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Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) selected by Kansas State University for Chief of Staff to the Provost and Executive Vice President Search

(August 5, 2025, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, has been selected to recruit the next Chief of Staff to the Provost and Executive Vice President at Kansas State University. Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, will be leading the search.

Under the bold vision of its Next-Gen K-State strategic plan, the university is advancing its role as a next-generation land-grant university prioritizing student success, research impact, academic innovation and community engagement. The Chief of Staff to the Provost and Executive Vice President (COS) will play a pivotal role in this effort, working closely with the Provost to drive progress on university priorities in a rapidly changing higher education environment. The COS will serve as a key integrator bringing together complex initiatives, ensuring operational alignment, and functioning as both a strategic partner and a detail-oriented executor. This high-profile role spans the University and requires exceptional relationship-building skills, the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, and the capacity to quickly earn trust in a close-knit, high-touch environment. The Chief of Staff will collaborate with the President; University Strategy Officer; Executive Vice President for Executive Affairs, University Engagement and Partnerships, and Chief of Staff to the President; deans, vice and associate provosts; and members of the President’s Cabinet and their senior teams to coordinate and advance key cross-campus initiatives.

Founded in 1863 as the nation’s first operational land-grant university, Kansas State is a Tier 1 research university with more than 20,000 students, 1,300 faculty members, 3,000 staff members and three physical campuses: the main campus in Manhattan; the Kansas State Salina campus, home to aviation and technology programs; and K-State Olathe, which serves the industry and workforce needs of Greater Kansas City. K-State has nine colleges, Graduate School and K-State Online and offers more than 400 degrees and options, from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. K-State Research and Extension also serves the citizenry with a presence in

every county throughout Kansas and supports research in more than 20 K-State departments. K-State has an annual budget of more than $900 million. Private giving to the university is around $200 million per year, and the KSU Foundation ended fiscal year 2024 with an investment pool and endowment of $1.019 billion, with a goal to hit $2 billion by 2030.

Affordable Excellence

Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.

They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability. Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.