Vice Provost of Academic Strategy and Effectiveness

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

2d•$265,000 - $340,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Vice Provost of Academic Strategy and Effectiveness serves as a key member of the Provost’s leadership team, providing executive leadership and strategic direction to set institutional priorities, guide academic strategy, and ensure effective implementation in support of academic excellence and operational effectiveness. This role functions as a strategic leader with delegated authority to advance institutional priorities, lead cross-campus initiatives and represent the Provost with internal and external constituencies. The core of this role is to diagnose and address complex institutional challenges that span departments and units by conducting strategic assessments, implementing strategic priorities, and analyzing emerging trends in health sciences, healthcare, and higher education. The Vice Provost acts as a catalyst for organizational health, strengthens campus culture through leadership development and mentoring for emerging academic leaders through coordinated and collaborative faculty development efforts. By facilitating cross-functional teams and building partnerships across academic and administrative units, the incumbent works to reduce institutional silos and foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. A critical dimension of this work is the advancement of academic excellence through the lens of faculty success. Recognizing faculty as the primary drivers of institutional quality, the Vice Provost provides vision for professional growth programs at all career stages, ensuring that academic policies and personnel processes support a student-centered culture. The position requires a high level of analytical judgment and fluency in data‑informed decision‑making. The Vice Provost synthesizes complex quantitative and qualitative data into clear, actionable strategic insights that inform executive decision‑making, guide academic planning, and support accountability for institutional outcomes. In parallel, the Vice Provost serves as a primary liaison to external stakeholders, including professional associations and community partners, leveraging these relationships to inform strategy, align initiatives, and elevate the visibility, reputation, and impact of the CU Anschutz health sciences campus.

Requirements

Doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution or equivalent combination of advanced education and senior executive experience in a related field.
10 or more years of progressively responsible senior administrative and executive leadership experience within a research-intensive university, academic health center or comparable complex organization (e.g., roles such as Associate/Assistant Vice Chancellor, Associate/Assistant Vice President, Vice Chancellor, Provost, Dean or Department Chair of a large complex academic unit, as well as executive roles such as Chief Operating Officer, Chief of Staff or equivalent positions with board organizational scope and responsibility.)
Strategic leadership in higher education, demonstrated by leading institution‑wide or multi‑unit initiatives involving policy development, cross‑unit collaboration, and measurable improvements in academic or administrative performance.
Experience working within shared governance, demonstrated by effective collaboration with faculty governance bodies, senior leadership, and internal or external stakeholders to advance campus‑wide initiatives or institutional priorities.
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Current employee of the University of Colorado.
Proven record of successfully leading innovation and large-scale strategic initiatives that result in measurable academic excellence or operational efficiency.
Demonstrated experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams at a research and medical campus.
Financial leadership, demonstrated through oversight of large or complex budgets, strategic allocation of resources, and achievement of measurable outcomes such as improved sustainability, efficiencies, or reinvestment in academic priorities.
Experience translating complex quantitative information, such as enrollment trends and student lifecycle, into actionable insights using data visualization and forecasting.
Experience designing mentoring programs or teaching development for faculty at all career stages.
Demonstrated experience in leadership coaching, facilitating shared governance, and implementing change management strategies.
Familiarity with health sciences, clinical operations, and medical education.
Demonstrated excellence in strategic planning, project management, and change management.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to drive decision-making and improve institutional performance.
Exceptional oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Proven ability to build collaborative partnerships across diverse internal and external stakeholder groups.
Deep commitment to inclusive excellence in all organizational initiatives.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Provost to develop vision for the office and translate priorities into actionable, multi-year planning frameworks and measurable outcomes.
Lead and coordinate cross-departmental and cross-college projects requiring shared ownership, ensuring clear goals, deliverables, and accountability structures.
Prepare briefing materials, strategy documents, decision-support analyses, and executive summaries for leadership and governance bodies.
Establish project management and tracking systems to monitor progress on academic and operational initiatives.
Analyze emerging trends in health sciences education, healthcare, and higher education to advise the Provost on institutional opportunities and risks.
Develop data-driven approaches to optimize the alignment of resources with the campus academic and research mission.
Facilitate change management strategies to minimize disruption and maximize buy-in during institutional transformations.
Conduct strategic assessments and analysis to identify and resolve complex challenges facing the campus.
Strengthen organizational culture through the development of leadership development and mentoring opportunities for faculty and emerging leaders.
Convene and facilitate cross-functional teams to address multi-disciplinary challenges and reduce institutional silos.
Provide leadership and direction to administrative units, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
Coordinate onboarding, orientation, and leadership transition support for new administrative and academic leaders.
Design and facilitate retreats and workshops to improve team collaboration, decision-making, and morale across the office.
Provide vision and leadership for faculty success initiatives, recognizing faculty as the primary drivers of teaching, research, and clinical excellence.
Evaluate the opportunities for mentoring and programming for faculty at all career stages, including new faculty orientation and leadership institutes.
Collaborate with campus units to identify and support internal and external opportunities for faculty professional growth.
Support the development of programs for various faculty tracks, including tenure-track, tenured, and non-tenure track instructors.
Build strong relationships between faculty, staff, and leadership to foster a student-centered culture and effective teaching environment.
Translate complex data into actionable insights and executive summaries for the Provost and leadership teams.
Develop and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and dashboards to monitor progress on strategic initiatives.
Create speeches, presentations, talking points, and high-quality reports for internal and external audiences on behalf of the Provost.
Design feedback mechanisms, such as listening sessions or advisory groups, to ensure two-way communication between leadership and the campus community.
Cultivate and manage relationships with external partners, including healthcare systems, professional associations, and community organizations.
Represent the Provost at meetings, events, and on various boards to advocate for the campus’s interests and health sciences enterprise.
Coordinate with advancement and development teams to align philanthropic opportunities with strategic priorities.
Support and track progress on external partnership agreements, such as MOUs and shared clinical or research initiatives.