Assistant Director of Operations - Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

The University of Texas at Austin • Austin, UT

14d • Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the administrative and business functions of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Jackson School of Geosciences. As the department's senior administrative leader, this position oversees financial management, contracts and grants administration, information technology, travel, and business operations; promotes collaboration, cross-training, and operational continuity across administrative functions; and serves as a strategic advisor and primary administrative liaison to the Department Chair. The Assistant Director works closely with departmental and university stakeholders to ensure effective operations, regulatory compliance, and alignment with departmental, school, and university priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and seven years of progressively responsible experience in administration, business operations, finance, management, or higher education administration.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex budgets and analyzing financial data to support operational planning and decision-making.
• Experience overseeing multiple administrative functions, such as accounting, business operations, contracts and grants administration, travel, information technology, or related areas.
• Experience interpreting and applying organizational policies, procedures, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience, such as managing and developing staff.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across all levels of an organization.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
• Class "C" operator's driver's license.
• Provide a current three year driving record from the current state of residence.
• If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver's license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience in higher education, particularly within a large public research university.
• Experience at the University of Texas.
• Experience managing departmental finances, budgets, and administrative operations within an academic or research environment.
• Experience developing multi-year budget projections and long-range financial plans.
• Knowledge of faculty affairs processes, such as faculty reviews, academic personnel administration, and instructional budgeting.
• Experience with sponsored projects administration, research accounting, and grant management.
• Experience supervising professional and administrative staff.
• Knowledge of University of Texas administrative, financial, human resources, research administration, and procurement systems and processes.
• Experience leveraging enterprise technologies, collaboration platforms, and emerging technologies to improve operational efficiency, service delivery, and organizational effectiveness.
• Experience partnering with academic leadership, faculty, and central administrative offices.
• Experience leading strategic planning, organizational change, and process improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Department Chair by translating departmental priorities into operational plans, coordinating implementation across administrative functions, leading cross-functional initiatives, and ensuring alignment with Jackson School and university objectives.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination for administrative managers and support staff, serving as the primary administrative point of escalation and ensuring consistent communication, alignment, and execution across operational areas.
• Manage and develop administrative staff, fostering a culture of customer service, accountability, collaboration, cross-training, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate departmental policies, procedures, and workflows to improve operational effectiveness.
• Provide administrative support and strategic guidance to the Chair on faculty-related processes and initiatives while partnering closely with the Faculty Affairs Coordinator to ensure efficient execution of faculty affairs activities.
• Manage and coordinate administrative processes on behalf of the Department Chair, including reviewing and approving routine operational, financial, and personnel actions under delegated authority.
• Direct departmental financial operations including budget planning, forecasting, resource allocation, financial reporting, and long-range financial modeling.
• Oversee staff responsible for monitoring departmental budgets, research funds, gifts, endowments, commitments, and funding allocations to ensure responsible stewardship of resources and financial sustainability.
• Work closely with the Department Chair to develop, manage, and communicate annual operating budgets and multi-year financial strategies that support departmental priorities.
• Develop financial analyses, budget projections, and strategic recommendations that support departmental decision-making and long-term planning.
• Prepare and oversee financial and regulatory reports for department leadership and university stakeholders.
• Provide oversight for departmental contracts, grants, and sponsored project administration in coordination with faculty, research staff, and central offices.
• Oversee administrative support for proposal development, budget preparation, proposal submission processes, and post-award management activities.
• Oversee contract administration, subaward agreements, award management, and closeout activities.
• Monitor administrative processes related to sponsored projects to ensure compliance with university, state, federal, and sponsor requirements.
• Develop and implement effective administrative processes that support faculty research activities and proposal submissions.
• Assess operational risks and implement appropriate controls and compliance measures.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the department and school, university, and external stakeholders, collaborating closely with departmental and school leadership to address operational needs and advance strategic priorities.
• Provide oversight of departmental information technology operations and leverage enterprise technologies and emerging tools to improve business processes, collaboration, communication, and operational effectiveness.
• Lead special projects, organizational improvement initiatives, and change management efforts that enhance departmental effectiveness.
• Represent the department on school and university committees, workgroups, and special initiatives as appropriate.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Retirement Plan Eligibility: The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager