Confidential Strategic Operations Manager

About the Role

The Confidential Strategic Operations Manager provides high-level strategic, analytical, and operational support to the Office of the President, reporting to the Executive Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to the President. The Manager assumes significant responsibility for planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating complex presidential initiatives and institutional priorities involving multiple academic and administrative divisions. This role independently analyzes institutional information, develops project frameworks and recommendations, monitors implementation, and addresses operational barriers affecting the timely advancement of presidential priorities. The position exercises a high degree of independent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality in supporting executive decision-making and managing sensitive institutional matters.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Initiatives and Project Management:
  • Manage presidential initiatives, executive projects, and institutional priorities from planning through implementation, evaluation, and completion
  • Translate executive priorities into project plans, implementation strategies, timelines, performance measures, and clearly defined deliverables
  • Coordinate project responsibilities and deliverables across academic and administrative divisions
  • Monitor project progress, institutional commitments, deadlines, and outcomes using appropriate tracking and reporting systems
  • Identify risks, delays, resource concerns, and operational barriers and recommend corrective actions to executive leadership
  • Evaluate the progress and effectiveness of institutional initiatives and prepare findings and recommendations
  • Lead or participate in special projects, strategic planning activities, and institutional working groups assigned by the President or Executive Chief of Staff
• Institutional Coordination and Implementation:
  • Coordinate the implementation of presidential priorities requiring collaboration among senior administrators and multiple College divisions
  • Facilitate cross-divisional communication, clarify responsibilities, and resolve coordination issues affecting institutional initiatives
  • Convene project meetings, strategic planning sessions, and leadership discussions related to assigned initiatives
  • Establish follow-up processes to ensure that executive decisions and institutional commitments are implemented by responsible offices
  • Review project updates and supporting documentation submitted by College departments to assess progress and identify outstanding actions
  • Serve as a strategic liaison between the Office of the President and senior administrators, CUNY offices, governmental entities, community organizations, and institutional partners
  • Represent the Office of the President on committees, working groups, task forces, and project teams, as assigned
• Research, Analysis, and Executive Reporting:
  • Conduct research and policy analysis to support presidential decision-making, institutional planning, and operational improvement
  • Analyze institutional data, trends, policies, practices, and performance information and develop recommendations for executive leadership
  • Prepare analytical reports, executive summaries, decision memoranda, project assessments, and recommendations for the President and senior leadership
  • Gather and synthesize institutional accomplishments, outcomes, and supporting documentation for presidential reports and strategic communications
  • Evaluate information submitted by campus offices for accuracy, completeness, relevance, and alignment with institutional priorities
  • Develop reports and presentations for CUNY leadership, governmental entities, accreditation-related activities, community organizations, and other institutional partners
  • Present findings, project updates, operational concerns, and proposed solutions to executive leadership, as appropriate
• Strategic Meetings and Executive Decision Support:
  • Plan and coordinate the substantive content of presidential retreats, strategic planning sessions, leadership briefings, and institutional planning meetings
  • Develop agendas, briefing books, background analyses, issue summaries, decision points, and supporting materials for executive discussions
  • Attend executive and institutional meetings to document decisions, assigned responsibilities, deadlines, and required institutional actions
  • Coordinate post-meeting implementation and monitor completion of assigned deliverables
  • Prepare recommendations and decision-support materials related to complex institutional and operational matters
  • Ensure that executive leadership receives timely and accurate information regarding the status of presidential initiatives
• Operational Improvement and Confidential Matters:
  • Assess institutional and President's Office workflows associated with strategic initiatives and recommend improvements that strengthen efficiency, accountability, and coordination
  • Develop procedures, tools, and reporting structures for tracking presidential priorities and institutional commitments
  • Analyze recurring operational issues and recommend sustainable process improvements
  • Maintain confidential project records, analytical reports, decision materials, and other sensitive institutional information
  • Exercise discretion in handling personnel-related matters, institutional planning information, executive deliberations, and other confidential issues
  • Provide functional direction to staff, project teams, and other employees supporting assigned presidential initiatives
  • Perform related duties and special assignments as directed by the President or Executive Chief of Staff

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated customer service, relationship management, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience managing facility use, event logistics, or external engagement initiatives
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills
• Experience utilizing databases, project management systems, or customer relationship management (CRM) software
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with internal and external stakeholders
• Experience working in higher education, government, nonprofit, or public service environments

Skills

• Supports a Campus or University Executive as a confidential assistant in a variety of activities and initiatives as a key team member
• Organizes and manages projects involving different areas of the Campus or University community, with responsibility for project outcomes
• Represents the Executive's unit in Campus or University-wide activities, including committees, special initiatives, and implementation of new processes or technology
• Independently carries out a portfolio of responsibilities under the Executive's purview, such as approvals, student interactions, and monitoring of key activities
• Manages communications within and outside the unit related to areas of responsibility
• May serve as Manager of a large Executive Office
• Performs related duties as assigned

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range is $90,838 - $118,070; commensurate with qualifications and experience. CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

This position is excluded from union representation.

CUNY Title: Higher Education Associate

FLSA Status: Exempt