William C. Nelson Jr. named chief of staff for the Office of the Provost

By Office of the Provost

William C. Nelson Jr. has been named chief of staff for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Office of the Provost. Nelson, who will continue to serve in his role as senior vice provost for academic administration and operations, officially steps into this role following six years of leadership and strategic service at the university.

“I am so pleased that William has accepted this position with the Office of the Provost,” said Arturo P. Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and provost. “During my time in this role, he has been a key leader in ensuring that VCU continues to align its academic priorities with strategic resources, prioritize collaborative work environments and drive the institutional excellence we need to support our students, faculty and staff.”

As chief of staff and senior vice provost, Nelson will serve as the principal strategic advisor to the provost, the university’s chief academic officer. He will work closely with executive administrators and academic deans to ensure that universitywide academic priorities and initiatives align seamlessly with VCU's academic mission and available resources. In addition, Nelson will continue to lead a comprehensive team of professionals across critical operational divisions of the Office of the Provost.

“I am thrilled to step into this new role and continue our momentum in moving VCU forward,” Nelson said. “Every day, we will work together to deliver on our promise to our students by providing an experience that transforms the trajectory of their lives for generations to come.”  

Nelson joined VCU in 2020 as the executive director of academic finance and administration for the provost’s office before being elevated to senior vice provost. Throughout his tenure, he has been a driving force behind university strategies focused on change management, design thinking, resource alignment, and consistent messaging and hiring practices.

A native of the Washington, D.C., metro area, Nelson is a lifelong champion of education and community engagement. He began his career in corporate finance as an auditor at Ernst & Young before working as a fiscal administrator and senior budget and management analyst for the City of Richmond.

Prior to joining VCU, Nelson served at the University of the District of Columbia as director of financial operations and budget director for the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, as well as associate dean for finance and administration for the David A. Clarke School of Law.

In addition to his work at VCU, Nelson is an active leader in the broader professional and local communities. He currently serves as a board member for the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers, the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation, and is the board member and chair of the supervisory committee for the RVA Financial Credit Union.

Nelson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Virginia Union University and his Master of Business Administration from VCU.