Chief of Staff & Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives (# 370792)

About the Job

Chief of Staff & Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor
for Strategic Initiatives

This position works in-person in Rochester, MN. This role is not eligible for H-1B or Green
Card sponsorship.

The young and innovative Rochester campus of the University of Minnesota seeks a Chief of Staff (CoS) and
Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor

This role is a 100%
appointment that serves as the in-person primary partner to the chancellor to coordinate and facilitate the chancellor’s campus and
University-wide priorities. The University’s new strategic roadmap will provide five strategic imperatives to be achieved by each campus;
further, the UMN Rochester campus vision is aligned with and anticipated to contribute significantly to the strategic imperative focused on
innovation to transform the future of learning. This CoS/AVC will coordinate with the University’s Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
and the President’s Chief of Staff on behalf of the chancellor and the Rochester campus. Further, the CoS/AVC is a member of the
chancellor’s senior leadership team. The role takes initiative, leads, manages, and facilitates, on the chancellor’s behalf and for the
purpose of advancing the campus leadership toward its stated priorities.
This is a new position for the Rochester campus, with
expectations anticipated to evolve as the campus expands.

Primary Responsibilities

Internal
Coordination – 35%

• Build and maintain positive working relationships and leadership with UMN Rochester senior leaders,
  faculty, staff, and students, generating respect and serving as the chancellor’s designee in a variety of settings while modeling UMN
  Rochester’s grounding values.
• Oversee engagement among leaders who report to the chancellor as they relate to
  strategic and
  operational matters including agenda setting for weekly Cabinet meetings; project management design, oversight, and tracking; oversee and
  manage the budget for
  strategic projects based on the Chancellor’s monitoring; and follow-up on action items as
  needed.
• Serve
  as the primary project manager for select campus and University priorities, facilitating interaction and coordinating the execution of
  strategic priorities and initiatives including strategic plan implementation, annual priority actions, and institutional
  assessment.
• Maintain and manage documents, records, meeting notes, and other materials critical to the ongoing successful operation
  of the chancellor’s office and for the advancement and completion of special projects, providing materials in formats aligned with varying
  constituents and optimizing the resource of the executive assistants in that process.
• Filter email from the UMR Chancellor’s email
  account to the appropriate leader to address, ensuring DPA compliance with a high level of discretion in sensitive and confidential
  matters.
• Facilitate idea generation, analyze opportunities, move ideas to comprehensive analysis, and steer the implementation of
  select projects.
• Monitor compliance with University policy on campus-level matters during a period of rapid change by becoming
  familiar with University
• Convene appropriate roles to ensure project completion, especially for initiatives that require staff
  and/or faculty from multiple focus areas across the campus community
• Recommend new organizational structures to ensure project
  completion as needed (e.g., rapid innovation teams, temporary task forces, subcommittees of existing committees, etc.).

System Connections and University Strategic Plan Implementation and Alignment- 25%

• Provides strategic
  advice and counsel related to the University’s strategic plan and other University-wide priorities with Chief of Staff colleagues from the
  President’s Office and the Chancellor’s Offices on the Duluth, Crookston, and Morris campuses as well as the System Vice President for
  Strategic Initiatives.
• Partner with the chancellor to drive the University’s strategic imperatives, with a special focus on the
  following imperative: “innovate to transform the future of learning.”
• Maintain records and materials related to University System
  interactions, including UMN
  Rochester’s participation in Board of Regents’ meetings, audits, annual budget documents, and other
  University System level expectations and/or ensure such record clarity by optimizing the resource of the executive
  assistants.

External Project Management – 15%

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with key
  external partnerships at the direction of the chancellor, including UMR’s primary industry partner Mayo Clinic as well as
  emerging life
  sciences partners in Discovery Square, representing UMR to ensure strategic coordination of development, internship, academic program,
  community event, and other types of collaborative activities with key partners.
• Navigate complex relationships and partnerships,
  both internal and external, to ensure the optimal constituents are connected and engaged.
• Analyze needs and discern the viability
  and value of potential new external partnerships.

Senior Leadership Team Strategy, Participation, and Support –
25%

• Provide direct strategic support as an equal and contributing member of the senior
  leadership team, asking critical
  questions, driving collaboration to ensure priority initiatives are completed, including ensuring agendas that reflect annual and emerging
  priorities.
• Serve as the chancellor’s partner, supporting, advising, and focusing on the chancellor’s success in executing
  University and campus priorities through “other duties as assigned” as priorities evolve.
• Actively participate in and facilitate
  strategy discussions, providing background information for evidence-based practices to inform decisions for strategic
  initiatives.

