Columbia University Chief of Staff

Spencer Stuart Chicago; New York (NY); On-site; USD 450,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University is seeking a Chief of Staff reporting to the President to act as a trusted advisor and strategic partner during a pivotal period in the institution’s history. The role spans governance, external engagement, and cross-functional coordination to translate priorities into action.

The Chief of Staff will coordinate with trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, government and industry leaders, driving execution and ensuring the President’s Office operates with focus,

Qualifications

• Advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years advising or supporting senior executives in large, complex organizations.
• Experience in higher education preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and management skills in fast-paced environments.
• Proven ability to cultivate relationships across diverse constituents and to influence outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Advise the President and align stakeholders around key priorities.
• Serve as a trusted strategic partner and senior liaison to trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners.
• Lead the Office of the President, ensuring operational excellence and coordinated day-to-day activities.
• Drive execution of strategic initiatives and manage complex projects with speed and quality.
• Provide confidential counsel, exercise sound judgment under pressure, and foster accountability.

Skills

Executive advising

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Crisis communications

Strategic planning

Education

Advanced degree

Job description

The Leadership Opportunity:

Reporting directly to the President, Columbia University seeks an exceptional Chief of Staff to serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner during a consequential moment in the institution’s history. As one of the world’s leading research universities and a globally recognized academic enterprise, Columbia offers a rare opportunity to operate at the intersection of higher education, government, industry, healthcare, philanthropy, and public life. The Chief of Staff will help the President navigate institutional complexities, align stakeholders around key priorities, and drive effective execution across the University’s diverse ecosystem.

The Chief of Staff will ensure that priorities translate into action and that the Office of the President operates with focus, discipline, and impact. The role requires a leader who can provide candid counsel, exercise sound judgment in high-pressure situations, and mobilize senior leaders around shared objectives. The Chief of Staff must possess the credibility and confidence to challenge assumptions, offer thoughtful advice, and foster accountability while building strong relationships across a highly decentralized institution.

The successful candidate will serve as a key liaison between the President and a wide range of stakeholders, including trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, government officials, industry leaders, and community partners, helping ensure Columbia remains a visible, thoughtful, and engaged presence in the city and beyond. Another distinctive aspect of this opportunity is the ability to strengthen Columbia’s engagement with New York City and the broader external environment.

The Chief of Staff will foster a culture and effectiveness of the President’s Office, leading a high-performing team while ensuring operational excellence and seamless coordination of day-to-day activities. The ideal candidate will be a steady and grounded presence during moments of complexity, combining professionalism, discretion, emotional intelligence, and resilience. They will influence through relationships rather than authority alone and demonstrate the ability to lead with both conviction and humility.

The Chief of Staff must be strategically sophisticated and institutionally minded, execution driven, and able to support the President’s goals while also directly advancing complex projects. They will help clarify, prioritize, and maintain momentum around the President’s priorities and commitments; coordinate across teams; ensure follow-through on key decisions; and manage high-level communications and stakeholder alignment. The role requires sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to move work forward with speed while maintaining the integrity and quality of the work, especially when managing multiple complex projects and competing priorities at once.

About Columbia University:

Columbia University is at a defining moment. Under the leadership of President Jennifer L. Mnookin, the University is uniquely positioned to build on its extraordinary strengths as one of the world’s foremost centers of scholarship and research while charting an ambitious and confident path forward. Columbia’s combination of academic distinction, global reach, a world-class medical enterprise, and a deep connection to New York City gives it an unparalleled capacity to advance knowledge and improve lives.

President Mnookin’s tenure marks an inflection point for the institution—one that calls for aligning Columbia’s exceptional talent, resources, and capabilities around a shared vision for the future. As Columbia advances its academic, research, and clinical missions while elevating the student experience, the President’s senior leadership team will play a central role in shaping the University’s next era of impact.

Ideal Experience:

• An advanced degree is strongly preferred, and a minimum of 10 years of experience advising or supporting senior executives in large, complex organizations. Experience working in higher education is preferred, although not required. Demonstrated leadership, organizational, and management skills in a fast-paced environment. Strong project management skills, with the ability to perform complex tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously to drive results. Experience cultivating relationships and influence across a wide range of constituents. Skilled in communications, including executive positioning and crisis communications, preferred.

Other Personal Characteristics

• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. Strong strategic, analytical problem-solving abilities. Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion with highly confidential information. Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and manage multiple priorities effectively. A commitment to the mission and values of Columbia University. Discreet, calm under pressure, and politically savvy. Collaborative, not ego-driven; comfortable with ambiguity and resistance.

The Search Process:

Columbia University is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for the role and anticipates that the Chief of Staff’s annual salary range will likely fall between $450,000 to $500,000.

Columbia University has retained Spencer Stuart to support the search. If you wish to submit your ownapplication materials or nominate someone to serve as the next Chief of Staff for Columbia University, please send an email message with supporting materials to [e-mail].