STARS Requisition number
94422BR
Posting Position Title
Senior Vice President for Operations
Essential Duties
1. Serve as a trusted strategic advisor and thought partner to the President, Provost, General Counsel, and other key leaders, advancing the President’s vision and Yale’s mission through outstanding research, scholarship, education, preservation, and practice amidst unprecedented challenges in higher education. 2. Further develop a culture of operational excellence that champions innovation and embraces change, ensuring efficient operations and administration that provide meaningful value to faculty, staff, and students. 3. Bring valuable business acumen, expertise, and leadership to the university’s budget planning, capital planning, and long-range planning processes. 4. Serve as a key member of critical university-wide committees and groups, including the President’s Cabinet, Vice President Council (VPC), and Yale Corporation meetings, acting as a trusted advisor and presenter to the Yale Corporation. 5. In close partnership with the Yale School of Medicine’s Dean, Deputy Dean for Finance and Administration, and other key leaders, ensure operational and administrative alignment across the university and its academic medical enterprise. 6. Demonstrate political savvy, partnership orientation, and the ability to effectively champion and represent Yale’s mission, fostering collaboration and engagement with the city of New Haven, Yale New Haven Health, and other key stakeholders. 7. Lead critical multi-year and cross-functional strategic initiatives. 8. Work closely with the Provost to lead and manage all business operating areas, including finance, budget, business operations, procurement, administrative IT, and research administration. 9. Play a key role as a strategic advisor to the senior leadership team, assessing complex issues and crafting innovative solutions. 10. Think strategically about future opportunities, collaborating with university leadership, faculty, staff, and leading a team to execute routine functions and new initiatives effectively. 11. Lead financial, operating, information technology, and administrative functions, delivering positive results, creating a culture of accountability, and developing overarching priorities. 12. Lead and manage a senior leadership team.
Required Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree in related field and 15 years of significant leadership experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Duration Type
Regular
Work Week
Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day)
University Job Title
Senior Vice President, Operations
Worksite Address
2 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06510
Work Location
Central Campus
Drug Screen
No
Health Screening
No
Background Check Requirements
All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.
Searchable Job Family
Administration
External Gateway Posting Date
11-Apr-2025
Total # of hours to be worked:
37.5
Position Focus:
Reporting directly to the President, the Senior Vice President (SVP) for Operations at Yale University is a central member of Yale’s senior leadership team and collaborates closely with other senior leaders, including the Provost and the General Counsel, to form a cohesive strategic unit. The SVP’s remit is critical to resourcing Yale’s mission of excellence in education, research, and public service with prudent financial management and operational expertise, ensuring that Yale’s financial, capital, and operational resources are optimally deployed. The SVP for Operations plays a crucial role in ensuring the seamless and efficient day-to-day functioning of the university’s operational infrastructure and serves as an active member of several key committees, such as the Cabinet and the Vice President Council (VPC), and brings valuable insight into the university’s budget planning, capital planning, and long-range planning processes. With regular engagement with the Yale Corporation, the university’s highest governing body, and a reporting relationship with the Deputy Dean of Yale School of Medicine Finance and Administration, the SVP for Operations maintains close engagement across the breadth of Yale's academic, educational, medical, research, and operational enterprises. The SVP for Operations oversees a diverse portfolio of operational areas in support of Yale’s mission, including Facilities (encompassing planning, design, construction, maintenance, groundskeeping, and custodial services), Information Technology (IT), Human Resources (HR), Finance, hospitality and food services, relations with the New Haven community (covering real estate and government relations), Public Safety (including both the security team and police), parking, warehouse operations, and auxiliary services. During a period of intense financial, political, and social pressure on higher education institutions, Yale’s next SVP for Operations will bring the leadership skills, expertise, creativity, business acumen, and passion for the university’s transformative mission and impact on society to help lead Yale through this tumultuous period. The SVP will work not only to ensure that Yale’s operational processes are efficient and effective but also to lead strategic initiatives aimed at driving long-term improvement and innovation and serve as a respected and influential voice across the entirety of Yale.
Yale University has retained Spencer Stuart to support this recruitment. To submit confidential comments, nominations, or expressions of interest, please send an email with any supporting materials to YaleSVP@SpencerStuart.com. The search process will unfold with the greatest possible attention to candidate confidentiality.
Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:
Extensive experience in senior operations management within complex organizations. Strong financial acumen. Proven record in planning and strategy, leading large teams, and managing diverse operations. Expertise in finance, HR, IT, and facilities management preferred; track record of driving strategic initiatives and operational excellence. Experience engaging with a board.
Posting Disclaimer
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.
EEO Statement:
The University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.
Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).
Compensation Grade
President & Officers
Compensation Grade Profile
Senior Vice President, Operations (MU)
Bargaining Unit
None - Not included in the union (Yale Union Group)
Supervisory Organization
Office of the President
Time Type
Full time
Required Skill/Ability 1:
Strategic operational and/or financial leadership, with the ability to use data in decision making, judgment, and experience to prioritize and make difficult decisions.
Required Skill/Ability 2:
Ability to build relationships at all levels within the university, fostering a trusting and supportive culture while leading through influence. Considers and solicits input from a variety of stakeholders to embed a culture of openness and inclusivity.
Required Skill/Ability 3:
A demonstrated passion for and connection to Yale’s mission of improving the world today and for future generations through outstanding scholarship, education, preservation, and practice.
Note
Yale University is a tobacco-free campus
Wage Ranges
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Work Model
On-site
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