Senior Advisor for Presidential Affairs & Communications

At Mercy University, we have been helping to empower generations of learners to break new ground, achieve forward momentum, and create lasting impact that ripples beyond themselves, to their families and communities. We offer more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs across six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Our student body of more than 9,000 students, including full-time and part-time undergraduates and graduates, thrives across our campuses in Westchester, the Bronx, and Manhattan, as well as online.

Mercy University stands as the largest private minority-serving institution and Hispanic-Serving Institution in the region, reflecting our long-standing commitment to educational access, and we have one of the lowest tuition rates of private, four-year colleges in the region. We have been ranked nationally among top colleges in the country for Hispanics by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and by Excelencia in Education, earning their prestigious Seal of Excelencia for intentionally serving Latino students. We proudly serve a highly diverse student body that reflects the vibrancy of the New York metropolitan area and for the fifth consecutive year, Mercy University ranked in the Best Regional Universities North category. We are also a regional leader in preparing health care professionals and are a leading provider of teacher education for New York City schools and surrounding communities. We are proud to have been recognized as the Best College in Westchester County in 2019, 2020, and 2022 by Westchester Magazine.

We bring an unwavering dedication to the motivated student and our commitment to quality, student support, affordability, and innovation remains as strong today as ever. And in this pivotal moment, we recognize that our mission of transformative education is more important than ever before. That's why we are expanding our reach—adding new services, new programs, and new ways to educate even more students as we continue to grow and evolve.

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The Senior Advisor for Presidential Affairs & Communications provides high-level support to the President, assisting in the advancement of the President's priorities and goals. This role is responsible for the central coordination of communications and ensures timely information flow to and from the President's Office. Additionally, the role oversees administrative functions, including managing the President's office staff, budget, and determining the President's scheduling priorities.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities:

Communications

• Manage the President's written communication with internal and external constituents, including speeches, remarks, letters, statements, routine correspondence, and reports
• Work collaboratively with the Office of Communications and Marketing on message strategies and consistency. Draft and edit correspondence on behalf of the President, ensuring accuracy and alignment with institutional priorities and Presidential voice, tone, and vision
• Manage communications for the Office of the President
• Prepare and coordinate special correspondence for the President
• Coordinate with the Office of Institutional Advancement to prepare donor-related correspondence and event remarks
• Verify editorial and factual accuracy of reports, correspondence, and materials, checking for appropriateness prior to sharing them with the President
• Manage the President's brand and reputation by ensuring the President has information on the current climate related to the President; information circulated about the President is accurate; and the President is well-prepared for events in which she participates
• Ensure the President's brand and reputation is accurately represented in online sources
• Extend the President's reach by serving as a trusted resource and representative to internal and external stakeholders

University Meetings & Events

• Plan and execute large-scale events that represent the Office of the President, including President's Cabinet, All Hands, Employee Service Awards, Holiday Party, and the Executive Leadership Team
• Collaborate with the University's event organizers, ensuring appropriate protocols are maintained for all events in which the President participates.

Scheduling and Preparing for Meetings

• Work closely with the Executive Assistant to the President to optimize the President's schedule and prioritize competing demands and engagements, and to balance internal and external commitments
• Keep the President on target, fully-briefed, and well-informed of meetings, appointments, writing deadlines, correspondence, and other matters
• Prepare agendas, briefings, PowerPoint presentations, and talking points to fully prepare the President for meetings, appointments, and events
• Work collaboratively with the Office of Institutional Advancement to secure meetings with prospective and current donors. Review biographical information as requested by the President
• Work cross-functionally with University leadership to ensure alignment of the President's time and communications with institutional goals
• Act as a trusted advisor to the President, providing insights and recommendations on University operations and strategy

Manage Priorities of the President

• Represent the President in resolving problems and disputes from all constituents. Work to solve problems, mediate disputes, and work proactively with issues and people. Use exceptional judgment in determining when the President should be consulted prior to taking action
• Conduct research for the President on an array of topics
• Ensure the President is full-briefed on external and internal issues impacting operations or achievement of strategic priorities
• Track, monitor and follow the progress of projects, action items, strategies that emanate from meetings

Office Management

• Supervise the President's Office – overall responsibility for operations, routines, procedures, and effectiveness of the Office
• Serve as the direct supervisor, and lead the recruitment, training, and evaluation of President's Office staff. Assist in ensuring all personnel within the office maintain open communication and cooperation to seamlessly achieve the President's objectives
• Prepare and manage the Office of the President's budget and provides budget analysis and forecasting, expense tracking and reconciliation
• Ensure maintenance of organizational records and pertinent materials relating to the day-to-day operation of the President's Office, including communications, correspondence, and scheduling history
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed