Assistant Vice Chancellor, Government… at University of… · Chicago

Assistant Vice Chancellor, Government Relations and Advocacy

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Hiring Department: Government Relations and Advocacy

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1043079

Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $190,000-$240,000

Final salaryoffered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data,internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budgetconstraints.

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Position Summary

UIC’s Office of Government Relations and Advocacy is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to serve as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Government Relations and Advocacy.

Reporting to the Chancellor, the Assistant Vice Chancellor serves as UIC’s senior government relations officer and leads the university’s federal, state, county, and municipal advocacy strategy. Working in close coordination with the University of Illinois System Office of External Relations and Communications, this position advances legislative, regulatory, budget, and policy priorities that support UIC’s mission, strategic goals, academic enterprise, research portfolio, and role as Chicago’s public research university and home to the state’s academic health center.

The Assistant Vice Chancellor also serves as a trusted advisor to the Chancellor and senior leadership on government relations, public policy, political strategy, stakeholder engagement, and opportunities to strengthen support for UIC among elected officials, government agencies, civic leaders, community partners, and other external stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as UIC’s senior government relations officer and principal advisor to the Chancellor on federal, state, county, and municipal government relations, advocacy, public policy, legislative strategy, and external stakeholder engagement.
• Lead the development and implementation of UIC’s government relations and advocacy agenda in coordination with the University of Illinois System Office of External Relations and Communications, ensuring alignment with System priorities and institutional goals.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for government relations and advocacy activities across UIC, including UI Health, and provide professional direction and oversight to the Office of Government Relations and Advocacy.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with elected officials, government agencies, policymaker staff, civic leaders, community partners, healthcare stakeholders, higher education advocates, and other external constituencies important to UIC’s mission.
• Lead UIC’s state, federal, county, and city government relations strategies and develop annual legislative and advocacy priorities in consultation with university and System leadership.
• Advise senior leadership on political, legislative, regulatory, budgetary, and public policy developments; monitor activity and proactively identify risks, opportunities, emerging issues, and policy trends affecting UIC and UI Health.
• Lead advocacy efforts related to budget and appropriations priorities and coordinate institutional responses to legislative, regulatory, and policy matters by developing clear positions, recommendations, and advocacy strategies.
• Represent UIC in local, state, and national coalitions, associations, work groups, and civic forums, and coordinate visits, briefings, testimony, tours, and other engagement opportunities involving government and external stakeholders.
• Prepare or oversee briefing materials, talking points, policy summaries, testimony, correspondence, legislative analyses, and advocacy materials for the Chancellor, senior leadership, and other university representatives.
• Perform other related duties and special assignments as requested by the Chancellor or designee.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in government relations, public policy, legislative affairs, advocacy, public administration, higher education, healthcare, or a similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing government relations, legislative, regulatory, budget, appropriations, or advocacy strategies that advance organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a strategic advisor to executive-level leadership on government relations, public policy, political strategy, external affairs, or matters of significant organizational impact.
• Demonstrated experience working with elected officials, government agencies, legislative staff, community leaders, healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, and other external stakeholders, including building relationships and coalitions to advance organizational priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local legislative, regulatory, budget, and appropriations processes, including the ability to assess risks, identify opportunities, and develop effective advocacy strategies.
• Experience leading, managing, or overseeing government relations, advocacy, public policy, external affairs, or related functions, including supervision of staff, consultants, or external partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, analytical, organizational, and strategic planning skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues, build consensus, exercise sound judgment and discretion, and develop actionable recommendations for senior leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in government relations or advocacy within higher education, academic medicine, healthcare, research, public health, or a public university system.
• Experience working with or within a president’s, chancellor’s, governor’s, mayor’s, legislative, congressional, or senior executive office.
• Experience leading a government relations, public policy, advocacy, or external affairs team.
• Experience with state budget and appropriations processes, capital funding, healthcare policy, research funding, or public higher education funding.
• Familiarity with Illinois government, City of Chicago government, Cook County government, federal policy processes, and the public higher education landscape.
• Demonstrated success building coalitions and advancing priorities across complex organizations with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience coordinating government relations activities across an academic, healthcare, research, and community engagement enterprise.

To Apply:

For fullest consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume/CV online at jobs.uic.edu by 10/22/26. Questions can be directed to the Chancellor/Provost Business Services Center at cpbsc@uic.edu

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.