Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The Provost and Executive Vice President serves as the university’s chief academic officer, reporting directly to the President and providing leadership for the Academic Affairs division of Western Washington University. The Provost is responsible for the academic programs, student support functions, personnel, and associated resources that advance Western’s teaching, research, and service missions.

The Chief of Staff to the Provost serves as a senior member of the Provost’s leadership team and helps advance the strategic and operational priorities of the Division of Academic Affairs. Reporting directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Chief of Staff works closely with vice provosts, deans, faculty leaders, and administrative partners to facilitate alignment across academic and administrative units, support implementation of key priorities and and ensure alignment across the division.

The position oversees special projects and institutional initiatives on behalf of the Provost and supports executive planning and communications for Academic Affairs. It also provides leadership for institutional accreditation activities, including coordination of accreditation reporting, compliance, and reaffirmation efforts.

The successful candidate will bring strong organizational and communication skills, sound judgment, political acumen, change management expertise, and the ability to work effectively within a collaborative and shared governance environment.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Project Coordination

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Provost on divisional priorities, emerging issues, and operational matters. 
• Lead implementation of Academic Affairs initiatives and strategic projects by monitoring progress, identifying barriers, and working with stakeholders to advance execution. 
• Facilitate communication, collaboration, and change management among colleges, departments, and administrative units. 
• Conduct research, prepare briefing materials, and provide analysis to support executive decision-making. 
• Represent the Provost in meetings and university committees as assigned. 

Office of the Provost Operations

• Manage operational processes and workflows that support effective functioning of the Office of the Provost. 
• Coordinate and facilitate leadership meetings, retreats, and divisional planning activities, including implementation of resulting actions
• Track and monitor progress on divisional initiatives and action items. Provide updates and recommendations to support execution and accountability. 
• Coordinate development and implementation of policies, procedures, and operational practices. 
• Manage sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism. 

Institutional Accreditation and Effectiveness

• Coordinate the university's institutional accreditation activities, including Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) reaffirmation processes, reporting, and compliance requirements. 
• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative units to support accreditation standards, assessment activities, and continuous improvement efforts. 
• Lead the institution's accreditation efforts, including a team of faculty and staff to coordinate preparation and submission of accreditation reports, substantive change proposals, annual updates, and related documentation. 
• Create a broad strategy for communication and integration of accreditation expectations into institutional planning and assessment processes. 
• Monitor developments in accreditation and higher education policy and make recommendations to the Provost regarding relevant changes to university policy and process. 

Shared Governance and Campus Engagement

• Foster effective communication and collaboration with faculty governance bodies, staff leadership groups, and campus partners. 
• Coordinate the development of materials for the Board of Trustees and university leadership groups. 
• Facilitate initiatives that involve multiple divisions and stakeholder groups across the university. 
• Support communication, transparency, and collaboration between Academic Affairs, governance groups, and administrative initiatives. 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• Progressive professional experience in higher education, public administration, government, or a similarly complex organization.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership to advance strategic priorities and coordinate complex or cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a collaborative environment.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism.

• Master’s degree in higher education, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Progressive experience working in Academic Affairs leadership or within a provost’s office.
• Experience with institutional accreditation, assessment, compliance, or institutional effectiveness activities.
• Completion of Peer Evaluation Training for NWCCU accreditation, or equivalent for other accreditation bodies.
• Experience with change management and strategic planning at an institutional level in higher education.
• Experience working within a shared governance environment.
• Demonstrated experience working across university functions and understanding the intersection of Academic Affairs, operations, and strategy.
• Experience preparing executive-level communications, reports, or presentations.

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted for finalists, with notice provided beforehand.

A complete application also requires a separate equity and inclusion statement (1-2 pages) demonstrating your ability and commitment to cultivating learning and/or working environments that are equitable and inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of different backgrounds and identities.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.