Chief of Staff

Who We Are

The Office of the Provost provides academic leadership to the University of Southern California. Its fundamental task is to ensure excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. Andrew Guzman, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, is USC’s second-ranking official and the Chief Academic Officer. He oversees 18 of the university’s professional schools and academic units, in addition to the USC Capital Campus, USC Museums, the Shoah Foundation, and the divisions of student life, libraries, student religious and spiritual life, and enrollment services.

Job Summary

The Office of the Provost is seeking a Chief of Staff to provide strong leadership to the administrative team that supports the day-to-day operations of the Provost’s office and projects. Under the direction of the Provost, the Chief of Staff will provide oversight, direction and coordination for the day-to-day operations and strategic activities of the Provost’s office. This role interacts with leaders and employees across the University to align project efforts to the core academic mission while maintaining an efficient and collegial workspace. Proven leadership experience, attention to detail, strong verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to preserve confidentiality are required.

Job responsibilities include:

• Serves as a senior advisor to and acts on behalf of the Provost by assuring and providing critical, high-level support that optimizes the Provost’s time.
• Oversees, directs and coordinates the operations of the Provost’s office by planning and directing staff, budget administration, space allocation and design, equipment, workflow and operational philosophy. Directly and indirectly manages staff, usually through subordinate managers, supervisors, and professional staff. Directs the budget and financial activities for office operations through financial professional staff.
• Provides short-and long-term planning of projects, activities and schedule of the executive. Creates strategic plans and processes to ensure appropriate monitoring and follow-up.
• Plans new initiatives to gain efficiencies and improve communications within the Provost’s office, with the Provost’s direct reports, and between other academic and administrative units.
• Gathers multiple inputs and integrates diverse plans and requests based on the Provost’s priorities. Sets goals, establishes priorities, manages resources, develops concepts and approaches, reviews project progress and results.
• Ensures that mandatory reporting deadlines are met keeping in mind academic and/or administrative priorities.
• Develops, manages, and maintains an effective communication program within the Provost’s Office and between the Provost’s Office and its constituencies. Oversees communication staff within the Provost’s Office.
• Serves as primary contact for overall external coordination of activities with the offices of university officers and senior management, university Board of Trustees, political and civic leaders, major donors, other public and private contacts, etc. Provides information and administrative assistance to university officers, senior management and operating units through specialized service departments.
• Resolves issues and requests referred to the Office of the Provost by faculty, staff, or students.
• Directs the design, enhancement, and maintenance of recordkeeping systems, files, etc. within the Provost’s office.
• Oversees the planning of events and special projects, including the executive recruitment of Academic Deans and Vice Provosts as well as the fifth-year review and renewal process for Academic Deans. Gathers multiple inputs and integrates diverse plans and requests based on the Provost’s priorities. Sets goals, establishes priorities, manages resources, develops concepts and approaches, reviews project progress and results.
• Performs ad hoc project analysis. Analyzes, summarizes and/or reviews data; reports findings, interprets results and/or makes recommendations.
• Recommends, advocates, and/or implements new and/or revisions to existing policies and procedures.
• Consults with executives, managers, and employees to identify problems, develop improvements, and create and maintain quality standards.
• Oversees the planning and organizing of committee meetings, focus groups, etc. including oversight of the creation of agendas and preparation and distribution of minutes.
• Monitors current events, legislation, and other issues of interest.

In addition, the successful candidate must demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC’s Unifying Values of in