Chief of Staff to the Senior Vice President for Operations

Chief of Staff to the Senior Vice President for Operations

The Chief of Staff to the Senior Vice President for Operations (SVPO) provides executive-level support to theSVPO,with a focus on leadership support along withformal oversight of the daily office operations. As a key strategic advisor, the Chief of Staff helps advance institutional priorities and strengthen operational excellence across the SVPO portfolio.

The SVPOis responsible forsupporting the University's mission through oversight of the following University units that totalnearly 2,500staff: Office of the Architect; University Building Official; Business Services; Facilities Management; and Real Estate and Leasing Services. The Chief of Staff will serve as a member of the SVPO leadership team and work closely with that team on a wide range of projects and assignments across the SVPO portfolio.

Reporting directly to the SVPO, they will work on data and fact finding, budget oversight, communications, and projects that are highly privileged and confidential, thus requiring discretion, tact, sound judgment, and trustworthiness. In addition, they will be assigned special projects that may be ongoing and/or non-recurring in nature.

Success in this role includes effectively driving executive priorities and ensuring follow-through across the Operations leadership team; strengthening cross-unit communication and alignment; and building a trusted advisory relationship with the SVPO as a sounding board on sensitive, complex, and strategic matters.

LeadershipSupport

• Research and analyze issues to prepare briefings, reports, correspondence, talking points, and presentations for the SVPO and other senior leaders, including regular meetings with the President and members of his senior team.
• Coordinate with colleagues, within the Operations organization and Grounds-wide, to create andfinalizebriefing materials for the SVPO's meetings. Develop agendas for SVPO-led meetings.
• Track communications and deliverables requested by and of the SVPO to ensure timeliness and accuracy.
• Provide confidential counsel and advice on existing oremergingissues,servingas a thought partner to theSVPO.
• Respond and sometimes act on behalf of theSVPOwith tact and diplomacy in sensitive and confidential matters.
• Represent theSVPOat meetings, functions, and on committees asappropriate; coordinate participation by otherSVPOleadershipteam memberswhere necessary.
• Track the annual operating and capital budgets for the SVPO office as well as for the Operations organization.

Organization Support

• Facilitate bi-directional communication between the SVPO, the SVPOleadershipteam, and other University leaders around key meetings/events/activities and decisions that are important tosharedgoals.
• Work closely with other University leaders and chiefs of staff in senior leadership to enhance coordination, collaboration, and communication between and among key University partners.
• Partner and collaborate with the SVPO and the SVPOleadershipteam to facilitate the work of Operationsorganizationas a whole.
• Provide guidance and advice to colleagues on matters that require a broader institutional and/or Operations-wide perspective.
• Serve as a key resource to numerous offices both on-Grounds and external to the University.

Office Management

• Supervise and develop staff, includingprovidinggrowth opportunities andcoachingfor each to expand knowledge and skills.
• Develop and oversee a system for electronic file organizationfor the SVPOthat can be easily accessed.
• Given the SVPO's meeting schedule, be available and prepared to provide guidance and counsel on problems/issues that arise in their absence.

Core Competencies

The Chief of Staff willdemonstrate:

• Commitment to the University's mission, vision, and values, and the ability to navigate the culture and priorities of a large, complex academic institution.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage and collaborate effectively with diverse colleagues, leaders, and external partners.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, exercising tact, discretion, and sound judgment in sensitive or confidential matters.
• Advanced organizational and analytical capabilities, with the capacity to manage multiple priorities, respond to time-sensitive needs, andoperateeffectively under pressure.
• A collaborative leadership style, promoting teamwork, positive dynamics, and shared understanding across units.
• A high levelof professionalism and integrity, reflected in careful attention to detail, accuracy, and consistent follow-through.

MinimumRequirements

• Bachelor's degreerequired;Master'sdegree preferred.
• Ten years of relevant experience required, with a preference for progressively responsible roles in a related field-ideally within higher education or a similarly complex, collaborative setting. A proven ability to lead and influence both formal and informal teams is desired.
• To fulfill the core responsibilities of this position, the Chief of Staff is expected tomaintain regularonsite presence, with occasional ability for remote/hybridworkup to one day per week.

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionallyrequiretraveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

This is an exempt-level,benefitedposition. Learn more aboutUVA benefits.

This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, primarily on-site with the potential for 1 day/week remotework.

To learn more about UVA and the Charlottesville area, visitUVA LifeandEmbark CVA.

Background checkswill be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

This positionwill notconsider candidates whorequireimmigrationsponsorship at this time.

How to Apply

Please apply online, by searching for requisition numberR0078435.Complete an application with the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You cansubmitmultiple documents intothis onefield or combine them into one PDF.Applications without allrequireddocuments will notreceivefull consideration.

Reference checks will be completed by UVA's third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will berequested, with at least three responsesrequired.

For questions about the application process, please contact Karon Harrington, fak3ph@virginia.edu.