Assistant Vice Provost and Chief of Staff, Academic Planning (0555U) #78961

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

The Division of Academic Planning led by the Vice Provost for Academic Planning (VPAP) fosters planning and assessment that supports the strategic academic direction of the UC Berkeley campus, stewards space in university facilities, facilitates global engagement, and supports international students and scholars through its five core divisional units: Academic Program Reviews (APR), Berkeley International Office (BIO), Global Engagement Office (GEO), New Academic Ventures Berkeley (NAV-B), and Space Planning. In fulfilling these goals, VPAP collaborates closely with the schools, colleges, departments, and organizations across the campus, looking for synergies across organizational and disciplinary boundaries, and supporting the growth and development of emerging academic disciplines.

Position Summary

The Assistant Vice Provost and Chief of Staff (AVP/COS) serves as a senior advisor and thought partner to the Vice Provost for Academic Planning (VPAP) who also serves as the campus Senior International Officer (SIO), supporting the full range of VPAP responsibilities and representing VPAP on a variety of matters with internal and external constituents. The AVP/COS provides strategic guidance, advising, and decision-making on behalf of the VPAP, relative to academic and resource planning, short- and long-range policy development, communications, and high-level analyses of new program development. The AVP/COS develops collaborative relationships with a broad range of offices, internal and external to UC Berkeley, to support the VPAP's priorities. The AVP/COS routinely manages sensitive and confidential matters and develops solutions on a wide range of issues on the VPAP's behalf in a neutral and consistent manner.

In addition to executive advising, the AVP/COS manages eight direct reports spanning the VPAP immediate office and the divisional units mentioned above, that steward critical campus operations and priorities. The AVP/COS plays a pivotal role in advising the VPAP with respect to the organizational resources required to implement these functions, and in managing the immediate office and coordinating administrative activity within the VPAP's portfolio, with an eye toward supporting a highly professional, proactive, and responsive staff while ensuring that resources across the Division are allocated in alignment with the VPAP's strategic priorities.

As a direct report to the VPAP, the AVP/COS works closely with senior staff and academic leaders across the campus, with a focus on key institutional initiatives that span organizational boundaries. The AVP/COS works collaboratively with senior staff to translate broad directions into concrete goals and accomplishments, moving agendas forward mindfully and resourcefully.

This position will remain posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days. The department will begin reviewing applications on or after Monday, June 30, 2025. Applications submitted after this date may still be considered, though priority will be given to those received by the review date.

Executive Advising

• Interact with senior staff and faculty leadership to advance divisional and campus priorities.
• Work closely with the offices of the Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost, members of the cabinet, Academic Senate, Deans, associate cabinet, chief administrative officers (CAOs), and others to ensure alignment of all strategic initiatives affecting space, academic planning, new academic initiatives, global engagement, and international student and scholar services.
• Advance priorities, address problems, develop creative solutions, and manage risk.
• Represent the VPAP and make decisions on high-level task forces, committees, and planning groups.
• Manage and handle special projects with high-level impact, including highly sensitive issues and those of substantial complexity and/or high management visibility. This may include facilitating the resolution of complex and/or controversial situations, including those involving legal, policy, or compliance issues.
• Manage all aspects of sensitive issues, e.g., campus MOUs, agreements with outside entities, tracking documents forwarded from the Chancellor and EVCP's Office, revising senior management position descriptions and organization charts, and management of inter- and intra-divisional realignments and restructures as needed.
• Provide briefings on current and emerging issues, prepare key communications, promote priorities, and translate ideas into action.\
• Keep abreast of current and emerging higher education issues in order to provide the VPAP with a broad perspective and maintain the VPAP's position as a thought leader.

Divisional Management

• Provide Division-wide oversight and execute broad decision-making authority on strategic priorities and operational matters.
• Direct the work of the Vice Provost's immediate office and provide high-level supervision and/or support to the VPAP's core divisional units and direct reports.
• Manage, plan and execute all administrative operations (Finance, HR, IT, etc) of the VPAP portfolio.
• In consultation with the VPAP, determine organizational structure, supervisory relationships, and establish resource and staffing priorities. Monitor the strategic direction of divisional units.
• Develop, maintain, and foster an effective workforce plan that supports a culture of inclusion and belonging; oversee and manage the staff recruitment process.
• Provide leadership, mentoring and partnership to sustain a culture of professionalism and high performance that reflects Berkeley's operating principles-collaboration, innovation, simplicity, accountability and service.
• Serve as a strategic point of communication between divisional-unit directors and central campus units.

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor and change agent for the VPAP, providing counsel and expertise while cultivating and coordinating collaborative relationships with internal/external stakeholders.
• Anticipate and mitigate sensitive issues with ethical grounding and political acumen.
• Provide advice and participate in decisions that may be highly sensitive and/or political.
• Advise senior management and teams within the Division and beyond on matters concerning specialized functional areas and interdependencies.
• Develop and implement long-term strategic plans that impact the Division and campus as a whole.
• Lead the development, planning, and implementation of broad impacting initiatives and key projects on behalf of the VPAP and in support of VPAP goals.
• Provide frameworks for policy and administrative change that span management, development of strategies to remove barriers to goal achievement, and facilitate intra-divisional communication networks.
• Facilitate the selection and participation of key stakeholders, recommend resource and budget allocations, align constituencies and shared goals, and drive successful outcomes of critical initiatives and their subsequent assessment.

Fiscal Stewardship

• Provide strategic oversight for the development of the annual budget in tandem with the Divisional Financial Lead; determine expense priorities, recommend and implement changes to methods, unit planning, staffing, programs and other financial activities.
• Develop and manage the Division-wide budget process and make funding recommendations to the VPAP based on a thorough understanding of programmatic needs and priorities.

• Expert knowledge of organizational processes, protocols and procedures with substantial experience as a senior administrator or in support of senior administrators at a college or university or a similar complex, matrixed organization.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn campus and system-wide organizational reporting structures, as well as an understanding of the interactive roles of management throughout the organization.
• Ability to understand a variety of stakeholder priorities, issues, motivations and constraints, and to find common ground and paths forward in sensitive situations.
• Demonstrates advanced strategic thinking, consulting, and trust-building skills to guide stakeholders and executives toward workable strategies and solutions.
• Able to address difficult and complex situations with objectivity, level-headedness, evenhandedness, diplomacy, and grace.
• Excellent ability to lead cross-functionally based on establishing trust, understanding priorities and drivers, and facilitating shared vision.
• Demonstrated success and skills in management, including change and crisis management; strong ability to assess/evaluate, coach, and mentor others.
• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, project planning and implementation skills.
• Skills to effectively lead highly significant engagements from inception to conclusion to build support for an idea, engage people in making it happen, and implement required changes to organizational policies, structures, or processes.
• Financial intelligence; ability to assess financial risks and opportunities and, align organizational strategy with resource generation and allocation.
• Advanced written, verbal and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

• Knowledge of or experience in space planning, international affairs, and academic programs.
• Knowledge of the legal constraints and opportunities for higher education in the State of California and through Federal programs and regulations.
• Advanced degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

This is a full-time, career position.

This position is eligible for the full range of UC Benefits.For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $200,000 - $270,000 annually.

This is not a visa opportunity.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

The University of California is 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, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.