Chief of Staff

About the position

We have an exciting opportunity for a Chief of Staff at UL Standards & Engagement, based in our Evanston, Illinois, office. The Chief of Staff will drive execution of operational and strategic priorities to advance the mission of UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) to make the world safer, more secure, and sustainable. The Chief of Staff will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team and ensure initiatives meet the evolving needs of the organization and priorities of the President & CEO and senior leadership. UL Standards & Engagement: At UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Standards teams who develop the standards required to put that knowledge into practice.

Responsibilities

• Serve as advisor to the President & CEO, providing insights and recommendations on key organizational decisions.
• Partner with the senior leadership team to ensure alignment of strategic priorities and facilitate effective decision making within the leadership team.
• Lead the development of strategic plans and execution of strategic initiatives critical to organizational success, in particular in the area of advocacy and engagement.
• Define scope, manage resources, including budget and ensure coordination, accountability and effective completion of strategic initiatives across departments and teams.
• Facilitate executive team meetings, develop agenda, prepare briefing materials and ensure timely follow up on action items.
• Serve as liaison between executive leadership and multinational office locations, as well as the UL Enterprise and shared services functions, streamlining communication and facilitating informed, consistent decision-making and understanding of priorities across the organization.
• Manage annual budgeting process, working with different ULSE teams and the finance organization to develop, monitor and report on budget.
• Support change management activities, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and enabling the organization to remain agile and responsive.
• Support the President & CEO and collaborate with senior leadership to prepare for quarterly Board of Directors meetings.
• Lead team of strategy professionals, cultivating a collaborative environment to ensure team’s success in effective execution of strategic initiatives.
• Lead efforts to streamline processes and implement best practices, advancing solutions that enhance efficiency across the organization.
• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess organizational effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to enhance performance.
• Maintain continued awareness of industry trends and external context, offering insight to inform strategic decisions and direction of the ULSE organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Public Administration or related field.
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of related work experience, including public policy, advocacy, and/or strategy development and implementation.
• Prior experience in safety standards or consulting preferred.
• Background in government, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Expertise in executive management and strategic operations, leading high impact projects, and effectively managing organizational change.
• Demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and navigating complex organizational structures.
• Established leader, able to set strategic direction, interpret, support, and execute organizational strategy while effectively translating objectives into actionable plans and driving successful execution.
• Exceptional people leadership skills, with ability to develop high performing teams.
• Experience setting expectations while establishing and operationalizing clear goals and enforcing accountability for both processes and results.
• Excellent communicator and presenter, skilled in conflict mediation, negotiation and influencing diverse stakeholders.
• Proven capability in establishing effective relationships with others, including senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Experience fostering collaboration and partnership with cross functional teams to develop solutions with broad impact.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to innovate and adapt in a dynamic industry landscape.

Benefits

• All employees at UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.
• Generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay.
• Invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment.
• Flexible working arrangements may be discussed with your manager.
• Paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.