Chief of Staff & Organizational Performance

Position Summary

Elevate Rapid City is seeking a Chief of Staff & Organizational Performance leader to serve as a key member of its executive team and help advance the organization’s strategic priorities. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of Rapid City as part of the leading economic development and chamber organization.

Reporting to the President & CEO, the Chief of Staff serves as a strategic advisor, execution partner, and cross-functional leader responsible for improving organizational effectiveness. This role helps ensure that vision becomes action, strategy becomes execution, and priorities become measurable results.

This role is responsible for aligning the organization’s divisions, teams, projects, and initiatives around a common purpose while promoting service, accountability, collaboration, and integrity. The Chief of Staff will play a key role in building the systems that enable people to succeed together.

Core Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Strategic Execution

• Serve as a strategic advisor and partner to the President & CEO.
• Support execution of organizational priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Advance initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness and impact.

Organizational Alignment & Performance

• Align teams, resources, and initiatives around organizational priorities.
• Develop and improve systems that support accountability, collaboration, and performance.
• Promote continuous improvement across the organization.

Leadership Team Alignment

• Strengthen leadership team coordination, communication, and decision-making.
• Support alignment across divisions, initiatives, and organizational priorities.
• Facilitate alignment, communication, and follow-through across divisions and initiatives.

Culture & Organizational Development

• Help create a culture centered on service, integrity, collaboration, courage, and accountability.
• Foster an environment where people can succeed together.
• Support leadership development and professional growth across the organization.

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate is an organizational leader who excels at connecting strategy, people, and execution. They demonstrate strong strategic thinking, communicate effectively, build trust across an organization, and translate ideas into action. They are comfortable navigating ambiguity, managing complex initiatives, and facilitating alignment among teams and stakeholders.

This leader brings strong capabilities in systems thinking, organizational effectiveness, change leadership, relationship building, coaching, facilitation, and continuous improvement. They use sound judgment and data-informed decision-making to drive results and influence outcomes through credibility, collaboration, and trust rather than relying solely on positional authority.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, organizational leadership, management, political science, or related field.
• Three or more years of progressive leadership experience with demonstrated success leading complex initiatives involving multiple teams or stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence outcomes through trust, credibility, and collaboration rather than positional authority.
• Experience managing strategic projects, improving processes, and driving measurable results.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• High degree of integrity, professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree (MBA, MPA, Ph.D., Organizational Leadership, or related discipline).
• Executive leadership or senior organizational management experience.
• Experience supporting executive leadership teams.
• Background in organizational development, strategy execution, consulting, military leadership, healthcare systems, higher education, economic development, or nonprofit leadership.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or comparable continuous improvement certifications.

Personal Characteristics

The successful candidate is a grounded and thoughtful leader who remains calm and effective in a fast-paced environment. They are highly organized, accountable, and able to balance strategic thinking with attention to detail. They approach their work with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to serving others.

This leader has the confidence to make decisions, the courage to address challenges directly, and the emotional intelligence to navigate complex situations with respect. They build strong relationships, collaborate naturally, and are motivated by helping others succeed and achieving meaningful results rather than by seeking recognition.

Why Join Elevate Rapid City?

Elevate Rapid City exists to improve lives by expanding opportunity, strengthening businesses, and building a prosperous and thriving community through economic development. We believe meaningful economic development happens when businesses, communities, educators, investors, entrepreneurs, and public partners work together toward a shared vision.

This position offers the opportunity to help strengthen and grow an organization built on servant leadership, accountability, integrity, collaboration, courage, and measurable community impact. The Chief of Staff will play an important role in building organizational capacity, improving how we work together, and helping advance initiatives that make a lasting difference in our community.

If you are passionate about building exceptional organizations, leading through influence, and helping others succeed, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation

Exempt, Salaried; $100,000-120,000 DOE

Benefits Package

Paid Time Off & Flexibility

• 20 days of vacation
• 12 days of personal leave
• 12 weeks paid parental leave
• U.S. holidays
• Remote Workdays

Robust Health & Wellness Coverage

• 100% employer-paid employee medical premiums; 60% employer-paid premiums for family
• Dental and vision
• Long-term disability, and $100K employer-paid life & AD&D
• 401(k) with up to 7% total employer contribution

Additional benefits to be discussed with qualified candidates

Elevate Rapid City is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Instructions: Position opened until filled. To be given full consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume by Sunday, September 13 th.

Submit materials to: Liz Highland, Sign in to view email Subject Chief of Staff application