Director of Program Operations, Data, & Systems, MBA Program

Harvard University • Boston, MA

9h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Program Operations, Data, & Systems provides leadership for an integrated portfolio of academic program operations, data and analytics, and business systems supporting the Harvard Business School MBA Program. Reporting to the Managing Director, Registrar, the Director leads through senior functional managers and translates MBA Program and Registrar's Office priorities into coordinated plans, aligns resources and work across teams, and ensures strong execution and operational performance.

This systems-oriented leader connects people, processes, data, and technology to improve delivery of the MBA academic program and the student and faculty experience. The Director provides senior business-side leadership for systems transformation and represents MBA academic program priorities in partnership with HBS IT and School leadership. The role leads continuous improvement and transformation across the portfolio and develops organizational and analytical capabilities to support increasingly data-informed operations and decision-making.

As a member of the Registrar's Office leadership team, the Director builds and develops a high-performing, collaborative organization that delivers reliable core operations while adapting to changing program needs and advancing strategic priorities. This is a hybrid position based at Harvard Business School's Boston campus, with staff expected to be onsite at least three days per week. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in complex program operations, data and analytics, business systems, or a related environment, including significant management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading managers and multidisciplinary teams and delivering results in a complex, highly collaborative organization.
• Demonstrated success developing managers and teams, establishing clear accountability, managing competing priorities, and fostering a high-performing, collaborative culture.
• Ability to understand and improve relationships among organizational strategy, operations, processes, data, technology, and stakeholder experience.
• Significant experience using data and analytics to improve operations, evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and support strategic decision-making.
• Demonstrated success leading complex process, systems, or organizational transformation and associated change management.
• Ability to translate business and program needs into capabilities and requirements and partner effectively with technology, data, and functional experts.
• Strong judgment and ability to make decisions, resolve complex issues, manage risk, and appropriately escalate matters with broader organizational implications.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to influence and lead across organizational boundaries.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education or another complex, mission-driven organization is preferred.
• Direct technical development experience is not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Program Operations, Data, and Systems team through two senior functional leaders, establishing priorities, accountability, performance expectations, and organizational capability.
• Translate MBA Program and Registrar's Office strategy into coordinated priorities, work plans, and resource decisions; align work across teams and manage dependencies, competing priorities, and execution risks.
• Foster strong execution, collaboration, continuous improvement, and accountability; provide leadership on complex issues and ensure timely decision-making, escalation, and resolution.
• Oversee core academic program and course operations to ensure reliable, efficient, student-centered, and faculty-centered delivery of MBA services and processes.
• Evaluate and redesign business processes, workflows, service models, and organizational practices to improve quality, efficiency, scalability, and stakeholder experience.
• Identify connections and opportunities across operations, policy, data, technology, and organizational processes, and lead improvements from problem definition through implementation and assessment.
• Provide senior business-side leadership for systems and digitally enabled transformation initiatives, translating program strategy into future-state capabilities, business requirements, and implementation priorities.
• Represent Registrar's Office and MBA academic program priorities in technology and transformation planning; partner with HBS IT to evaluate opportunities and tradeoffs, shape recommendations, and align MBA needs, user experience, and broader technology direction.
• Lead business transformation associated with technology investments, integrating systems implementation with process and operating-model redesign, organizational readiness, change management, adoption, and measures of success.
• Set strategic direction for academic data and analytics, ensuring delivery of high-quality, accessible, actionable information for program operations, curricular and faculty planning, academic policy, and strategic decision-making.
• Establish expectations for data quality, stewardship, reporting, analytics, and access; develop team capabilities and partnerships with functional stakeholders and HBS technology and data partners.
• Advance real-time data, analytics, automation, and emerging capabilities to improve operational management, identify trends and opportunities, support timely interventions, and strengthen data-informed planning and decision-making.
• Contribute to Registrar's Office organizational strategy, resource planning, priority setting, and capability development as a member of the leadership team.
• Build partnerships across MBA and HBS to anticipate needs, coordinate initiatives, resolve cross-functional issues, and align operations, data, and systems priorities.
• Represent the Registrar's Office in cross-functional planning and transformation efforts and maintain partnerships with HBS IT, University colleagues, and other stakeholders.
• Build trust and collaboration by being present onsite and engaging directly with colleagues and constituents.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including parental leave.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
• Retirement plans with university contributions.
• Wellbeing and mental health resources.
• Support for families and caregivers.
• Professional development opportunities, including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
• Commuter benefits, discounts, and campus perks.

What This Job Offers

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