Assistant Director of Operations

University of Chicago•Austin, TX

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Associate Director of Operations, the Assistant Director of Operations plays a pivotal role in overseeing the daily management of Student Account Operations within the Office of the Bursar. This position is responsible for ensuring the efficient, accurate, and compliant processing of billing and accounting services for students, Laboratory School-affiliated families, and third-party partners. The Assistant Director proactively manages military billing, third-party contracts, remission processes, and direct payroll deductions. By driving process improvement and technological innovation, the Assistant Director directly supports the university’s mission of academic excellence and student success. The role regularly handles sensitive and confidential information, requiring strict adherence to university privacy and data security policies, as well as compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations pertaining to billing and refunds.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field (Business, Computer Science, etc.)
Deep knowledge of student account systems, billing processes, refunding compliance and processing, accounting principles, and regulatory compliance in a higher education context.
Participation in process or compliance audits strongly preferred.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
Advanced Excel expertise, including pivot tables, complex formula development, reconciliation, data visualization, and analysis.
Experience with PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and Oracle Cloud Finance.
Ability to quickly learn new platforms and systems.
Experience managing customer account billing in a higher-ed environment, including policy development, business process documentation, and optimization.
Familiarity with data analysis and reporting tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI).
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to bridge functional and technical resources.
Comprehensive understanding of quality assurance principles and data metric usage.
Advanced reconciliation, audit, and data integrity management.
Strong listening, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
Commitment to data security and confidentiality.
Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and meet all deadlines with minimal supervision.
Ability to self-manage, adapt quickly, and develop solutions in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
Proven ability to rapidly integrate into new roles and environments, demonstrating immediate effectiveness in carrying out assigned tasks with minimal training.
Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

Responsibilities

Execute all University, Laboratory School, and Third-Party billing ($1.5B annually) in accordance with the annual billing calendar.
Configure and maintain external sponsor contract records in the University’s student information system to facilitate third-party billing.
Manage all military billing and military certifications/authorizations, ensuring compliance with relevant federal and institutional regulations.
Oversee direct deduction and tuition remission processing for university students and Laboratory School-affiliated families; serve as primary liaison to Payroll and HR departments from both the University and the Hospital.
Support campus departments in posting non-tuition charges to student accounts by onboarding departments, ensuring policy compliance, and providing technical expertise.
Assist the payment processing team and Associate Director in daily operations, providing backup support as needed.
Identify obstacles and resolve them with minimal supervision, tracking progress and documenting outcomes.
Communicate effectively with internal and external clients, bridging gaps between technical and functional stakeholders.
Review processes for efficiency improvements and implement system enhancements; maintain audit readiness and data integrity.
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and prepare periodic compliance reports as needed.
Maintain strict confidentiality of students and institutional records.
Uses moderate/solid understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.
Sets and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria.
Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
Performs other related work as needed.