Description

UC Davis

Chief of Staff to the Chancellor

Salary Range: $177,300.00 - $388,700.00 Annually

In partnership with the campus Chief Strategy Officer, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Chancellor serves as a senior strategic advisor, executive integrator, and operational leader supporting the Chancellor of UC Davis. The Chief of Staff advances institutional priorities across the Davis campus and UC Davis Health, ensuring enterprise-wide alignment, operational excellence, and effective shared governance engagement.

Reporting directly to the Chancellor, the Chief of Staff is a core member of the Chancellor’s Executive Leadership Team. The Chief of Staff represents and acts on behalf of the Chancellor with delegated authority as appropriate, serving as a trusted advisor and institutional leader in high-visibility and politically sensitive environments.

This role combines strategic counsel with direct administrative oversight of key units within the Chancellor’s portfolio. The Chief of Staff ensures disciplined execution of Chancellor-level priorities; strengthens executive leadership effectiveness; advances legislative, community, and systemwide engagement; and safeguards the

institution’s financial, operational, and reputational integrity.

Mission: To lead the university in its core functions of teaching, research, and public service, focusing on academic excellence, inclusive excellence, innovation, student success, and communityengagement.

Vision: Led by Chancellor Gary S. May - who oversees the university’s mission – and guided by TO BOLDLY GO: A strategic vision for UC Davis, the Office of the Chancellor works toward the university’s goals of enhancing the educational experience and student preparedness, supporting frontier research for a healthy planet and well-being, embracing inclusive excellence, strengthening partnerships for community impact, and cultivating an innovative and entrepreneurial culture.

The Office of the Chancellor is comprised of units responsible for a wide variety of campus operations, ranging from Audit and Management Advisory Services to Strategic Communications. Chancellor May’s immediate office includes the Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff, as well as a core support team that oversees critical functions including the chancellor’s schedule, travel, and official correspondence.

• Audit and Management Advisory Services
• Ceremonies and Special Events
• Compliance and Policy
• Government and Community Relations (GCR)
• OCP Finance, Operations and Human Resources (FOHR)
• Office of the Campus Counsel
• Office of the Chancellor
• Ombuds Office
• Strategic Communications

University Overview

• UC Davis is a comprehensive public research university and academic health system distinguished by:
• A strong Academic Senate and shared governance tradition
• A dual-campus structure (Davis and Sacramento/UC Davis Health)
• Significant federal research funding and national leadership in agriculture, human health, and veterinary medicine
• Proximity to Sacramento and substantial state legislative engagement
• Active labor relations within a unionized workforce
• High public visibility and robust student engagement

The Chief of Staff must operate effectively across this broad, complex, and highly visible enterprise.

Chief of Staff Key Responsibility Themes

• Strategic Leadership & Institutional Alignment
• Shared Governance & Academic Engagement
• Executive Operations & Leadership Effectiveness
• Administrative Oversight Responsibilities
• Systemwide & Regents Coordination
•  Health System Integration
• Crisis & Issues Management

Professional Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experiences:

• Advanced degree required; terminal degree preferred.
• Extensive years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience in higher education, healthcare, government, or comparably complex institutions.
• Demonstrated experience advising executive leadership in politically and publicly visible environments.
• Strong understanding of shared governance in a highly complex setting.
• Experience overseeing administrative operations, budgets, and personnel.
• Exceptional analytical, writing, and executive communication skills.
• Demonstrated discretion, sound judgment, and high emotional intelligence.

Preferred Qualifications and Experiences:

• Experience working within higher education environment.
• Experience working in or alongside an academic health center.
• Experience in research-intensive, AAU-level institutions.
• Familiarity with Academic Senate governance structures.
• Knowledge of state legislative and budget processes.
• Knowledge of federal legislative and budget processes.

To review detailed responsibilities, employment benefits, and to apply by Monday, May 25, 2026, please use this link:

http://50.73.55.13/counter.php?id=320503

For questions and nominations, please contact Michele Haynes, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner mchaynes@ucdavis.edu. As you consider joining UC Davis, we invite you to explore our Principles of Community, our Clinical Strategic Plan and strategic vision for research and education. We believe you belong here. The University of California, Davis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.