Chief of Staff

About the American Academy in Rome

Founded in 1894, the American Academy in Rome is the leading American overseas center for independent study and advanced research in the arts and humanities. For over a century, AAR has nurtured some of the most distinguished artists, writers, and scholars by providing them with the time and setting to think and create. With a campus located on the Janiculum Hill in Rome and administrative offices in New York City, the Academy supports a dynamic global community that values intellectual exploration, cultural exchange, and creative expression.

Position Summary

As principal aide to the President and CEO, the Chief of Staff handles a wide range of matters on his behalf.

The Chief of Staff serves as a senior advisor and strategic partner, providing high-level support in managing the priorities, initiatives, and operations of the President’s Office. This role requires strong leadership, political acumen, and the ability to navigate a complex organizational landscape while advancing strategic priorities, fostering collaboration, and ensuring efficient execution of organizational goals. The Chief of Staff works closely and collaboratively with other members of senior staff and acts as a key liaison on behalf of the President with internal and external stakeholders including staff at all levels, the Board of Trustees, peer colleagues, and the media.

The Chief of Staff reports to the President and supervises the President’s Office Executive Assistant & Administrative Support Manager and the Board Relations Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities

Project-manage initiatives launched by the President, to ensure effective development and firm establishment in an implementation workflow.

Stand in for the President in meetings and at events in New York, Rome, and elsewhere, and be his voice when he is unable to be present.

Enable the President to work most effectively.

Project Management

Drive key projects, ensuring cross-departmental implementation and efficient follow-up, seeing to it that deadlines, deliverables, and objectives are met in alignment with institutional priorities, and steward follow up as needed.

Work closely with senior executives and diverse stakeholders to develop and implement policies and procedures that enhance efficiency and accountability within the organization.

Stakeholder Engagement

Represent the President in high-level meetings, working with organizational leadership, the Board of Trustees, representatives of affiliated or subsidiary organizations, project contractors, government officials, the media, donors, and other external stakeholders.

Serve as the President’s surrogate and proxy in New York and Rome when he is unavailable.

Foster relationships with external stakeholders to advocate for institutional needs.

Communicate and coordinate effectively with leadership and governance individuals and groups, ensuring transparency and collaboration in decision-making processes.

President’s Office

Oversee daily operations of the President’s Office, ensuring effective coordination across departments and teams.

Enhance the value of the President’s meetings by:

• Facilitating realistic meeting objectives, preparation by participants, and adequate briefing of the President.
• Focusing on content, appropriateness, and best use of time and resources for all.
• Ensuring the Executive Assistant’s timely and accurate management of calendar and logistics.

Coordinate projects and commitments directly involving the President and his direct reports, identifying matters that could affect the successful execution of the President’s commitments.

Manage all aspects of the President’s Office budget including budget drafting, reforecasting, monitoring expenditures, and interacting with Finance.

Communication and Issue Management

Draft and/or review communications and scripts prepared for the President or on behalf of the President’s Office or the institution.

Identify or elevate issues that require the attention of the President and communicate with him; propose approaches to resolve or mitigate such issues; and focus on creating alignment and consensus among disparate stakeholders.

Be a member of the Executive Leadership Team and any like body, with special responsibility for institutional planning, policy development, and problem resolution.

Work closely with communications and human resources staff on development and implementation of internal communications and on staff engagement.

Advisor and Project Lead

Serve as strategic thought partner, confidant, trusted advisor, and sounding board to the President and to executive team members.

Actively monitor issues and developments in and across the organization and offer key decision-making support.

Lead special President-initiated projects as appropriate, including but not limited to strategic planning initiatives, benchmarking, and research projects.

Work with the President on institutional budget planning.

Synthesize complex information into actional recommendations for the President and leadership team.

Qualifications

Highly organized, synthetic and strategic thinker, able to work in complex organizations across a variety of stakeholders.

Independent and self-motivated leader, with good judgment, able to make decisions and also take direction.

Effective and creative problem solver, able to interpret guidelines and appropriately and diplomatically manage situations as they arise.

Able to form strong working relationship across the institution and to work effectively and empathetically with people at all levels.

Dedicated work ethic with ability to travel internationally and to contribute time on some nights and weekends, including special events.

Flexible and resourceful, able to adapt to changing deadlines or circumstances as needs evolve.

Effective management, planning, time-management, and teambuilding skills.

Highly developed written and oral communications, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.

Strong financial literacy, including experience with financial analysis, budgeting, cash flow management, and risk management.

Digitally capable, including Salesforce, Canva, Microsoft 365 (Windows, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel), and able to learn new tools quickly as needed.

Unwavering personal code of ethics, integrity, discretion, and trust.

Able to maintain a high level of confidentiality while dealing with proprietary knowledge and personal information, budgets and other sensitive materials.

Requirements

Minimum 7-10 years’ experience with cross-institutional projects and project management.

Graduate degree, preferably in public or business administration.

Fluency or near-native fluency in Italian.