Chief of Staff

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a world-renowned academic research institute, seeks an organizational and strategically adept individual as its inaugural Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff will be a vital partner to Executive Director Dr. John Kirwan, working to advance strategic planning efforts, align organizational priorities, translate vision into action, and coordinate implementation across the Center. This role presents a unique and exciting opportunity to guide and contribute to the overall direction of this innovative, fast-moving, and complex organization leading metabolic research.

At the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the causes of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia, Pennington Biomedical Research Center is affiliated with Louisiana State University and conducts basic, clinical, and population research. The Center includes basic science, clinical research, and population and public health, enabling both focused research and translational science. Research at Pennington Biomedical is supported broadly by multiple NIH Research Centers, and includes 550 employees with approximately 65 faculty and 20 postdoctoral fellows who comprise a network of 44 laboratories and 13 highly specialized core service facilities. Pennington Biomedical is located within state-of-the-art research facilities on a stand-alone 222-acre campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Chief of Staff will serve as an administrative extension of the office of the Executive Director, acting as a proxy for the Executive Director and guiding strategic initiatives. Collaborating with faculty and administrative leadership, the Chief of Staff will have a firm grasp of the many complex projects taking place across Pennington Biomedical, connecting the dots, enhancing information flows, and ensuring strategic alignment. They will cultivate an enterprise mindset and culture of continuous improvement across the organization, implementing operating procedures that streamline decision-making and increase the Center’s effectiveness, always prioritizing quality and impact. The Chief of Staff will also be responsible for interfacing with Pennington Biomedical’s wide array of external stakeholders including NIH representatives, elected officials, and donors. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, relationship builder, and strategic thinker capable of optimizing time and resources to empower important scientific advances. Experience in a similar chief of staff role is highly desirable. All candidates must demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the role of a chief of staff in a biomedical research institute setting.

All inquiries, applications, and nominations for this opportunity should be directed below. 

Daniel Rodas is leading this search with Amble Ryan and Nicole Sancilio.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center and LSU believes diversity, equity, and inclusion enrich the educational experience of our students, faculty, and staff, and are necessary to prepare all people to thrive personally and professionally in a global society. We celebrate diversity and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion. We actively seek and encourage qualified applications from persons with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact the Office of Human Resource Management at hrm@pbrc.edu.