Vice President, Presidential Initiatives & Chief of Staff to the President at UT San Antonio
This position has two components: the Vice President for Presidential Initiatives and the Chief of Staff to the President. The position is a Cabinet-level position. The primary work location is at the executive offices at the Academic Campus of UT San Antonio.
The Vice President for Presidential Initiatives role involves the development and execution of strategic presidential initiatives principally derived from the President’s annual work plan. It includes special projects, strategic relationships support, institutional advocacy, and executive communication strategies, principally for the President, while collaborating closely with the Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications and the entire Cabinet. This role will oversee initiatives that vary in scale, time frame, and relative involvement of other divisions, ranging from small, short-term, simple projects to large, multiyear, institutional-scale, complex projects. The Vice President will formulate analysis, strategy, and communication development around the presidential initiatives that will shape the trajectory as the new institution develops, serving on behalf of the President as a thought leader within higher education, research, academics, and public/private partnerships.
The Chief of Staff to the President role involves representing the interests and priorities of the President and the Office of the President through the coordination and advancement of the Presidential initiatives, enterprise risk management, KPI tracking, special projects, and priorities. This role involves the management and leadership of the Office of the President and its four components: Special Events and Protocol, Administrative Operations, Presidential Initiatives, and Presidential Communications. It includes supporting the President in prioritizing and making the best use of their time, providing strategic and analytical support to the President, and managing certain special projects end to end to ensure achievement towards strategic initiatives and annual plans.
- Execution of all the functions of the office: special events and protocol, administration and operations, presidential initiatives, and presidential communications.
- Oversight of direct reports leading those functional areas.
- Facilitate coordination, alignment and follow through across Cabinet on presidential priorities, institutional initiatives and matters requiring cross functional executive leadership.
- Coordination with UT system executive offices and the Board of Regents Office of the Secretary as needed.
- Provide strategic insights and implementation for strategic initiatives related to the Office of the President.
- Leverage opportunities with strategic partners that further university missions and strategic efforts.
- Coordinate with Cabinet members and other institutional leaders to identify, assess, monitor, and address significant enterprise risks.
- Coordinate enterprise risk reporting and engagement with UT System and the Board of Regents, as appropriate.
- Ensure emerging risks and issues are elevated to the President and appropriate executive leaders to support timely decision making and response.
- Serve as an ambassador of the Office of the President.
- Closely collaborate with the Chief of Staff to the SEVP for Health Affairs and Health System.
- Collaborate with Cabinet members and executives across the institution.
- Represent the President and the university at community events as needed.
- Oversee the annual State Employee Charitable Campaign.
- Serve as the internal liaison/coordinator and mentor for the following groups: Staff Advisory Council, Staff Emergency Fund, Association of Retired Faculty and Associates (ARFA), and others as needed.
- Serve in an internally and externally facing leadership role.
- Serve as a liaison with members of the Board of Regents and the University of Texas System regarding presidential topics and related support of issues and opportunities.
- In partnership with the Office of Human Resources, manage and oversee the search process for VPs directly reporting to the President as needed. This includes collaborating with selected search advisory committee chair, selected search firm, and other key stakeholders to ensure a seamless and successful search process.
- Ensure effective planning of presidential activities and special events (both internal and external). To include receptions, Presidential Awards, holiday events, VIP visits, graduation speakers and coordination of annual Presidential Ambassador Scholars.
- Support organizational efforts and compliance with all required reporting and certifications related to State and Federal legislation that are due by this office.
- Oversee the compilation of various reporting documents to the State of Texas relative to the President (e.g., President's Annual Personal Financial Statement).
- Coordinate with responsible institutional offices to ensure matters requiring presidential awareness, certification, action or escalation are appropriately managed and addressed.
- Lead team who plans, coordinates, and prepares agendas for President's Cabinet meetings.
- Oversee presidential initiatives which vary in scale, timeframe, and relative involvement of other divisions, ranging from small, short term, simple projects to large, multiyear, institutional scale, complex projects.
- Develop strategy, communication, and analysis around presidential initiatives that shape the institution's trajectory in close collaboration with the Senior Vice President, President for Marketing and Communications, and President's Cabinet.
- Oversee and establish strategic communications and engagement directives for the Office of the President.
- Address issues and devise solutions to proactively and reactively preserve and promote the university on behalf of the President.
- Maintain a commitment to professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliation to keep abreast of the latest developments in college and university, crisis management, marketing, media, and other related areas.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- This position plays a vital role in advancing the institution's mission by fostering a supportive, innovative environment for students, faculty, staff, and those we serve and ensuring that the institution remains a leader in education, health, research, community engagement and commercialization.
- Bachelor's degree required. MA, MBA, JD or PhD highly preferred.
- Progressively senior level leader experience, including prior service as a Chief of Staff, senior strategy/business operations leader, or comparable executive role supporting a c-suite leader is preferred.
- Experience in a higher education or academic health institution is preferred.
- 15 years of progressively responsible experience working in strategy, strategic planning support, and/or business administration and operations is required.
- Extensive knowledge of executive leadership, organizational governance, and administrative practices within a large, complex organization, with the ability to effectively support the priorities and operations of the Office of the President.
- Advanced strategic planning, analytical, and problem solving skills, with the ability to assess complex institutional issues, develop actionable recommendations, and drive execution of enterprise wide priorities and presidential initiatives.
- Demonstrated knowledge of enterprise risk management principles and practices, including the ability to identify, assess, communicate, monitor, and facilitate mitigation of significant organizational and emerging risks.
- Exceptional interpersonal, relationship management, and diplomatic skills, with the ability to establish credibility and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, governing boards, community partners, and other internal and external stakeholders.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and executive communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex and sensitive information, prepare executive level communications and reports, and represent the President and university with professionalism and discretion.
- Advanced organizational and project management skills, with the ability to lead multiple high profile, complex, and time sensitive initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and varying levels of institutional impact.
- Strong knowledge of institutional compliance, governance, and reporting requirements, with the ability to coordinate matters requiring executive level awareness and ensure appropriate follow through.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality when managing highly sensitive matters, anticipating organizational needs.