Chief of Staff (Administrator III), Presidents Office
Job no: 563347
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: San Bernardino - San Bernardino Campus
Categories: MPP, Administrative, At-Will, Full Time, On-site (work in-person at business location)
Job Summary:
Reporting directly to the President, the Chief of Staff serves as a senior administrative advisor responsible for coordinating presidential priorities, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and directing assigned President's Office operations. The position supports presidential decision-making and translates presidential priorities into coordinated action; through analysis, executive briefings, strategic project coordination, and identifies opportunities to improve service, timeliness, and resource stewardship, and establishes practical systems to monitor implementation and follow-through. Working collaboratively and within the authority delegated by the President, the Chief of Staff collaborates with Cabinet members and campus leaders to facilitate cross-divisional implementation of Presidential priorities. The position represents the President and communicates presidential direction within expressly delegated authority.
Responsibilities:
Presidential Advising, Organizational Effectiveness, and Strategic Priorities:
- Provide analysis, confidential advice, and actionable recommendations to the President on institutional priorities, emerging issues, and operational concerns.
- Organize and monitor assigned presidential initiatives by establishing deliverables, milestones, responsible offices, and reporting timelines; identify barriers and recommend corrective actions.
- Review executive decision briefs, background materials, and operational information to identify recurring barriers, gaps in coordination, and opportunities to improve effectiveness; identify issues requiring escalation.
- Partner with Cabinet members and divisional leaders to clarify interdependent responsibilities, facilitate process improvements, and support implementation of presidential direction without assuming divisional authority.
- Serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and participates in executive-level discussions and decision-making by providing analysis, institutional perspective, and recommendations on matters affecting presidential priorities and University operations; communicates and coordinates Cabinet decisions and priorities with appropriate campus leadership and monitors assigned actions through implementation.
Cabinet Support and Executive Workflow:
- Provides executive-level coordination, analysis, and institutional follow-through for matters requiring President's Cabinet and presidential review by evaluating issues that cross divisional or organizational boundaries, identifying policy, operational, fiscal, reputational, or strategic implications, and coordinating executive action to advance presidential and University priorities.
- Directs the executive workflow for President's Cabinet by working with Cabinet members and divisional leadership to identify matters requiring executive consideration, establish agenda priorities, evaluate the readiness and completeness of proposed items, coordinate supporting analysis and materials, document executive decisions and commitments, and monitor assigned actions through resolution to ensure Cabinet business advances University priorities.
- Manages complex and sensitive matters submitted for presidential review by assessing the nature, urgency, institutional impact, and appropriate level of executive involvement; obtaining and analyzing information from responsible divisions; identifying policy, operational, fiscal, legal, reputational, or stakeholder considerations; developing options or recommendations for presidential consideration; and coordinating communication and implementation of executive decisions.
- Leads cross-divisional coordination of presidential and institutional priorities by convening appropriate executive and administrative stakeholders, clarifying responsibilities and decision points, identifying dependencies and barriers, resolving issues within delegated authority, and escalating matters requiring presidential or Cabinet determination to ensure commitments and strategic initiatives progress toward established outcomes.
- Coordinates institutional responses to high-level CSU and external matters, including Chancellor's Office requests, Board of Trustees matters, and other executive inquiries, by determining responsible University stakeholders, establishing response requirements and deadlines, reviewing submissions for completeness and institutional consistency, reconciling cross-divisional issues, and presenting matters requiring executive determination to the President or Cabinet.
- Evaluates and improves President's Office and Cabinet governance and executive workflow processes by analyzing recurring operational issues, decision-making pathways, information flow, accountability mechanisms, and cross-divisional dependencies; developing and recommending procedural or policy improvements; implementing approved changes; and establishing tracking and reporting mechanisms to strengthen institutional accountability and executive decision-making.
- Serves as a senior institutional liaison on behalf of the President, as delegated, communicating presidential priorities and expectations to divisional and campus leadership, facilitating resolution of matters requiring coordination among multiple organizational areas, and ensuring issues with significant University-wide implications are appropriately elevated for executive consideration.
Presidential Liaison and Institutional Accountability:
- Serve as a liaison among the President's Office, Cabinet, shared governance representatives, academic and administrative leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external partners to clarify presidential priorities, expectations, and follow-up on assigned matters.
