Executive Associate Jobs in Columbus, WI (NOW HIRING)

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Job Category: Limited
Employment Type: Regular
Job Profile: Chief of Staff I
Job Summary:
The Division of Teaching and Learning is seeking a dynamic, highly organized, and relational Chief of Staff to partner directly with the Executive Associate Vice Provost (EAVP). Serving as a key advisor, operational driver, and proxy for the EAVP, the Chief of Staff plays a critical role in ensuring the effective functioning and strategic alignment of the Division.
We are looking for an exceptional operations leader who balances rigorous attention to detail with a patient, kind, and deeply collaborative approach. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and take pride in fostering a supportive and caring organizational culture, we encourage you to apply.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Partnership & Operations

• Leadership Partner: Serve as a trusted advisor and strategic proxy for the EAVP across campus and divisional initiatives.
• Operations Oversight: Manage workflow, space allocation, inventory, technology needs, and general divisional logistics.
• Project Management: Lead high-level special projects from inception to completion with exceptional follow-through.

Culture, Programming & Team Leadership

• Internal Programming: Design and lead internal divisional programming and professional development opportunities to cultivate growth and connection.
• People Management: Directly supervise designated members of the divisional administrative team, fostering a supportive and high-performing environment.
• Communication Strategy: Provide high-level oversight for strategic internal and external communications across the Division.

Qualifications & Characteristics

• Relational Leadership: Exceptional interpersonal skills paired with a patient, empathetic, and collaborative temperament.
• Operational Excellence: Superior organizational ability, keen attention to detail, and a strong track record of process management and follow-through.
• Communication Mastery: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills suited for varied campus audiences.
• Adaptability: Ability to prioritize effectively and maintain poise in a fast-paced environment.

This position is full-time, 100% FTE.
Ongoing/Renewable
This position is expected to be on-site.
The target hire date for this position is November 01, 2026.
Key Job Responsibilities:

• Provide oversight to divisional strategic communications

• Serves as a chief advisor to the executive officer and main point of contact between university leadership and other stakeholders

• Develops major goals to support broad functional objectives

• Provides oversight and guidance to projects of high importance

• Oversee and approves policies developed within various sub-functions, departments, and work groups

• Manages daily operations in a unit, department, or functional area of executive leadership

• May manage executive support staff

Department:
Division for Teaching and Learning, Division Administration
The Division for Teaching and Learning provides campus leadership and coordination in the areas of teaching, student success, and experiential education. The Division is home to a vibrant collection of centers and programs, including:

• Center for Campus History (CCH)
• Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring (CTLM)
• High-Impact Practice Programs (HIPs)
• Indigenous Education
• Morgridge Center for Public Service
• Native Nations UW
• Office of Academic and Career Success (OACS)
• Student Engagement and Scholarship Programs (SESP)
• Student Learning Assessment (SLA)
• Testing & Evaluation Services (T&E)
• Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE)

Compensation:
The starting salary for the position is $100,000. Actual pay is determined at hire and is based on experience and qualifications.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf.
Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in Chief of Staff, Operations, or Communications roles.
• Exceptional communication and active listening skills across written, verbal, and interpersonal formats.
• Detail-oriented and execution-focused, with strong process optimization and follow-through skills.
• Experienced facilitator with a proven track record of driving group discussions, workshops, and strategic planning.
• Calm, composed temperament with an open-minded approach-demonstrating intellectual humility, strong listening skills, and a willingness to be wrong.
• People-first mindset, with a high degree of empathy and a genuine care for the team, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• Diplomatic conflict resolution style focused on collaboration and consensus-building.
• High-capacity multi-tasker who thrives and responds quickly in fast-paced environments.
• Strong cross-functional lead, with a proven ability to guide projects and partner effectively with team members at all levels.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experienced strategic communications leader

Education:
Bachelor's Degree Required
How to Apply:
To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply Now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents.
-Cover Letter
-Resume
Please note when applying, there will be only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents in the attachment field. Applicants are to submit a cover letter and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced above. A cover letter is required to guarantee consideration. Failure to adequately demonstrate experiences aligned with the required qualifications in either a cover letter or resume will result in your application not being considered for employment. The application reviewers will be relying on your written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process.
The deadline for assuring full consideration is September 07, 2026, at 11:59 PM (CST).
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
This position has been identified as a position of trust.The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial background check to be eligible for employment and every four years.
Contact Information:
Emma Voight, emma.sippel@wisc.edu,608-262-8152
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. SeeRELAY_SERVICEfor further information.
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodationfor any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)in the division you are applying to.Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.