written and visual materials, ensuring all business correspondence and design pieces reflect the University’s brand and impact.
Crisis, Change & Issue Management: Coordinate responses to urgent and sensitive issues with a high degree of discretion, diplomacy, and judgment. Provide change management leadership for major institutional transformations, such as enrollment strategy shifts, financial sustainability, or technology/AI adoption. Coordinate the University’s critical incident planning group and maintain regular engagement with University Police to ensure communication lines are seamless during transitions or emergencies.
Operations of the Office of the President: Oversee the planning and execution of presidential events and engagements, vetting all major communications to ensure clarity and alignment. Support leadership development and institutional continuity by strategizing for key personnel changes and implementing robust onboarding and offboarding programs. Advise and develop the VIP program to establish meaningful and measurable outcomes. Oversee scholarships administered by the Office of the President. Assist in visits from dignitaries and other special groups. Serve as the primary conduit between the President’s Office and the FHSU Foundation, collaborating with Foundation staff, board members, and alumni relations to drive institutional success.