The Purpose

The Chief of Staff is a key member of the President’s senior leadership team and provides leadership and operational oversight to the Office of the President in fulfilling the College’s mission and goals and supporting the President on a wide range of strategic initiatives.

Why it’s Important

The Blue Ridge team is excited by every opportunity to be creative, innovative, and engaging. We do this by working alongside our staff to ensure we provide a modern, technologically advanced institution for the community. We are here to support our Students to ensure they reach their highest potential. Our team engages with the community to ensure that we are consistently meeting standards and then rising above them. Guiding students along their educational journey is our calling and we are looking for like-minded teammates to help us serve our community. Whether a student is entering the workforce for the first time, entering a new profession, or just expanding their knowledge, we are here to provide the necessary tools to accomplish all their goals. Working together, no elevation is too high, and no summit is unreachable.

What You'll be Doing

• Provides leadership and operational oversight for the Office of the President, conveying an atmosphere of excellence and distinction, in support of the College’s mission, vision, and goals.
• Leads and implements College strategy in collaboration with the President.
• Leads events and meetings in the absence of the President.
• Attends meetings with the President and takes notes on the President’s behalf.
• Works with President’s Executive Assistant to prioritize the President’s office’s work schedule
• Counsels the President, and provides a sounding board and advice on sensitive matters, and ensures the President has all the information necessary to make informed decisions.
• Provides excellent judgment, diplomacy, and understanding of college issues to support the President.
• Serves as liaison between the President and the College to ensure a coordinated approach to initiatives across campus.
• Serves as liaison to the College Board of Trustees on matters not directly handled by the President; handles program support activities and matters of institutional significance for the Board on behalf of, and in concert with, the President.
• Builds and nurtures relationships to serve as a resource for the President and point of contact as designated for key constituents to resolve complex issues and help move forward strategic priorities.
• Represents the President and the college in various civic, community and professional organizations at the local, state, and national level.
• Collaborates with the Marketing & Communications department in the creation of executive-level communications including talks, speeches, reports, and presentations that appropriately reflect the President’s voice, tone, and goals, and handles internal communications from the President to employees.
• Assists the President with correspondence dealing with subject matter in ways that sometimes requires considerable sensitivity, discretion, judgment or negotiation.
• Works to advance a wide range of initiatives, programs, projects, events for the President of in support of institutional priorities and College functions.
• Interfaces with the North Carolina Community College System on strategic initiatives.
• Ensures the accurate, proper, and timely flow of information to and from the Office of the President in support of recurring and special projects.

Additionally

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Master’s Degree in Business or a related field. Doctoral degree preferred.

• Experience

Five years of experience at the executive leadership level, preferably in higher education, required.

Skills and the Know-How

Strong managerial and team building skills, and demonstrated ability to motivate and empower direct and indirect reports to achieve area priorities; excellent project management skills, attention to detail, and collaboration with senior individuals from throughout the College; excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills along with strong organizational skills; public speaking skills; demonstrated experience exercising judgment, project planning and goal accomplishment; wide degree of professional maturity and discretion required; demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse faculty, staff, student body, alumni and community; proven expertise in planning and executing operational plans, managing projects and/or programs, budgeting and cost control; understanding of the mission, role and function of higher education in general, and of community colleges in particular; general understanding of the external environment and how it affects academia in general and the Land of Sky region, in particular, including political, legal, environmental, educational, financial and social influences; proven ability to work independent of direct supervision and take initiative without specific instructions; models inclusive excellence through specific actions that support the College's diversity commitment; ability to develop effective work systems and procedures; ability to create a welcoming environment for the President’s Office; ability to deal with constantly changing demands, frequent interruptions, and scheduling changes while remaining organized and seeing projects through to completion; in-depth knowledge and expertise in all aspects of own and related areas of the College, and pertinent interdependencies; ability to partner with others across the College and externally to exchange information, collaborate on projects, share resources, etc.; ability to influence others of the benefits/importance of an idea or plan of action and to gain their support or commitment; strong negotiation skills and ability to reach mutual points of agreement and benefit among peers and colleagues.

Blue Ridge is an Equal Employment Opportunity Institution