Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff (0555U), University Development & Alumni Relations 858

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) increases support for and enhances knowledge of UC Berkeley through communications, public outreach, and fundraising. The department is responsible for centralized fundraising and donor engagement and works to strengthen unit development offices by consulting and partnering with campus fundraisers. University Development and Alumni Relations also handles a range of central activities and services encompassing events, communications, stewardship, prospect development, gift management, database management, and more.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: May 26, 2026

Responsibilities

Represent and Advise the VC

• Represents the VC with authority to make decisions on high-level task forces and long- and short-range strategic planning groups.
• Participates with executives in short and long-term strategic planning with campus-wide impact.
• Negotiates directly to achieve solutions with high-level stakeholders such as senior administrators, volunteer leaders, constituents including donors and alumni, other UC locations, Office of the President, industry cohorts and organizations, and the community to develop solutions to complex campus problems; provides briefings on current and emerging issues.
• Steers and coordinates the implementation of long and short-term strategic and operational plans.
• Provides campus-wide influence on identifying and framing systemic issues, as well as formulating and advancing approaches to address them.
• Draws on familiarity with campus systems and processes, and uses business analysis skills to assess complex and critical projects of significance.
• Demonstrates political acumen to collaborate with internal and external constituents.
• Supports the Chancellor's and Vice Chancellor's fundraising work.
• Participates in donor strategy development, and ensures the efficacy of the Vice Chancellor's donor-facing work by guiding key philanthropic partnerships affecting multiple parts of the campus.
• Works closely with the Chancellor's Immediate Office to ensure effective practices in support of the Chancellor's fundraising activities. Is a member of the UDAR team that determines priorities and calendaring for the use of the Chancellor's (and when relevant, Vice-Chancellor's) time allotted to fundraising and advancement.

Provides strategic leadership:

• Working in close collaboration with VC and Senior Management Team / Management Team (SMT/MT) to develop the division's fundraising and strategic plans and annual goals and tactics.
• In close consultation with the SMT, provides strategic oversight for unit strategic and workforce planning. Provides support to the AVC - Advancement Operations for framework for policy and administrative change, is involved with change management within UDAR, and develops strategies to remove barriers to goal achievement.
• Stays well-informed and keeps abreast of higher education's current and emerging issues in order to provide the VC broad perspective across the campus.
• Ensures schedules and plans are established, parties are informed and prepared, and any barriers (such as resource allocation, training, staffing, et cetera) are brought to the attention of the appropriate group for resolution.
• Independently performs complex research and studies for both internal department and external campus constituents.
• Works with internal teams and the VC's executive assistant to ensure that VC communications (stewardship, staff messaging, external communications) are appropriate, accurate, and timely.

Oversees the immediate office and builds division culture:

• Participates in organizational design, team development, and employee on-boarding and off-boarding.
• Leads divisional engagement, including team building, department culture, team effectiveness, growth, and development.
• Acculturates new leaders in campus strategic plan, campaign plan, and Regents and UC Berkeley Foundation protocols, overall operations within areas of responsibility, and initiative and program planning and management.
• Leads department internal communications strategy. Aligns department strategy with broader campus communications priorities and strategic plan.
• Oversees the business operations of the Vice Chancellor's Immediate Office, the internal communications lead (Professional 4) and the VC's executive assistant (Professional 4), providing leadership and oversight in these critical functions.
• Acts as the Service Liaison under UDAR's MOU with People & Culture to a) coordinate around priorities, b) ensure alignment between UDAR's needs and HR practices, and c) address operational issues or service concerns.
• As a People & Culture trained individual, has certain authority for salary administration that can be exercised on behalf of the Vice Chancellor.

Required Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of campus processes, protocols, and procedures. Basic understanding of employment laws and the UC represented and nonrepresented policies and contracts.
• Working knowledge of organization and system-wide organizational reporting structure, as well as an understanding of the interactive roles of management throughout the organization.
• Demonstrates advanced strategic thinking and consulting skills in guiding the organization toward workable strategies and solutions.
• Knowledge of the organizational environment of higher education and large research universities to understand client priorities, issues, motivations and constraints.
• Advanced consulting, relationship building, and strategic thinking skills.
• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, project planning and implementation skills.
• Knowledge of the legal constraints and opportunities for higher education (preferably in the State of California) and through Federal programs and regulations.
• Skills to effectively lead highly significant engagements from inception to conclusion.
• Highly skilled in navigating complex organizations.
• Advanced written, verbal, and presentation skills for influencing and facilitating sustained change.
• Impeccable managerial and interpersonal skills to set goals and manage accountability.
• Proven track record of effectively interacting with senior management and demonstrated leadership experience to effectively coach/mentor staff.
• Effective, versatile and goal/action-oriented.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to mitigate conflict and reach conflict resolution.
• Ability to mitigate conflict and reach conflict resolution.
• Applicants must be a current employee of the University of California or have recent prior experience working within the University of California system to be eligible for this position.

Education Level

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of higher education advancement theory and practice.
• Advanced degree preferred.