Presidential Readiness and Strategy Lead

Carnegie-Mellon-University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

comprehensive medical, prescription, d

tuition benefits

paid time off and observed holidays

life and accidental death and disable

Job summary

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh seeks a Deputy Chief of Staff to ensure presidential preparedness, coordinating briefing materials, context, and risk across the University to keep the President ready and informed.

The Deputy serves as a strategic extension of the Chief of Staff and President, managing cross‑functional priorities, back‑fill responsibilities, and driving execution readiness in a fast‑paced, high‑stakes environment.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree preferred but not required if offset by equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of progressively senior experience in executive operations, chief of staff functions, government relations, or strategic operations, ideally spanning more than one sector.
• Demonstrated experience operating as a trusted deputy to a senior executive, including exercising delegated judgment in ambiguous situations.
• Strong project and budget management skills across concurrent, high‑stakes initiatives.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication; able to draft in another leader's voice.

Responsibilities

• Lead presidential preparedness: briefing materials, background research, talking points, stakeholder context, and risk flags.
• Maintain a forward‑looking view of major demands on the President and work backward to ensure timely readiness.
• Scan developments to identify issues early enough that they reach the President as a well‑framed briefing.
• Debrief significant presidential engagements to capture commitments and implications for future prep.
• Ensure actions arising from meetings are clearly assigned, documented, and monitored; surface stalled items.
• Identify gaps, conflicting advice, or unresolved questions that could impede presidential decisions and coordinate clarification.
• Set direction for presidential correspondence involving strategic, reputational, or political sensitivity.
• Serve as an integrator across the President's Office and executive leadership; coordinate cross‑functional priorities.
• Act as the principal backup to the Chief of Staff and represent the President's Office in selected meetings.
• Support operating rhythm: agenda development and prep for leadership meetings and retreats.
• Bring forward issues, materials, and context before they are requested to free up leadership time.

Job description

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh seeks a Deputy Chief of Staff to ensure presidential preparedness, coordinating briefing materials, context, and risk across the University to keep the President ready and informed.

The Deputy serves as a strategic extension of the Chief of Staff and President, managing cross‑functional priorities, back‑fill responsibilities, and driving execution readiness in a fast‑paced, high‑stakes environment.