Director, Business Operations

University of Delaware•Newark, DE

15h

About The Position

Under the limited direction of the Senior Business Officer, the Director of Business Operations is responsible for fiscal management and cross-organizational business operations in the college. The role implements University-wide central systems, processes, and policies and oversees college initiatives and strategies to improve business practices and organizational efficiency. Through financial and budgetary projections and analysis of actual activity, the Director leads departments in strategy development and decision-making. The position provides the Senior Business Officer and Dean with information about college-wide activity, including strengths and challenges, to support decision-making and planning. The role requires independent judgment, initiative, problem-solving, confidentiality, and discretion. The Director leads strategic and day-to-day operational efforts, improves processes across the college, trains college and departmental users, and serves as the college business approver for financial, human resources, and administrative transactions. The position reviews and approves personnel actions, compensation changes, purchasing transactions, reimbursements, and other business processes while maintaining compliance and internal controls. The role monitors and analyzes college and departmental budgets, develops financial projections and ad hoc analyses, oversees budget and account processes, and works with the Senior Business Officer and Dean on fiscal year-end close and operating and recruiting budgets. It provides financial guidance and strategic consultation to department administrators and college leadership. The Director also serves as the college Procurement Manager, overseeing procurement processes and college-wide implementation and training for Concur and UD Exchange. The position directly supervises the Dean’s Office Business Administrator and provides dotted-line supervision to seven department Business Administrators.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and six years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to demonstrate independent judgment, initiative, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
Proficient knowledge of budget preparation, analysis, and financial management.
Strong attention to detail, analytical and critical-thinking skills, and decision-making skills.
Advanced proficiency with spreadsheet, database, word-processing, and presentation software.
Ability to work flexibly and independently, with accountability for a large volume of work.
Ability to handle multiple assignments concurrently.
Ability to analyze and interpret data and make independent decisions.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to interact with people of diverse backgrounds, skills, and abilities.

Nice To Haves

Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a business-related field.
Experience in a higher education institution.
Experience with the UD financial system and report-generation skills.

Responsibilities

Lead college strategic and tactical business operations, providing analytics and process expertise on complex enrollment, cost-efficiency, financial, and business-systems issues.
Design and implement improved methods for managing work across the college, including cross-training and career paths in administrative functions.
Train college and departmental users in business operations, financial monitoring, and reporting in accordance with University guidelines.
Serve as the college business approver for financial, human resources, and administrative transactions and Webforms, ensuring policy, budget, and regulatory compliance.
Review and approve personnel actions, salary and compensation changes, supplemental payments, purchasing and procurement transactions, reimbursements, and other business operations processes.
Evaluate requests using independent judgment, maintain appropriate internal controls, and ensure accurate stewardship of institutional resources.
Develop materials and create and maintain the College Staff Resource webpage and MS Teams Channel, including training documents, deliverables calendars, and policy documents.
Participate in college vision development and strategic planning.
Monitor and report on college and departmental budgets and expenses, develop financial projections, update college leadership, and prepare ad hoc analyses such as business plans and metrics reports.
Oversee approval and processing of revenue, expenditures, departmental budgets, budget updates, accounts, and ledgers while ensuring compliance and internal controls.
Work with the Senior Business Officer on fiscal year-end close and financial performance reporting for the college, departments, and self-supporting units.
Work with the Senior Business Officer and Dean to set department operating budgets, undergraduate and graduate funding, temporary teaching funds, and student and faculty recruiting budgets.
Guide Department Business Administrators and Administrative Managers on financial reports, policies, cost management, and resource use in support of strategic goals.
Provide strategic consultation and perform complex financial analyses, including revenue and expense projections and analysis of actual activity, translating results into planning and needs assessments for departments, units, and college leadership.
Serve as Procurement Manager for the college, overseeing credit card purchases, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
Lead college-wide implementation and training for Concur and UD Exchange.
Implement new procurement policies and processes and updates at the college level to maintain compliance.
Directly supervise the Dean’s Office Business Administrator and provide dotted-line supervision to seven department Business Administrators.