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The Chief of Staff and Strategy serves as a strategic advisor and operational leader for the Graduate School, working closely with the Dean and senior leadership to advance the school’s mission and institutional priorities. This position plays a critical role in translating strategic vision into action by leading key initiatives, strengthening organizational operations, and coordinating complex projects that support graduate education and student success. The Chief of Staff and Strategy provides high-level analysis and counsel to the Dean on emerging issues, institutional priorities, and strategic opportunities. This role also ensures the successful implementation and evaluation of strategic initiatives, promotes data-informed decision making, and facilitates collaboration across campus partners. The Chief of Staff and Strategy represents the Graduate School in institutional planning efforts, including participation in the university’s capital planning process. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and strategic leader who can manage complex initiatives, build strong relationships across the university, and ensure alignment between strategic priorities and operational outcomes.
Organizational and Operational Leadership:
- Provide executive-level leadership and coordination for the Graduate School’s operational priorities, ensuring alignment between strategic goals and day-to-day operations
- Directly supervise the Director of Communications, Budget Manager, including setting priorities, assigning work, conducting performance evaluations, and supporting staff development
- Oversee administrative, communications, and operational functions of the Graduate School, ensuring effective coordination across units and consistent execution of priorities
- Establish and implement processes, systems, and workflows to improve operational efficiency, communication, and service delivery
- Lead internal communication strategy and coordination across the Graduate School, ensuring consistent messaging, alignment of priorities, and timely information flow between leadership, staff, and campus partners
- Facilitate cross-unit collaboration by coordinating initiatives that require alignment across academic programs, student services, communications, and administrative functions
- Represent the Graduate School on university committees and working groups as designated by the Dean
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the Dean, providing analysis and recommendations on operational, organizational, and strategic issues
- Prepare briefing materials, presentations, and executive communications for the Dean on key topics and emerging issues
Strategic Planning and Project Support
- Lead the implementation, coordination, and continuous evaluation of the Graduate School’s strategic plan and key initiatives
- Translate strategic priorities into operational plans, timelines, and measurable outcomes across multiple functional areas
- Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks to assess progress toward institutional goals
- Lead complex, cross-functional projects, including defining scope, establishing deliverables, coordinating stakeholders, and ensuring accountability
- Monitor project progress, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful outcomes
- Prepare executive-level reports and briefings that communicate progress, challenges, and strategic opportunities
Data-Informed Decision Support:
- Lead the development and use of data and analytics to support strategic planning, operational decision-making, and program evaluation
- Collaborate with institutional research and campus partners to analyze trends in graduate education, enrollment, and student success
- Develop dashboards, reports, and analytical tools to inform leadership decisions and assess initiative effectiveness
Institutional and Resource Planning:
- Participate in institutional planning processes, including capital planning, resource allocation, and long-range program development
- Collaborate with the Budget Manager to develop and implement budget strategies that align financial resources with strategic priorities
- Provide oversight and strategic guidance on budget planning, forecasting, and resource allocation within the Graduate School
- Evaluate resource investments and recommend reallocations to support program growth, operational effectiveness, and strategic initiatives
- Support planning related to facilities, staffing, and infrastructure to ensure alignment with institutional goals
- Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications
Education: Master’s degree from an accredited institution.
Experience:
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, operations management, or a related leadership role.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex projects or strategic initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
- Experience analyzing data and using evidence to inform decision making.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare high-level reports, presentations, and executive briefings.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organizational units and build strong professional relationships.
- Ability to translate institutional priorities into actionable strategies and guide their implementation.
- Strong organizational and management skills with the ability to improve systems, processes, and workflows.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives, manage competing priorities, and deliver results.
- Ability to analyze and interpret data to support planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
- Exceptional ability to synthesize complex information into clear reports, presentations, and briefing materials.
- Ability to build partnerships across campus units and engage diverse stakeholders to advance institutional goals.
- Capacity to assess complex challenges, anticipate issues, and develop thoughtful solutions.
Preferred Qualifications
Education: Doctoral degree in higher education administration, public administration, business administration, or a related field.
Experience:
- Experience working in higher education, graduate education, research administration, or academic affairs.
- Experience supporting senior leadership or executive-level decision making.
- Experience with strategic planning processes and institutional performance evaluation.
- Experience using data analytics, dashboards, or institutional research tools to inform strategic planning
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Familiarity with university governance structures, policy environments, and higher education regulatory considerations.
Work Location
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote – Onsite
Compensation and Benefits
Application Instructions
Nominations and confidential inquiries are encouraged and may be sent via e-mail to Anthony Lanagan, Executive Recruiter, at alanaga1@utk.edu.
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- 3 Professional References
About The College/Department/Division:
The Graduate School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is a dynamic office that provides a wide range of services to students and academic units from recruitment to graduation. While prospective students are exploring graduate education, we are here to provide insight into the programs available and the process for applying. Once a student has decided to submit an application, we manage the admissions process in coordination with the academic units. During the time a student is enrolled at UTK, the Graduate School monitors student progress and provides support for student success. As students approach graduation, we evaluate records and verify the awarding of all degrees.
Graduate education is one of the components that makes UT a great university. The Graduate School is a full partner in supporting the university’s mission, vision, and the values embodied in the Volunteer Spirit.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
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