- Represent the President at designated meetings and events and communicate approved positions within delegated authority, including events occurring during evenings and weekends, by engaging with internal and external stakeholders, communicating presidential and institutional priorities, and coordinating appropriate follow-up on matters requiring executive attention. Travels to on- and off-campus locations for meetings, events, and other official University business, including during evenings and weekends, and operates authorized University vehicles, including campus utility vehicles or golf carts, or a personal vehicle as required to represent the President's Office and fulfill assigned executive and institutional responsibilities.
- Direct information gathering with University Counsel, Human Resources, compliance, and other subject-matter experts on sensitive issues; refer legal, personnel, and technical determinations to authorized offices. Serves as a senior University official and designated Campus Security Authority, receiving and appropriately referring or reporting matters brought forward through the President's Office and executive leadership channels, including allegations of Clery-reportable crimes, in accordance with applicable University and CSU reporting requirements.
- Identify unresolved commitments, operational or reputational risks, policy concerns; elevate them promptly with recommended next steps and follow up on actions assigned by the President.
President's Office Management and Continuous Improvement:
- Manage assigned President's Office operations, staffing priorities, service expectations, administrative processes, and budget monitoring within approved resources.
- Provide direct supervision and performance evaluation of assigned personnel, including workload distribution, coaching, accountability, and professional development.
- Manage presidential correspondence, briefing materials, campus visits, and executive events in partnership with responsible communications and events offices.
- Lead and implement continuous operational improvements and maintain appropriate controls for confidential records, information security, and resource stewardship.
Special Presidential Assignments:
- Provide strategic leadership for special projects, assessments, and administrative assignments specifically delegated by the President.
- Perform related duties consistent with the position's management scope and assigned authority.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduate degree and 8-11 years of progressively responsible professional and supervisory experience.
Required Qualifications:
- Knowledge of higher education administration, shared governance, institutional policy, and executive office operations.
- Strong analytical judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and ability to prepare clear executive briefings and recommendations.
- Ability to coordinate competing priorities, build collaborative relationships, manage staff, and track implementation to completion.
- Skill in budget monitoring, executive correspondence, project management, and information management systems.
- Exercises independent judgment in directing assigned President's Office functions, managing staff, analyzing complex matters, and coordinating approved presidential initiatives under CSU and university policy.
- May convey presidential decisions and act as the President's designated representative when expressly authorized.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in public higher education, preferably within the California State University system.
- Experience supporting executive governance, Cabinet operations, budget administration, and institution-wide project coordination.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with faculty governance, student leaders, and external partners.
Compensation and Benefits:
The anticipated hiring range for this position is $6,891 - $16,250 monthly.
The CSU system provides a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision plans, membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), sick and vacation time, and 15 paid holidays a year. Eligible employees are also able to participate in the fee waiver education program. A summary of benefit information can be found here.
Position Information:
Full-time/Exempt/At-will
Academic year schedule: Monday through Friday (8:00 am - 5:00 pm), some evenings/weekends.
Summer schedule: Monday through Thursday (7:00 am - 5:30 pm), some evenings/weekends.
This is a full-time management (MPP) position. MPP employees serve at the will of the campus President. MPPs do not serve a probationary period and never receive permanent status.
This position is a "designated position" in the California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. The scope of responsibilities for this position includes making or participating in decisions that may have a material financial benefit to the incumbent. Therefore, the individual holding this position is required to file an initial Conflict of Interest: Statement of Economic Interests ("Form 700") within thirty (30 days) from the date of hire and on an annual basis. In addition, the individual holding this position must complete the required conflict of interest training within thirty (30) days of their appointment and at least once during each consecutive period of two calendar years following the appointment, subject to the Fair Political Practices Commission regulations.
This is an 'On-Campus Only' Recruitment. Qualified applicants must be current employees of CSUSB.
First considerations will be given to candidates who apply by Tuesday, November 3, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled; however, the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applications are received.
California State University, San Bernardino, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
California State University, San Bernardino is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (i.e. H1-B Visas).
CSUSB is not an E-Verify employer and cannot support visa holders with certain requirements (e.g., H1B, F1, STEM OPT).
Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant's current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.
