Assistant Operations Director, Package & Postal Services - University Printing & Mail - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, IA

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is seeking an Assistant Operations Director to lead package and postal services within the Print & Mail department. The role manages daily mail and package operations across a 920+ acre campus serving more than 250 buildings and thousands of campus users. Mail Services processes over 40,000 packages per month and more than 250,000 annually. The Assistant Operations Director provides leadership, operational oversight, and strategic direction to maintain high service standards and continually improve processes, systems, and team performance. The position leads full-time staff and student employees, oversees mail and package handling, monitors intelligent package locker systems, plans for surge staffing, and coordinates equipment maintenance. It also supports financial operations, postage accounts, internal chargebacks, supplies, performance metrics, equipment planning, service agreements, and public-facing information. The role maintains applicable certifications and compliance, including postal requirements for bulk mailings and passport agent status. It may involve occasional in- and out-of-state travel, weekend or evening work, and overnight travel.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 4 years of progressive management, leadership, or supervisory experience in large-scale processing or handling operations, logistics, distribution, service delivery, postal services, or related functions, including staff supervision and performance management.
Detailed experience with software and/or automation supporting processing or handling operations.
Demonstrated history of team building and team-member development.
Ability to lift 10 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds infrequently.
Ability to occasionally work weekends or evenings and possibly travel overnight.
Legally authorized to work in the United States full-time without requiring employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree.
At least 2 years of management experience in a higher education mail services organization.
Experience with intelligent package locker systems and associated package tracking software.
Demonstrated knowledge of mail services practices, postal rules and regulations, and overnight shipping guidelines.

Responsibilities

Lead and supervise full-time staff and student employees, including scheduling, training, onboarding, and performance management.
Set daily priorities, assign responsibilities, and establish and publish schedules to meet service standards and plan for upcoming needs.
Maintain relationships with campus partners, local USPS leadership, and local or regional Amazon, FedEx, and UPS representatives.
Develop monthly performance-indicator reports for the Director and Campus Operations Leadership, analyze metrics and trends, and implement improvements.
Foster collaboration and a customer-service culture.
Supervise accurate and timely mail and package handling, providing hands-on support as needed while prioritizing direction of the overall operation and team support.
Monitor and troubleshoot the intelligent package locker system and ensure multiple team members are trained to address hardware and software issues.
Prepare surge staffing plans and present plans to leadership when funding or additional hours are needed.
Ensure return-to-sender items are processed promptly.
Develop and implement a standard maintenance program for equipment and assets, including vehicles and intelligent lockers.
Ensure staff cross-training across operational areas and document each team member’s proficiency.
Coordinate with the business office to reconcile transactions for postage accounts, including postage due, business reply, and permits.
Ensure postage and shipping costs are captured and charged back to departments.
Submit billing and internal chargebacks in DFWorks, grant campus users access as needed, and provide training.
Submit postage requests and monitor postage account balances and activity.
Monitor key performance indicators to ensure service standards and deadlines are met.
Prepare documentation and business models for equipment replacement, upgrades, or additions.
Coordinate supply and material inventory management with the business office.
Coordinate with the business office to keep public-facing information, such as web pages and intranet content, current and accessible.
Manage equipment and software service agreements, updates, and repairs.
Maintain applicable certifications and compliance, including departmental and USPS rules for bulk mailings and passport agent status.
Travel in or out of state up to a couple of times per year with advance notice, as required.
Perform other duties as assigned and identified.