Vice President for Operations and Chief Operating Officer

Western Connecticut State University•Danbury, CT

4d•$228,231 - $285,289•Hybrid

About The Position

At Western Connecticut State University, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are foundational to who we are and how we lead. As a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, WestConn embraces both the honor and responsibility of expanding access, advancing opportunity, and delivering student success through equity in practice—not just in principle. We are building a community where every person is respected, supported, and empowered to thrive, and we welcome applications from candidates who share these values and are committed to helping us live them every day. WestConn invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for its newly established Vice President for Operations and Chief Operating Officer (VPO/COO), a senior executive role reporting to the President and serving as a core member of the executive leadership team. As WestConn’s inaugural VPO/COO, you will shape—and lead—a newly established Operations Division with the mandate to make the university run smarter, faster, and more transparently. Reporting to the President, you will drive strategy and execution across finance, facilities, technology infrastructure, and auxiliary enterprises—building reliable, integrated systems and services that strengthen the student experience and advance the academic mission. This is a builder role for a forward-thinking, solutions-oriented leader who enjoys taking on complex challenges and turning them into measurable improvements. You will bring a technology- and data-forward mindset, leveraging modern systems, analytics, automation, and responsible emerging tools (including AI-enabled capabilities where appropriate) to improve service quality, reduce delays, and increase clarity and trust across the institution. With direct oversight of core operational and revenue-generating functions, you will elevate organizational performance, strengthen cross-campus coordination, and cultivate a high-trust, service-oriented culture that helps faculty, staff, and students thrive. You will also have the opportunity to design the division’s long-term structure and recruit key leaders—including the CFO, CIO, and facilities and operations leads—creating durable capacity for WestConn’s next chapter.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., business, public administration, engineering, facilities, information systems, or related disciplines), or a combination of education, certifications, and progressively responsible experience that provides comparable preparation for the role.
Progressive leadership experience with increasing scope and responsibility, particularly in operations and administration, within a complex organization. This experience should include managing multiple functional areas through leaders and teams.
Demonstrated ability to lead through shared leadership practices, including building trust, clarifying decision-making pathways, and partnering effectively with diverse stakeholders (including shared governance contexts).
Demonstrated experience using data, technology, and process improvement to strengthen service quality, reduce friction, and improve outcomes.
Demonstrated fiscal stewardship and comfort working with budgets, contracts, risk, and compliance in a policy-driven environment.
Demonstrated commitment to working effectively within a diverse community and to advancing student-centered outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or terminal degree in a relevant field.
Ten (10) years of senior leadership experience in public higher education or comparably complex public-sector environments.
Depth of experience in one or more domains within the portfolio (e.g., facilities/capital programs, auxiliary services, housing operations, enterprise IT/cybersecurity, events/venue operations, emergency management/business continuity).
Demonstrated success leading large-scale change efforts (organizational redesign, service transformation, systems modernization, or major operational integration).
Experience with enterprise systems (ERP, identity/access, reporting/BI, service management tools) and improving data quality, automation, and user experience.
Experience applying responsible innovation practices, including assessment of AI-enabled tools, within appropriate privacy, security, and compliance boundaries.
Experience working in unionized and/or highly consultative environments; ability to support constructive labor-management relationships.
Experience advancing sustainability, accessibility, and community-facing partnerships through operational strategy.

Responsibilities

University Operations Leadership and Service Excellence
Shared Leadership, Governance Partnership, and Strategic Execution
Financial Sustainability and Stewardship (with CFO or financial lead)
Facilities, Capital Planning, and Campus Operations (with facilities and operations lead)
Auxiliaries and Student-Facing Service Integration (with auxiliaries lead)
Technology, Cybersecurity, Innovation, and AI-Enabled Modernization (with CIO or IT lead)
Risk Management, Compliance, and Emergency Preparedness (with Campus Safety)
People Leadership and Talent Development (with Human Resources)
Other Duties