TheUniversity of California, San Franciscoseeks a seasoned communications leader to serve as Assistant Vice Chancellor (AVC), Strategic Communications, to join the Office of Communications (OC). In this new, high-profile role, the AVC will provide the vision, direction, and implementation for communications strategies that advance the strategic and business initiatives that support UCSFs core mission areas of health sciences education, research, and care delivery. The AVC also will be responsible for managing UCSFs issues and crisis management strategies. Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Communications, the AVC will join a leadership team that embraces collaborative leadership as its management philosophy.

The role will work closely with colleagues across the UCSF enterprise, including leadership and staff partners in the academic, research, and care delivery units, as well as UCSFs shared services such as communications, marketing, community and government relations, real estate and planning, legal, university development and alumni relations, enterprise emergency management, and other divisions. The AVC will lead the team responsible for identifying and translating business goals into actionable communications strategies, and collaborating with teams across the OC and the enterprise to implement them.

The AVC will join the OC at a time of significant expansion. The AVC, along with their colleagues on the OC leadership team, will collaboratively guide the offices ongoing efforts to modernize its strategies, structure, and processes. The AVC will play a key role in shaping how UCSF communicates and deploys its resources to advance its mission, reputation, and strategic priorities as an academic, research, and clinical enterprise. As part of the OC leadership team, the AVC will address administrative efforts ranging from financial analysis and risk management to operational and strategic initiatives.

The AVC oversees a team of five full-time employees with responsibilities in the following areas:

• Developing and operationalizing communications strategies for dynamic, complex, time-sensitive strategic and business initiatives with high public visibility.
• Developing, guiding, and operationalizing the overarching content strategy for OC-produced earned and owned content initiatives, using interdisciplinary forms of communications and storytelling.
• Collaborating with colleagues within OC, including Public Affairs, Brand Strategy and Internal Communications, to develop, guide and implement strategies for proactive earned, owned, social, and internal communications based on audience and desired outcomes.
• Developing and leading a preemptive issues management system and a crisis management protocol that collaborates closely with Legal, Risk Management, and other UCSF units.
• Cultivating productive relationships with a wide range of leaders, colleagues, and stakeholders across the enterprise including the Office of the Chancellor and the Chancellors Executive Team and Cabinet, UCSF Health, UCSFs four schools and graduate division, University Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of Community & Government Relations, and others.

Competencies and Qualifications

The OC seeks a mature leader with a strong track record of developing and implementing sensitive and complex communications strategies who is experienced in providing strategic counsel at all levels of the organization, pursues their work from a strong ethical foundation, exercises discretion across a wide range of sensitive topics, promotes collaborative approaches to problem-solving, and is committed to developing staff and helping them achieve their goals against best-in-class standards.

The AVC must be a proactive, goal-oriented, collaborative, and agile leader with demonstrated success working within health care or an academic medical center. The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of developing and leading communications strategies in complex and matrixed organizations, proactive leadership and team-building skills, outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, and a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The AVC must possess the business savvy, emotional intelligence, and exceptional relationship skills needed to collaborate successfully with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. A bachelors degree is required, and a graduate degree is preferred.

More information about the position, including priorities, responsibilities, and qualifications can be foundhere.

The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy. Placement within the salary range is dependent on several factors including the candidates work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. The range for this position is $144,200-$350,000.

UCSF has retainedOpus Partnersto support this recruitment. Craig Smith, Senior Partner, and Abigail Maynard, Senior Associate, are managing the search process. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations should be emailed toabigail.maynard@opuspartners.net. In order to interview with the UCSF search committee, candidates must formally apply via Opus Partners and must provide a resume, a cover letter, and a statement of contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please consult Opus Partners for more information about the application process.

The University of California San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.Candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to the organizations commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity, and excellence also known as UCSFsPRIDEvalues are encouraged to apply.