Chief of Staff

Salt Lake Community College seeks a Chief of Staff
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SLCC_Chief_of_Staff_Profile.pdf
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

The Position:
The Chief of Staff (COS) serves as a strategic advisor and partner to the President, supporting the executive team in implementing the Presidents priorities and the strategic plan of the College. This new role oversees presidential initiatives and special projects. In addition, it provides leadership and oversight for the Colleges institutional effectiveness, legal, and audit staff.

Key Responsibilities:
Reporting to the President, the Chief of Staff will be a member of the Cabinet and will coordinate the internal work of the Cabinet. The COS will monitor and track progress for Cabinet-level strategies and plans, helping the Colleges executive team meet timelines and milestones. Through supervision of the Colleges institutional effectiveness office, the COS will support data-informed decision-making and progress tracking. The COS will coordinate strategic presidential communication and will ensure effective internal communication among members of the Cabinet. The COS will develop and oversee strategic and operational planning structures and processes, facilitating participation by work teams and involvement by the broader college in executing strategies and plans. The COS will identify and analyze problems and barriers to progress and facilitate collaborative solutions.

Job Duties:
As a Strategic Advisor and Partner to the President, the Chief of Staff will:

• Develop, plan, coordinate, support, and/or lead strategic and special initiatives and projects for the President.
• Provide strategic advice to the President and keep the President apprised of significant issues.
• Assist the President with ad hoc emergent matters and troubleshooting as needed.
• Represent the President on various committees and oversee standing committees that report to the President.

To Support the Work of the Presidents Executive Team, the Chief of Staff will:

• Provide coordination support within the executive team for implementing the Presidents priorities.
• Serve as a liaison and provide coordination support to the Presidents other direct reports.
• Coordinate and oversee searches for positions reporting to the President.

As an Administrative Supervisor, the Chief of Staff will:

• Oversee the daily operations and internal functioning of Institutional Effectiveness, Office of the General Counsel, and Internal Audit.
• Oversee the growth plan for specific programs in coordination with the President and provide status reports to the board and funders as needed.
• Ensure the coverage and completion of leadership and management responsibilities in the absence of a Vice President.
• Monitor and advance strategy and plans for growth and eventual expansion of programs.

Qualifications:
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities:

• Capacity to translate high-level strategy into operational plans that advance the achievement of key institutional goals.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Able to support strategic communication by President Peterson with College stakeholders.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and demands.
• Skilled in analysis and use of data for decision making.
• Ability to see and think ahead and take initiative in addressing emergent issues.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate issues and opportunities.
• Ability to convene, motivate, and lead both standing teams and ad hoc groups focused on particular issues.
• Strong leadership and management skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure with a high level of emotional intelligence and diplomacy.
• Expertise in process improvement and project management fostering a high degree of efficiency and accuracy.
• Significant experience in executive support roles, preferably at a senior level.
• Experience in managing complex projects and initiatives with multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proven ability to provide outstanding customer service to stakeholders.
• Possesses written and verbal communication that facilitate effective communication with different stakeholders.
• A collaborative work and communication style with the ability to develop effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to the Colleges mission, vision, and values.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in business administration, public administration, or a related management field.
• Ten years of related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree.
• Familiarity with federal and state education regulations, student advisement, and technical education policies.
• Project management certifications and/or Six Sigma certifications.

Why Consider the Opportunity?

• Responsive Community College. Salt Lake Community College is responsive to the needs of its students and the various communities it serves.
• Opportunity for Impact. The Chief of Staff will join a team of transformative and strategic leaders and will support plans and initiatives to improve the Colleges service to the Salt Lake regions people.
• Location. The Salt Lake area offers a lively mix of city life and nearby natural beauty. The greater Salt Lake City metropolitan area has grown to a population of over one million people. The regions growing diversity fuels a lively and diverse cultural scene.
• Compensation and Benefits. Highly competitive salary and benefits package.

About Salt Lake Community College:
Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) has come a long way since its founding as a small technical college 76 years ago. SLCC now serves tens of thousands of students at 8 SLCC locations and online throughout Salt Lake County.

SLCC serves its students by offering programs with highly transferable credits and at affordable cost. Flexibility, choice, and job relevance are hallmarks of the SLCC educational experience. Highly qualified and engaged faculty, assisted by academic and career advisors, provide the academic support that students need.

SLCC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

Leadership For SLCCs Future:
SLCC is a comprehensive community college that includes a distinct technical college. It works as an educational collaborator, with a unique mission to be a bridge between high schools and Utahs four-year and research universities. The College also links students and their training to the needs of the communitys employers. SLCC is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of students and the community.

The Chief of Staff will be joining SLCC at a pivotal time, partnering with the Colleges new President, Dr. Greg Peterson, who was selected to lead Utah's largest two-year higher education institution in April 2024. Throughout Dr. Peterson's tenure in higher education, he has demonstrated his commitment to the community college mission of providing all students with access to and success in higher education and in life.

A first-generation community college student himself, Dr. Peterson has launched many initiatives focused on student learning and success. He led college promise programs at several two-year institutions and pioneered the nation's first associate degree programs in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Dr. Peterson has a strong track record of establishing partnerships with community and industry leaders to strengthen workforce pipelines, enabling students to translate their education into family-sustaining careers. Additionally, Dr. Peterson has led efforts to improve the rate of community college student transfer to four-year and research universities. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Education recognized his work in this area. Most notably, at one institution Dr. Peterson oversaw a 45% increase in transfers for Native American students, a 39% increase for Black students, and a 13% increase for Latinx students.

President Peterson is active in several national education organizations. He serves on the governing board of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and the Excelencia in Education's Presidents for Latino Student Success. He also currently volunteers his time to the American Association of Community College's Commission on Institutional Infrastructure and Transformation and previously served on its Commission on Economic and Workforce Development.

Before taking the helm at SLCC, Dr. Peterson was the President of Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. He holds a doctorate in educational administration with an emphasis in community college leadership from the University of Texas at Austin; a master's degree in postsecondary, adult, and continuing education from Portland State University; and a bachelor's degree in English from Brigham Young University.

To Apply:
Salt Lake Community College, in consultation with Summit Search Solutions, Inc., will begin a confidential review of application materials immediately and continue until the position is filled; parties who apply by July 20, 2025 will be given first consideration. Please submit a CV/resume and letter of interest upon application. All applications and nominations will be held in confidence.

To apply online, go to: https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su458

For more information or to offer recommendations or nominations:
Tammarah Townes
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
Direct: (302) 388-9480
ttownes@summitsearchsolutions.com

It is the policy of Salt Lake Community College to comply with all federal, state, and local authorities requiring nondiscrimination, including, but not limited to Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order No. 11246, 45 CFR Part 90, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Utahs Executive Order, issued December 13, 2006.

The College is fully committed to policies of equal employment and nondiscrimination and works to prevent any form of exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, or subject any individual to discrimination, harassment, or prejudicial treatment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, religion, protected veteran status, expression of political or personal beliefs outside of the workplace, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

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