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Chief of Staff

Posting Number S01459JP

Department President's Office

Job Summary

Bowdoin College seeks a talented individual to serve as Chief of Staff to President Safa Zaki. The Chief of Staff will report directly to the president, serve as the president’s primary support and supervise staff in the Office of the President. They will have a strong understanding and appreciation for a residential liberal arts experience and the ability to operate with discretion in a complex environment.

The Chief of Staff serves as a vital strategic partner and trusted advisor to the president, playing a critical role in shaping and advancing the college’s vision and goals. They must possess superb communication skills and serve as a key liaison between the president and various stakeholders, effectively conveying the president’s vision, and fostering clear communication and alignment across the college. The Chief of Staff will be instrumental in facilitating the president’s agenda, managing key initiatives, and enhancing the overall operational effectiveness of the president’s office. This individual will focus on enhancing organizational efficiency, facilitating communication, and ensuring the successful execution of institutional priorities.

This role will manage additional staff in the Office of the President to support strategic goals and ensure effective operations.

Bowdoin College is being assisted in this process by Spencer Stuart and welcomes nominations or expressions of interest. If you wish to view the full position summary, submit your application materials or nominate someone to serve as Chief of Staff to the President of Bowdoin College, please send an email message with supporting materials to: [email protected].

Education/Skills Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and minimum seven to ten years of experience advising or supporting senior executives in large complex organizations (i.e., president, CEO , provost, dean, etc.). Experience working in higher education is preferred, though not required.

Experience Requirements and/or Equivalents

+ Demonstrated leadership, organizational, and management skills, preferably in a fast-paced environment.

+ Strong project management skills with the ability to perform complex tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously to drive results.

+ Experience cultivating relationships across a wide range of constituents.

+ Superb writing skills — with little need for guidance, review, or editing. Skilled in communications, including executive positioning and crisis communications preferred.

Standard Work Days and Hours

This is an exempt level position that requires the time commitment to complete the essential duties of the position. Standard administrative hours are 8:30am – 5:00pm.

About Bowdoin

Bowdoin embraces diversity in all forms, and the College is home to talented students, faculty and staff—with a variety of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds; religious beliefs; and gender identities, among other factors.

We encourage applications from candidates committed to the support of an inclusive campus community and those who will enrich and contribute to the College’s multifaceted diversity. We value a community in which individuals of all backgrounds are warmly welcomed and encouraged to succeed.

Founded in 1794, Bowdoin has maintained its commitment to the liberal arts for well over 200 years. Bowdoin’s reputation as a preeminent liberal arts college rests on the excellence of its faculty, students, and staff; intimate size; strong sense of community; and connections to the people, history, and natural beauty of Maine.

Bowdoin’s campus is situated in a beautiful natural setting. Located in Brunswick, Maine, a town of approximately 20,000, the College is a short drive from the Maine coast, twenty-five miles from Portland and 120 miles from Boston.

Shift

Employment Category Full Time Year Round

FTE 1.00

Benefits Eligible Yes

Pay Type Salaried

Background Check Package Requirements Faculty/Administrative

Is driving a vehicle (e.g. Bowdoin vehicle or off road vehicle, rental car, personal car) an essential function of this job? No

Is a pre-placement physical required for this position? No

Posting Date 07/25/2025

Applications Accepted Until

Open Until Filled No

Type of Posting Internal/External

Special Instructions to Applicants

Bowdoin College is being assisted in this process by Spencer Stuart and welcomes nominations or expressions of interest. If you wish to submit your application materials or nominate someone to serve as Chief of Staff to the President of Bowdoin College, please send an email message with supporting materials to: [email protected].

EEO Information

Bowdoin College complies with applicable provisions of federal and state laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination in employment, admission, or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry and national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, genetic predisposition, veteran status, or against qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities on the basis of disability, or any other legally protected statuses.

Supplemental Questions