Chief of Staff, External Affairs

Summary

Position Title

Chief of Staff, External Affairs

Department

External Affairs

Position Reports to (Position Title)

Senior Vice President, External Affairs

Status

Full Time/Exempt

Job Summary

The Office of External Affairs oversees University Advancement, Marketing, Communications, Government Relations, and Community Engagement and leads engagement efforts for Jacksonville University. The Office of External Affairs develops, shapes, and oversees communications, connections, and engagement within and beyond campus to enhance the University’s reputation, drive revenue, and advance its mission and vision.

The Chief of Staff, External Affairs under the direction of the Senior Vice President, External Affairs oversees all operational activities of External Affairs.The Chief of Staff, External Affairs works to improve productivity and impact, by building structure around reporting, planning, project management, fundraising, and best practices within the department. Through culture enhancement and management, the Chief of Staff, External Affairs will foster connectivity and communication across all areas of the university that impact both internal and external 
constituents.

The individual in this role will facilitate strategy discussions and procedures while championing improvement for both the annual and ongoing initiatives of Jacksonville University. The individual in this role must strategically motivate teams, possess a steadfast focus on results, manage and lead supportively with the appropriate level of urgency, and be passionate about the success of Jacksonville University.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Interviews and hires new staff.
• Evaluates performance and provides timely feedback.
• Oversees cross departmental projects within External Affairs.
• Helps to streamline and strengthen all communications to the Office of the President and 
  Cabinet across within External Affairs.
• Operates per the direction of the Senior Vice President in any capacity deemed necessary 
  within the Department. 

Direct Reports

• Director, Community Relations
• Administrative Assistant, External Affairs
• Supports the management and efficiency of all administrative/operations focused individuals within the department.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Maximize the effectiveness of the External Affairs Office by serving the best interests of the SVP, External Affairs
       o   serve as an air traffic controller for the SVP and the senior team
       o   serve as an connector tethering streams that would otherwise remain siloed
       o   serve as a communicator linking the leadership team and the broader community
       o    serve as a confidant without an organizational agenda
       o    prioritization of the highest level projects and strategies for the University
• Improve productivity and impact by building structure around reporting, planning, project management, fundraising and best practices within the University to better serve the initiatives of the External Affairs Office.
       o    Categorize projects and decisions as urgent/important and refocus time accordingly
• Foster connectivity and communication while enhancing culture across all areas of campus that work with internal and external constituents.
       o    oversight and project management “partnership” on strategic initiatives
       o    ensure collaboration and engagement from key stakeholders within the University

Required Skills/Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Education, Certificates, Licenses, & Experience

• Minimum Education Requirement: Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Minimum Work Experience: Ten years
• Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and minimum ten years of experience
• focused on managing successful teams in a business, fundraising or operational role 

Physical Requirements

• Work is primarily indoors, but requires the incumbent to be in an outdoor environment 
  when traveling between campus buildings or being off-campus
• Standard office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday
• Attendance at evening and weekend events may be required
• Incumbent will be exposed to frequent noise caused by telephones, office machines, and 
  traffic through open office area
• Manual dexterity to efficiently operate a computer keyboard and other business 
  machines
• Near vision sufficient to read written communications and computer display screens
• Adequate hearing to communicate effectively in person and by phone

Important Note

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required for this position. The University reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and completed Jacksonville University job application to Mary Anne Jolly at mjolly@ripleylittleleague.com.