UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has opened a national search for the inaugural candidate for the position of senior vice provost and chief of staff.
Working with Fotis Sotiropoulos, incoming executive vice president and provost, the position will provide high-level leadership and serve as an adviser and integrative leader across academic and administrative units. The senior vice provost and chief of staff will help drive key initiatives, coordinate and support senior staff, manage special projects and foster innovation at the University, among other duties.
“This new role within Penn State’s leadership will provide significant support to incoming Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos, who joins us this August,” said Kathy Bieschke, senior vice provost and interim dean of Undergraduate Education and chair of the search committee. “We are looking for a dedicated leader who will quickly integrate into the University’s many communities and constituencies, and drive forward the University’s top initiatives.”
The ideal candidate will have a proven record of leadership in higher education, possess financial savvy, be able to execute complex initiatives, navigate ambiguity and build trust across diverse constituencies. Penn State is seeking a strategic thinker who can anticipate needs, offer candid counsel and operate with diplomacy and integrity.
An internal search committee will select the ideal candidate with assistance from the recruiting firm WittKieffer:
- Kathy Bieschke, chair, senior vice provost and interim dean, Undergraduate Education
- Sabine Klahr, vice provost for Penn State Global
- Dan Kuhn, financial officer for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
- Craig J. Newschaffer, Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Dean of the College of Health and Human Development and professor of biobehavioral health
- Bre Robinson, executive assistant, office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
- Michael Wade Smith, senior vice president and chief of staff
- Elizabeth Wright, regional chancellor and chief academic officer of Penn State Hazleton, Penn Scranton and Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Interested candidates should submit separate documents as part of their application: CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes presented in leadership profile developed by WittKieffer. Applications, nominations and inquiries can be directed to PennStateProvostCoS@wittkiefer.com. For full consideration, candidate materials should be received by Sept. 5.