Chief Deputy to the President and Senior Vice President for Government and University Relation

Chief Deputy to the President and Senior Vice President for Government and Community Relations

Stony Brook University seeks an accomplished and savvy leader to serve in the critically important role of Chief Deputy to the President and Senior Vice President for Government and Community Relations (Chief Deputy).

President Maurie McInnis is seeking a trusted partner who, as a member of her Cabinet, will work closely with university leadership and constituents to provide strategic advice, to identify and solve emergent, complex challenges, and to oversee the university’s external work of government and community affairs. The position is open due to the upcoming retirement of the current Chief Deputy, who has been a dedicated and deeply respected advisor to President McInnis and a leader of the Stony Brook University community for nine years.

The Chief Deputy works with the President on the planning and implementation of a variety of university-wide strategic initiatives. The incumbent is expected to lead ad hoc teams, which may include Vice Presidents and their divisions. The incumbent may act on behalf of the President and will be expected to represent Stony Brook at high level national and international events and to meet with both internal and external stakeholders.

The Chief Deputy is a broad and distinctive leadership role at Stony Brook University, a respected and increasingly prominent public research university. Reporting directly to President McInnis, (the university’s sixth president) the Chief Deputy will be the right hand to the President with respect to advising the leadership team, managing projects and initiatives, building and maintaining internal and external relationships, and enhancing communications.

The ideal candidate will be a confident and strategic leader who will manage and execute a broad range of projects and initiatives across the university. Additionally, the ideal candidate will garner the respect to be the voice of the President with different constituencies and at times, when appropriate, be the face of the President’s office both on campus and off. The Chief Deputy will enjoy working independently as a trusted advisor in higher education leadership; building critical relationships and facilitating communications with key constituents within the University, the State University of New York (SUNY) System, alumni, the region and the business world, and motivated by joining a thriving institution whose reputation is growing through the President’s vision and her strong, highly capable team.

The ideal candidate will embrace the intellectual vibrancy, energy, and diversity of Stony Brook’s campuses, creating trusted relationships and communications, facilitating resolution of university issues and crises, and preparing the president for a variety of meetings and events. They will have the earned trust of various community interests, have a talent for issue-spotting and be able to communicate emergent concerns proactively, in order to advance the university’s strategic objectives. The work of the Chief Deputy is varied and often project-oriented; the successful candidate will enjoy a diverse set of responsibilities that require multi-tasking and agility.

As a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) and a recently named flagship of the State University of New York (SUNY) System, Stony Brook is one of America’s most dynamic public universities. Established in 1957 as a college for the preparation of secondary school teachers of mathematics and science, Stony Brook is now recognized as one of the nation’s most important centers of learning and scholarship. The University is dedicated to carrying out the mandate given by the State Board of Regents in 1960 to become a university that would “stand with the finest in the country.” Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best-in-State Employers and as an institution that provides exemplary employment opportunities on Long Island and in New York State, the University is also ranked on the 2022 America’s Best Employers for Diversity Forbes list and has been ranked the #1 public university in New York State. Stony Brook Medicine is also one of the nation’s leaders in patient care, research, and health sciences education.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the WittKieffer position description.

WittKieffer is assisting Stony Brook University in the search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by May 13, 2024.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s application portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to John K. Thornburgh, Melody Rose, Ph.D., and Lauren Bruce-Stets at: [email protected].

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in diversity and the creation of an inclusive learning, and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.