Interim Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives

Limited-Term Executive Leadership Appointment

Location: Sacramento, California (Periodic Statewide Travel Required)

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Status: Full-Time | Exempt | Executive Leadership Team

The Umoja Community Education Foundation (UCEF) is a statewide nonprofit organization advancing culturally responsive, equity-centered student success across California's community colleges, universities, and educational partners.

Serving more than 16,000 students annually through a growing network of 80+ college and university partnerships, Umoja is implementing an ambitious strategic plan focused on organizational growth, systems building, and expanding its impact across California and beyond.

We are seeking an exceptional executive leader to serve as our Interim Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives—a trusted strategic partner to the Chief Executive Officer responsible for translating organizational vision into coordinated action.

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside an experienced Executive Leadership Team and help shape the next chapter of one of California's most influential organizations advancing student success, educational excellence, and institutional transformation.

Requirements

Position Overview

The Interim Chief of Staff & Strategic Initiatives serves as the CEO's senior strategic partner and organizational integrator.

Working across the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief of Staff ensures alignment, disciplined execution, and enterprise-wide follow-through on Umoja's highest strategic priorities. Acting as a force multiplier for the CEO, this executive helps transform strategy into measurable results by coordinating initiatives, monitoring execution, identifying organizational risks, and supporting executive decision-making.

The Interim Chief of Staff does not manage departments or exercise operational authority. Instead, the role leads through influence, strategic coordination, executive partnership, and organizational alignment.

Strategic Scope

Within Umoja's operating framework, the Interim Chief of Staff serves as the bridge between organizational strategy and execution.

The CEO establishes organizational direction and priorities.

The Interim Chief of Staff ensures those priorities remain aligned, coordinated, measurable, and on track.

Executive leaders execute operational responsibilities while the Interim Chief of Staff monitors progress, removes barriers, identifies risks, and facilitates enterprise-wide accountability.

Key Responsibilities

The Interim Chief of Staff will:

• Translate CEO priorities into enterprise-wide implementation plans, timelines, and performance measures.
• Monitor progress toward Umoja's Strategic Plan and Executive Leadership Team priorities.
• Identify organizational risks, bottlenecks, competing priorities, and capacity challenges requiring executive attention.
• Lead CEO-directed strategic initiatives spanning multiple departments and functional areas.
• Prepare executive analyses, presentations, briefings, and recommendations for CEO and Board decision-making.
• Facilitate Executive Leadership Team coordination, alignment, and accountability.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO on organizational effectiveness, executive priorities, and strategic opportunities.
• Help maximize executive effectiveness through thoughtful planning, prioritization, and follow-through.

What This Position Is Not

The Interim Chief of Staff is intentionally designed as a strategic executive leadership role—not an operational management position.

This role does not:

• Manage departments or supervise staff outside the Executive Office.
• Direct day-to-day organizational operations.
• Own departmental budgets.
• Lead program implementation.
• Supervise fundraising activities.

Success in this position comes from influence, executive partnership, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, and the ability to create clarity and alignment across the enterprise.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will possess:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's or other advanced degree preferred.
• Eight to twelve years of progressively responsible executive leadership, strategy, consulting, or Chief of Staff experience.
• Demonstrated success partnering directly with CEOs, presidents, executive directors, or executive leadership teams.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, communication, and project leadership skills.
• Outstanding judgment, discretion, political acumen, and executive presence.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives without relying on formal authority.

Experience in higher education, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, public policy, organizational development, or statewide initiatives is strongly preferred.

Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate is:

• A strategic thinker who enjoys transforming vision into execution.
• A systems thinker capable of connecting people, priorities, and organizational outcomes.
• Highly organized and execution-oriented.
• Comfortable operating in complex and evolving environments.
• Skilled at building trust, influence, and alignment across diverse stakeholders.
• Passionate about educational opportunity, equity, and systems change.

Why Umoja?

Joining Umoja means joining a mission-driven organization committed to transforming educational outcomes for Black and other historically underserved students while strengthening institutions across California.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will work directly with the CEO to guide enterprise-wide strategy, influence institutional transformation, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and help position Umoja for its next phase of statewide and national growth.

Appointment Information

This is a limited-term executive appointment intended to provide executive leadership capacity during a period of organizational transition. The appointment is anticipated to last approximately six (6) to nine (9) months and may be extended or conclude earlier based on organizational needs.

Compensation: $120,000–$135,000 annualized salary, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Compensation will be prorated based on the duration of the appointment.

Relocation: Relocation assistance may be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates.

The Umoja Community Education Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a workplace that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We encourage applications from individuals who are passionate about advancing educational excellence, student success, and organizational innovation.

Benefits

This position is eligible for benefits consistent with Umoja's policies for limited-term executive employees.