Deputy Chief of Staff

Deputy Chief of Staff

About the Opportunity

The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) reports to the Chief of Staff and plays a central role in facilitating the President's Office team to ensure the timely and effective execution of all President's Office projects and functions. The DCOS will be the point person to provide and coordinate support for all high-level and substantive needs of the President and advances the Office as a responsive and impactful partner to internal and external constituents. The DCOS will also manage special projects on behalf of the President and Chief of Staff with University audiences and external partners as designated.

The Deputy Chief of Staff will be a collaborative leader on a team that delivers high output and high impact work in a fast-paced environment, in close coordination with the Executive Assistant, Director of Communications, Executive Writer, and Director of Administration and Operations.

The DCOS will be a versatile leader and team player who is involved in all areas of the Office and may be called upon to assist with needs and projects at any stage of development and implementation across a range of domains.

The Deputy Chief of Staff must be able to acquire, retain, and synthesize a wide range of information and translate and prioritize this information into actionable insight and options for decision-making by and on behalf of the President. The DCOS must also be able to interpret and articulate the direction and priorities of the President and the University across a range of audiences. Strong working relationships and navigational capital are a must.

The Deputy Chief of Staff will demonstrate independence in their work and the ability to prioritize effectively and anticipate the needs of the President and Chief of Staff. The position requires exceptional organizational, planning, writing, and interpersonal skills, along with a deep curiosity about Northeastern, its mission and its people.

About President Aoun:

President Joseph Aoun joined Northeastern University in 2006 and has been an educational entrepreneur and a transformative president for Northeastern.

An internationally respected voice on the value of global and experiential education, he is the author of numerous articles and books, including Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (MIT Press, 2017). In it, he confronts the need for colleges and universities to meet the challenges and opportunities of the complex digital economy. The book lays out a blueprint for higher education with three primary components: a new curriculum for the A.I. age; the case for experiential learning, the ideal delivery system for this new curriculum; and a call for higher education to place lifelong learning at the heart of the educational enterprise.

President Aoun came to Northeastern from the University of Southern California's College of Letters, Arts & Sciences where he was the inaugural holder of the Anna H. Bing Dean's Chair. He received his Ph.D. in linguistics and philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and advanced degrees from the University of Paris VIII (France) and Saint Joseph University (Beirut, Lebanon).

Responsibilities:

1. Facilitate and provide substantive support to ensure the effectiveness of all Presidential interactions and engagements. Key areas include:

• Briefings/Material Preparation: Ensure the President is fully prepared for all internal and external engagements with plenty of lead time, working closely with relevant President's Office team members and other internal stakeholders. The Deputy Chief of Staff will conduct and coordinate special research and writing to prepare the President for engagement. They will produce substantive briefings as needed, in coordination with the Executive Assistant.

• Writing/Correspondence: Develop and manage a proactive correspondence program to support the President in developing, maintaining and cultivating key internal and external relationships that advance the University's mission. Prepare and review high-level correspondence and internal and external communications on behalf of the President. Facilitate and coordinate the work of President's Office team to execute the program. As needed, prepare first drafts of announcements, correspondence, memos and emails and serve as a reviewer of correspondence. Serve as a partner to the Director of Communications and Executive Writer in advancing the communications objectives of the Office.

• Events/Engagements: In partnership with the Executive Assistant, track incoming requests from internal and external stakeholders to help the President prioritize his time and ensure his obligations are met in a timely and professional manner.

• Strategic calendar management: Work closely with the Executive Assistant to strategically manage the CEO's time and travel schedule to maintain appropriate focus and engagement on internal and external priorities.

2. Advance President's Office team effectiveness and operations

Coordinate and track daily deliverables and deadlines across all functions of the President's Office. Be the central hub and connector to keep team aligned and on track in the context of dynamically shifting needs and timelines. Triage and manage information flow and priorities by flagging important action items and timelines and prioritizing and facilitating decision points. Develop agendas and prepare for President's Office team meetings and other meetings with University leadership. Track meeting action items to ensure follow-through.

3. Executive-level support to the President and Chief of Staff

Interface with leadership offices across the university and develop efficient collaboration and coordination among different departments/units Support the development and execution of special projects and provide other substantive support to the President and Chief of Staff, including advancing new initiatives in collaboration with partners in other University departments, and serving as a representative for the President's Office in key University meetings as designated.

Provide general back-up support for the President, Chief of Staff as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, higher education, public administration, communications, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in academic, business, research and/or development activities and operations, providing high level project coordination and support. Experience in a major public or nonprofit agency, college or university, or a comparable setting preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in supporting a President or senior executive in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with a diverse audience at all organizational levels within and outside of the University.
• Strong project management experience and ability to conduct planning for operational, resource, and program needs.
• Superb writing, research skills to prepare written materials that assemble and synthesize key data and findings for decision-making.
• Proven ability for excellent judgment, to exercise discretion and confidentiality, institutional and situational intelligence, and the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct.
• Ability to take initiative and to produce results within tight deadlines, an unwavering commitment to service, and a positive and curious mindset.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and/or competing priorities with flexibility and initiative, and a high-level of attention to detail.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities, with demonstrated ability to work independently and advance and recommend decisions in timely manner based on thoughtful analysis and critical judgment.
• Humility, maturity and trustworthiness.
• Team player committed to responsiveness, partnership and service.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Calendar, Email, Teams systems.
• Accessibility in the evenings and weekends.

Documents to Submit:

Resume and Cover Letter

Position Type

General Administration

Additional Information

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University's commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity.


To apply, visit https://northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/job/Boston-MA-Main-Campus/Deputy-Chief-of-Staff_R104468-1 jeid-85b5c216859a6344b2424c560dbb55a1