Career Center

Scheduled Hours

37.5

Position Summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a proven leader to expand the reach and impact of an accomplished government affairs office. The Vice Chancellor for Government and Community Relations (VC-GCR) will provide the vision and expertise necessary to ensure that the universityâ™s government affairs office is forward thinking and develops effective strategies to address emerging issues. This individual will be responsible for developing deep expertise about university initiatives and priorities, and effectively communicating with public officials at the local, state and federal levels about those initiatives and their positive societal impact.

The successful candidate will lead the officeâ™s efforts to connect with and develop relationships with community neighbors. It is anticipated that through the development of strategic relationships with business, local, state, and federal government, and community partners, the VC-GCR will have a significant role in growing legislative understanding of and support for the Universityâ™s education, healthcare, research, and public service activities. The VC-GCR will also work closely with the VC for Marketing and Communications promoting the universityâ™s positive impact locally, regionally, nationally, and throughout the world. The VC-GCR will work directly with University leaders and members of the Board of Trustees to prioritize vital connections with external stakeholders, including elected officials at all levels, community leaders, associations, and relevant institutions. This person will be charged with thinking broadly and proactivelyâ“ identifying opportunities for WUSTL to act as a policy leader at all levels of government.

As part of the universityâ™s commitment to a robust and far-reaching government affairs effort, the VC-GCR will have the opportunity to hire additional professional staff and design and configure office space that helps promote and facilitate the teamâ™s work. The VC-GCR will work collaboratively with the Senior Advisor on St. Louis Initiatives, a new position that will focus on enhancing the positive impact of Washington University on the St. Louis community. The Senior Advisor will develop and nurture relationships with non- governmental community leaders and organizations and will also identify and facilitate opportunities for innovative and engaged faculty and staff to develop meaningful community partnerships. Consistent communication and collaboration with the Senior Advisor will be key to the success of both positions.

Job Description

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide proactive leadership regarding the Universityâ™s public policy agenda and approach, with the responsibility of executing short and long-range strategic initiatives regarding government relation functions, that create opportunities and protect against threats, focusing on institutional priorities as well as emerging public policy issues.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external constituents, elected officials, and community groups/leaders; continually prioritize and foster these relationships/partnerships.
• Work collaboratively with appropriate University units, including but not limited to: Marketing and Communications, Commercialization & Technology Transfer, Real Estate, Advancement, University College, Academic Units, and others to communicate initiatives to constituencies and to develop strategy as needed.
• Act as a thought-partner in guiding the vision for WUSTLâ™s impact in the greater St. Louis area and provide insight/political perspective in the Universityâ™s approach for community involvement and economic development.
• Supervise assigned personnel: set objectives, manage budgets, monitor performance, and assess outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• 15+ or more years of related leadership and management experience.
• Extensive experience in lobbying, communications, public relations, and/or government relations, for complex organizations.
• Advanced knowledge of the strategies and best practices for sophisticated, targeted, and creative relationship building, networking, and coalition-making.
• Demonstrated appreciation for academic culture and mission.
• Understanding of the St. Louis community and local government environment.
• Understanding of Missouri State government environment.
• Understanding of Federal government environment and dynamics, particularly as pertains to issues with potential impact on the academic research enterprise, including research conducted at a complex academic research and medical center.
• Experience in the healthcare industry.
• Outstanding communicator with the experience, stature, and presence to represent the University to all constituencies.
• Strategic, creative, and able to work collaboratively with others, have a track record of networking and nurturing positive relationships with elected officials and community leaders/organizations, and possess a high degree of initiative and interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to expresses oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others and prioritize an accessible and transparent style in all forms of communication, i.e., verbal and written, one-on-one and group, etc.
• Interpersonal Awareness: ability to build and maintain positive and productive relationships and actively contribute as a member of working teams to achieve results.
• Professional Credibility: ability to take responsibility for meeting goals, objectives, obligations, and solving problems while representing the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
• Critical Thinking: ability to obtain, analyze, and evaluate information effectively in the face of ambiguity. Ability to make appropriate decisions based on relevant information and experience.
• Ethics and Trust: ability to model and uphold the values of candor, openness, inclusiveness, and honesty despite internal and external pressures. Act consistently with University ethical guidelines and organizational core values and beliefs.
• Valuing Diversity & Inclusiveness: ability to respect, value, and contribute to WUSTLâ™s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelorâ™s degree.
• Ten years of leadership experience.

Grade

G00

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to our employees. Benefits eligibility is subject to employment status, full-time equivalent (FTE) workload, and weekly standard hours. Please visit our website at https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/ to view a summary of benefits.

EEO/AA Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the Universityâ™s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

Diversity Statement

Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment â“ fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.

Applicant Instructions

When you are ready to apply, creating an account only takes a minute. Your account creates a candidate home page which we will use to communicate with you and allows you to apply for jobs and view your application statuses. The first page of the application offers two âœQuick Apply❠options. Quick Apply allows you to either use a previous application or create a new application using a resume to populate the work experience and education sections of your job application. If using a resume to populate your application, check to ensure the application fields populated accurately. You may skip the âœQuick Apply❠page by clicking âœNext❠at the bottom of the page. Documents may be uploaded in the My Experience section of the application. You also have the option to apply with a LinkedIn feature, which allows you to apply by using your LinkedIn profile to populate some of the job application fields.

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