Chief of Staff

Job Description The Broad Institute is at an exciting juncture as it enters its 20th year — with opportunities to impact medicine in ways we never could have imagined. The Broad is transitioning from a start-up organization to a more mature one, but we aspire to retain our scrappy, start-up culture. Key leadership roles (e.g., Chief Scientific Officer, Chief Operating Officer) are being filled, new institutional governance structures being launched or renewed, and we are expanding into two new buildings to support our scientific aspirations and vibrant community. We are in a moment where the next chapter of the Broad Institute will be shaped. Key to this next phase of the Broad is the Chief of Staff – the person who will be a key thought partner to the Institute Director, and who will be best positioned to have visibility and influence across the entire institute. The Chief of Staff (CoS) plays a critical role as strategic thought partner to the Institute Director, key partner to the Chief Operating Officer, and close collaborator with other members of the executive and scientific leadership teams. With an unrivaled birds-eye view of the Broad and access across the Institute, the CoS serves as the strategic “glue” within the organization as well as “air traffic controller” for a wide range of institutional projects and priorities. To be effective, the CoS must build trust and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the Broad (and beyond), be visible and approachable, facilitate communication and collaboration across groups and functions, and strive to have the pulse of the organization in order to anticipate and address challenges and opportunities. The CoS will also have direct managerial responsibility for key science-facing and external-facing parts of Administration, including the partner institution relations and Board of Directors functions. Key Responsibilities: Institutional Leadership: Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and the Director’s Cabinet. Help shape both the agenda and the team dynamic, to ensure that both the ELT and Cabinet are focusing on the highest-impact issues and working together as effectively as possible. Work with administrative leaders to ensure that ELT presentations are sufficiently prepared. Ensure connectivity to the priorities and agenda of the Scientific Leadership Team. Thought Partnership: Serve as closest advisor and trusted confidant to the Director on all institutional issues of strategic importance. Partner with the Director in decision-making, organizational management and initiative implementation. Represent the Director at internal and external meetings as needed. Serve as key thought partner to members of Broad’s scientific and administrative leadership teams. Horizon Scanning: Have an “ear to the ground” across the Institute and broader ecosystem (by building relationships with key internal and external stakeholders), in order to efficiently and effectively spot issues, triage matters that arise, and recommend or take action. Ensure that the Director is well-connected to the organization. Apply judgment regarding what needs to be escalated (or not) to the Director and/or other leaders. Strategic Planning: Collaborate with the Director and Executive Leadership Team to develop annual goals / OKRs that are aligned with institutional priorities. Help prioritize, implement, and monitor progress against strategic plans and objectives (including providing updates to the Board of Directors). Oversee strategic initiatives from development through successful execution, in collaboration with senior leadership. Administrative Leadership: In close partnership with COO, serve as a key leader of Broad Administration and as a public face of Administration both internally and externally. Build strong relationships across the Administrative Leadership Team and Administrative Extended Leadership Team. Serve as culture carrier within the Administrative community, to ensure a strong partnership between the scientific and administrative teams. Enhance organizational engagement and morale. Working collaboratively with CFO and COO, provide oversight of institutional discretionary budget. Partner Relations: Oversee the stewardship of relationships with Broad’s partner institutions (MIT, Harvard, and Harvard-affiliated hospitals) to build multiple points of connectivity across institutions and create venues / mechanisms for open communication and joint problem-solving, working collaboratively with faculty and other administrative leaders to do so. Communication Facilitation: Serve as a central point of contact for communication among the Director and other key stakeholders, to facilitate accurate and timely flow of information. Act as a liaison among senior executives and their leadership teams, to promote alignment and coordination on a wide variety of cross-functional initiatives, using judgment to decide what information is appropriate to share with whom. Special Projects: Lead, manage, and/or participate in projects of institutional importance. These may involve policy development/implementation, serving on standing and ad hoc committees, preparation for and presentation at Institute-wide and Administration-wide Town Halls and other community events (including hosting external visitors to the Broad), and oversight/stewardship of Director’s Discretionary Funds (in partnership with the COO, CFO and finance team). Help others navigate Broad; serve as a clearer of obstacles. Managerial Responsibilities: Lead and mentor various teams of professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture. Director’s Office: Work closely with the Assistants to the Director to ensure that the Institute Director is appropriately prioritizing his time/attention, well-prepared for meetings, and able to achieve his goals and maximize his impact. Office of Board Administration: Oversee the team that manages Board of Directors Administration; help set the strategic agenda and ensure smooth execution of four annual Board meetings and various standing and ad hoc Committee meetings; build relationships with members of the Broad Board of Directors. Planning and oversight of VIP visits to Broad Qualifications: At least 15 years of relevant experience and graduate degree in business administration, management, or a related field Deep understanding of the academic ecosystem; extensive experience in administrative leadership in an academic organization, ideally MIT, Harvard, or the Harvard-affiliated hospitals Demonstrated leadership, organizational, and management skills, with proven experience in strategic planning, 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 Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization Innovative, curious, and analytical mindset, with the ability to analyze complex data and provide actionable insights; skill in creative problem-solving and in reconciling conflicting viewpoints Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion with highly confidential information Strong leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire others Sound judgment and decision-making abilities, with a focus on driving organizational success Past success in facilitating and implementing a strategic plan or organizational strategy,and supporting and managing a diverse staff through periods of organizational change High level of integrity and professionalism, with a commitment to upholding ethical standards Experience supporting a Board of Trustees or Board of Directors Ability to work quickly and nimbly, with ability to adapt to rapidly evolving institutional goals A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion Proficiency in Google Suite and other relevant software applications #LI-DNP All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Check out this video for a look into our community! The Broad Institute is pioneering a new model of collaborative biomedical science to transform biology and medicine. To do that, we have created a unique community of amazing, creative people — “Broadies” — each with a passion for pushing scientific frontiers. Broadies have a diverse collection of talents, expertise, and backgrounds, creating a rich collaborative environment for solving intractable scientific problems. We are always looking for new team members within Research, Computational Biology, Software Engineering, and Administration to help us tackle important problems at the cutting edge of science. Why Broad? It comes down to our culture. Our community transcends academic and organizational barriers, encouraging different points of view and making all Broadies part of something meaningful. If ours is a community you would want to be a part of, then please apply! * Return to view all job postings