  Qualifications
  Required Qualifications
  * BA/BS with at least 10 years of experience
  * Experience leading a team
  to achieve strategic initiatives
  * Experience in complex project management

  Preferred Qualifications
  * Experience and
  Education
  * Doctoral or masters degree.
  * Experience supporting a senior leader within an educational organization
  * Understanding
  of the culture, organization, systems, and practices of higher education.
  * Knowledge of and familiarity with the University of
  Minnesota or a similar complex higher education institution.
  * Experience advancing new educational initiatives.
  * Experience
  handling sensitive or confidential information with discretion.
  * Project Management
  * Experience with complex strategic project
  planning and/or change management.
  * A track record of leading and delivering complex projects and developing and maintaining key
  partnerships, with project management certification.
  * A track record of evidence-based analysis and decision making to inform strategic
  project selection and viability.
  * Ability to use technical tools for project management, and to ensure that staff are also able to
  navigate those tools.
  * Leadership
  * Credibility to serve as the chancellor’s designee, including generating respect and results
  through productive relationships in a collaborative campus community.
  * Dedication to the Vision and mission of the Rochester campus of
  the University of Minnesota.
  * Experience supervising professional staff.
  * Skills and Competencies
  * Demonstrated ability to
  quickly adjust to changing priorities and situations.
  * Ability to convene multi-faceted teams to collaborate to achieve common goals
  that successfully support the mission of the UMR campus and University.
  * Demonstrated strength in critical and strategic thinking,
  including the ability to listen well and to ask critical questions.
  * Strong problem-solving abilities, resourcefulness and ingenuity
  (“thinking outside the box”).
  * Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic thinking while also being able to accomplish tactical
  tasks in a timely and effective manner.
  * Excellent organizational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage
  multiple projects and delegate effectively.
  * Ability to communicate effectively and confidently with faculty, staff, students, donors,
  and community partners to promote and gain support for ideas and plans.
  * Ability to write professionally, track project progress and
  summarize meetings, and to use AI as a tool for efficiency.

  
  
  

Qualifications

Required
Qualifications

• BA/BS with at least 10 years of experience
• Experience leading a team to achieve strategic initiatives
• Experience in complex project management

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience and Education
  *
  Doctoral or Masters degree.
  * Experience supporting a senior leader within an educational organization.
  * Understanding of the
  culture, organization, systems, and practices of higher education.
  * Knowledge of and familiarity with the University of Minnesota or a
  similar complex higher education institution.
  * Experience advancing new educational initiatives.
  * Experience handling sensitive or
  confidential information with discretion.
• Project Management
  * Experience with complex strategic project planning and/or change
  management.
  * A track record of leading and delivering complex projects and developing and maintaining key partnerships, with project
  management certification.
  * A track record of evidence-based analysis and decision making to inform strategic project selection and
  viability.
  * Ability to use technical tools for project management, and to ensure that staff are also able to navigate those
  tools.
• Leadership
  * Credibility to serve as the chancellor’s designee, including generating respect and results through
  productive relationships in a collaborative campus community.
  * Dedication to the Vision and mission of the Rochester campus of the
  University of Minnesota.
  * Experience supervising professional staff.
• Skills and Competencies
  * Demonstrated ability to
  quickly adjust to changing priorities and situations.
  * Ability to convene multi-faceted teams to collaborate to achieve common goals
  that successfully support the mission of the UMR campus and University.
  * Demonstrated strength in critical and strategic thinking,
  including the ability to listen well and to ask critical questions.
  * Strong problem-solving abilities, resourcefulness and ingenuity
  (“thinking outside the box”).
  * Demonstrated ability to contribute to strategic thinking while also being able to accomplish tactical
  tasks in a timely and effective manner.
  * Excellent organizational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage
  multiple projects and delegate effectively.
  * Ability to communicate effectively and confidently with faculty, staff, students, donors,
  and community partners to promote and gain support for ideas and plans.
  * Ability to write professionally, track project progress and
  summarize meetings, and to use AI as a tool for efficiency.

About the Department

The University of
Minnesota Rochester (UMR), located in downtown Rochester, serves nearly 1,200 students and recently welcomed its largest class ever in fall
2025. Faculty and staff are dedicated to innovative education, student development and applying research to enhance learning every day. With
a strong focus on health sciences and student-centered learning, UMR partners closely with Mayo Clinic and emphasizes research-driven
teaching to meet the evolving demands of the health care industry.

UMR’s Vision is to inspire transformation in higher education
through innovations that empower our graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the 21st century. The campus facilities are adjacent
to the world-class Mayo Clinic and other industry leaders in the life sciences in downtown Rochester, Minnesota. Rochester is the fastest
growing city in Minnesota, currently experiencing exponential growth with facilities expansion and the University’s continued
growth.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $130,000 – $145,000 annually, depending on
education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type:
Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human
Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package
that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional
  training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit
  Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending
  accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing
  program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness
  (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at
  no cost

How To Apply

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please
click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and
attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your “My Job Applications” page
and uploading documents in the “My Cover Letters and Attachments” section.

Resume and Cover Letter
Required.

This position will remain open until filled.

To request an accommodation during the application process,
please e-mail [email protected] or call (612) 624-8647.

Diversity

The
University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in
supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and
backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without
regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status,
sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent
upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal
convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About the U of M

The
University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR)

At the University of Minnesota Rochester, our vision is to transform higher
education through innovations that empower graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the twenty-first century. UMR prepares students
for a broad spectrum of career pathways including pre-med and patient care; psychology and mental health; business and leadership; health
technology; public policy and global health; and research, discovery, and cures.

The campus community serves almost 1,000
undergraduate and graduate students in the heart of downtown Rochester and continues to grow in size and influence through creative
partnerships. At UMR, relationships and research drive student success. Learn more
about UMR.

The University of Minnesota is proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by
Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America’s Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020),
Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022-24).