Chief Operating Officer

The University of Silicon Valley

About US

The University of Silicon Valley (USV) is the world’s first AI-Native University, building on a 137-year legacy of innovation. We are reimagining higher education as a place where builders, creators, and polymaths learn by launching real companies, products, and solutions to tomorrow’s hardest problems. With in-house studios, deep industry ties, and a community of learners who refuse to settle for outdated models, USV is where the future of education is being forged.

The Role

We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our executive leadership team. This role is designed for a strategic operator and builder—someone who thrives wearing many hats across recruitment, marketing, student experience, and day-to-day operations. The COO will play a pivotal role in scaling our university, overseeing the execution of strategic initiatives, and ensuring seamless coordination across teams and partners.

Reporting to the President & CEO, you will work side-by-side with the other members of the Executive team to steer USV through an ambitious era of growth, creativity, and global impact, turning USV into a world leader in AI-first higher education.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and optimize day-to-day operations across admissions, marketing, enrollment, academic support, and student services.
• Provide executive oversight of academic affairs, human resources, campus services, and information technology, aligning each to USV’s strategic priorities and student outcomes.
• Develop and lead USV’s growth plans domestically and internationally.
• Drive cross-departmental alignment to ensure a seamless student, faculty, and partner experience.

Recruitment, Enrollment & Growth

• Lead marketing and enrollment teams to design and execute recruitment strategies that resonate with next-generation learners.
• Own the full enrollment lifecycle, from inquiry, application, and admission through yield, onboarding, and retention, using data to set targets and improve conversion.
• Oversee marketing campaigns, partnerships, and outreach initiatives that position USV as the destination for builders and innovators.

Strategic Projects & Studios

• Help launch and scale USV Studios (Productions, Labs, Agency, Interactive) as engines for real-world learning and industry engagement.
• Develop systems and processes that enable students to build companies, products, and portfolios within USV’s ecosystem.

Executive Partnership

• Collaborate closely with the CFO on financial planning, resourcing, and sustainable growth.
• Partner with the Chief Experience and Partnership Officer to strengthen student experience, industry collaborations, and external partnerships. Integrate emerging technologies and AI-native workflows into operations alongside the IT Director.

Culture & Team Development

• Build and lead high-performing operational teams that embrace USV’s mission and values.
• Foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Ideal Candidate

Proven track record in operations, marketing, enrollment management, or recruitment leadership (preferably within higher education, edtech, or a startup/innovation environment).

• Experience leading senior executives across multiple functions, ideally including academic affairs, HR, and IT.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable building systems from the ground up and iterating quickly.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen; able to balance visionary ideas with sustainable operations.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to inspire teams, engage stakeholders, and represent USV externally.
• Experience launching new initiatives, programs, or business units (bonus if tied to education or creative industries).