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Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.
The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.
At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
Job Description
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Chief of Staff, this leader is responsible for advancing and elevating the work of the Office of the President (OoP). The Deputy Chief of Staff ensures efficiency and effectiveness of the Office by aligning opportunities with key priorities and guaranteeing that Presidential engagements (both internal and external) are well executed. Regularly leads on projects of critical importance to the OoP, which are highly significant to the President and necessitate substantial influence, trust, and communication with executive leadership and other stakeholders, and often involve guiding to ensure alignment on initiatives. Problems faced are frequently complex and multidimensional, requiring broad-based consideration of variables that impact multiple areas of the organization.
The Deputy COS employs skills to regularly represent the President/OoP in engagements with Executive leaders and respective operations. In this capacity she/he manages prioritized action items for the President, captures items and questions to create agendas to facilitate effective meetings, and champions the vision and strategies of the President. To act in an effective liaison capacity the Deputy COS is a thought partner: someone with informal organizational influence with high social/emotional intelligence and active listening and observation skills. She/He is a boundary-spanner: someone well-connected in their workplace who can also communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels. She/He invests time to build sound cross-organizational knowledge and networks.
The Deputy COS’s ability to act as an intermediary requires them to have (or be able to rapidly acquire) knowledge about multiple aspects of their organization. Broad connections across the organization ensures liaison and championing efforts are not restricted to local contexts, but their broad and nuanced understanding of diverse organizational needs and perspectives enables them to represent and respond to stakeholders effectively.
#LI-DNI
Essential Functions and Responsibilities:
Leads high-priority projects designed to achieve the University's mission and strategic vision; builds and maintains successful working relationships and coordinates with a wide range of offices, staff, and stakeholders, internal and external to the University.
Ensures matters requiring the time of the President are thoroughly developed, researched and evaluated.
Ensure the President’s strategic initiatives maintain progress forward.
Manages high-priority projects designed to achieve WGU vision; builds and maintains successful working relationships and coordinates with a wide range of offices, staff, and stakeholders, internal and external to WGU..
Supports communication and coordination for the WGU’s Board of Trustees as needed.
Anticipates, identifies, and troubleshoots issues of concern or significance; exercises discretion to provide timely information and necessary updates across multiple stakeholders.
Seeks opportunities to streamline processes, establish Standard Operating Procedures, and ensure operational efficiency within the OoP.
Attends Executive, Operational, and other meetings for capturing to-do items, and potential agenda items, as well as to deepen cross-functional organizational knowledge.
Supports and sustains a culture of service, professionalism, and pursuit of excellence in the Office of the President.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:
Strategic thinker, detail-oriented task management, deadline management, and problem-solving within a highly collaborative decision-making environment to move tasks, assignments, and projects forward.
Self-starter with a problem-solving approach needing little oversight.
Proactive approach to anticipating and alleviating roadblocks. Ability to perform complex tasks and prioritize multiple projects.
Outstanding communication (written and verbal): Ability to represent the President’s initiatives to diverse internal and external parties through gracious yet firm communication. Can leverage communication techniques, channels, and applications.
Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact and work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders such as administrators, academic leadership, faculty, students, community leadership, public officials, funding agencies, and members of the community at large. Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain effective relationships with these stakeholders in support of the OoP and organizational goals.
The ability to research, analyze, and synthesize information to provide data, presentations, or other verbal, written, or visual presentations.
Ability to identify key action points and assignments arising from meetings, communications, and other sources of confidentiality.
Strong critical thinking skills and adaptability to meet changing demands.
Active listening and learning skills; able to give full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality, discretion, and attention to detail.
Strong critical thinking skills and adaptability to meet changing demands – applies broad strategic direction, with university-wide impact, and in a distributed organization context. A “network-driven” thinker – one who sees the many influencer dynamics as if playing three-dimensional chess. Sees the whole playing field.
Bias for action, results-driven – understands, defines the work to be done and executes it with urgency and effectiveness. Does not confuse activity with results. Strong bias for, and practical experience in, defining, measuring, and improving performance.
Ownership-minded – willing to operate and execute priorities, even if absent direct hierarchical management authority, in support of the priorities of individual operating entities or the WGU system as a whole; has a P&L owner mindset.
Great judgment – deals effectively with paradox; exhibits good instincts, while willing to make tough calls, with a degree of adaptability.
Managerial courage – willing to tackle difficult topics and conventional thinking but does so with integrity and aplomb.
Develops and earns trust, both with internal teams and executive, but especially with external constituents and influencers. Aligns others through command of the complex, clear, albeit fully integrated, action plans, and a commitment to realizing mutual interests.
Competencies:
Organizational Impact:
Works to achieve operational targets with significant to major impact on department, Function, or Office results. May be responsible for managing large projects or processes within the department, function, or office.
Performs work as directed with limited oversight.
Problem Solving & Decision Making:
Responsible for leveraging a systems-thinking approach, making moderate to significant improvements of processes, systems, and plans within the department, Function, or Office.
Problems and issues faced are numerous and challenging, will require detailed information gathering and analysis. Problems typically affect multiple areas or specialties.
Communication & Influence:
Collaborates cross-functionally with employees within and outside of the department. Typically has responsibility for communicating with parties external to the University.
Works to influence parties within and outside the department, Function, or Office regarding policies, procedures, and practices.
Leadership & Talent Management
Is responsible for providing guidance, coaching, and training to other employees in the department, Function, or Office. Responsible for managing projects involving delegation of work and review of others’ work products.
Demonstrates the WGU leadership principles in all aspects of service to students, employees, and partners of WGU.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education- BS/BA minimum, Graduate degree preferred
Experience- Minimum 15 years of experience in roles like management, operations, project management, often with a focus on cross-functional team leadership and high-impact project execution.
Preferred Qualifications:
May have broad knowledge of project management.
Experience launching initiatives in higher education or K12 education
Other: Travel required.
Position & Application Details
Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.
Additional Information
Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.
Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. #DEI