Program Director of Business Operations

University of Colorado•Colorado Springs, CO

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Director of Business Operations provides leadership and oversight of the business operations that supports a comprehensive portfolio of recreational, wellness, and student engagement programs. This role oversees human resources, finance, assessment and analytics, and project management functions to ensure efficient, compliant, and data-informed operations across campus recreation facilities, programs, and services. The Program Director leads hiring, onboarding, training, payroll, and personnel processes for professional and student staff; purchasing, contracts, and revenue reconciliation; and directs assessment, analytics, and reporting efforts to measure participation, financial performance, staffing effectiveness, and learning outcomes. The position also guides department projects, coordinates cross-functional initiatives, and ensures alignment with institutional policies, risk management standards, and strategic priorities. This role provides leadership for the Business Operations unit overseeing its short- and long-term planning, budgeting, policies, procedures, risk mitigation, and program evaluation. The program director ensures high standards of performance and continuous improvement across all areas. The successful candidate will foster a welcoming environment, encourage broad student engagement, and use evidence-based decision-making to support program operations, student development and learning in alignment with departmental mission and values.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is required.
Demonstrated experience in administration, implementation, and evaluation of business operations, including financial and budget management, human resources, assessment, analytics, and project management.
Demonstrated fiscal management experience, including budget development, monitoring, reconciliation, and financial reporting.
Demonstrated experience in supervision, mentorship, training, and evaluating staff.
Demonstrated experience leading assessment initiatives that support student learning, operational effectiveness, and/or data-informed decision-making.
CPR with AED, Standard First Aid, Bloodborne Pathogens/Universal Precautions (within 90 days of hire).
Campus Security Authority (CSA) training (within 90 days of hire).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Human Resources, Project Management, or related field is preferred.
Demonstrated experience in administration, implementation, and evaluation of Campus Recreation business operations, including financial and budget management, human resources, assessment, analytics, and project management.
Demonstrated extensive fiscal management skills and experience with procurement, contracting, and insurance services.
Experience managing multiple funding sources, such as auxiliary, general, gift, grant, and student organization funds.
Experience in using online systems to support business operations, (e.g., Fusion, PeopleSoft Financials, Concur, HCM, CU Marketplace, and Oracle, or similar tools).
Demonstrated ability to manage projects, implement process improvements, and support organizational change initiatives.
Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and analyzing student learning outcome assessments.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including sound judgment, conflict resolution, and the ability to motivate and support student staff and program participants.
Proven ability to deliver excellent customer service, with professionalism and responsiveness to the needs of diverse user groups.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for the Business Operations unit within Campus Recreation, ensuring alignment with departmental, divisional, and institutional goals.
Direct Campus Recreation human resources operations for professional and student staff, including workforce planning, hiring, onboarding, payroll coordination, performance management, and compliance with institutional policies.
Provide leadership and oversight for Campus Recreation fiscal and resource management, including accounting, accounts receivable and payable, procurement, and comprehensive fiscal reporting for general funds, auxiliary funds, agency funds, and gift funds.
Lead department assessment and analytic efforts by designing and implementing data collection, reporting, and evaluation processes to measure participation, learning outcomes, financial performance, and staffing effectiveness.
Provide project management support including system implementations, policy updates, and departmental initiatives.
Work collaboratively with the Wellness Center Office Manager and office staff to deliver shared business services for Recreation and Wellness, including human resources, finance, procurement, assessment, and administrative functions; lead and participate in cross-training initiatives and serve as a functional backup to ensure continuity of operations, consistent service delivery, and effective coverage during absences or peak operational periods.
Build and maintain relationships with campus partners including Human Resources, Student Employment, Finance, Institutional Research, Risk Management, and Enrollment Management and Student Affairs leadership.
Leads short- and long-term fiscal planning and budget management for Business Operations unit in alignment with department, divisional, and university policies to ensure effective use of resources.
Complete the reconciliation of revenue for Campus Recreation programs, services, sales, and external facility rental groups.
Coordinate cash handling procedures to ensure compliance with PCI standards, including staff training and regular evaluation of departmental policies and procedures.
Prepare and submit departmental journal entries for auxiliary, sport club, gift, grant, and sponsored program funds.
Oversee procurement for the department including processing payments through procurement cards, purchase orders, and payment vouchers, while ensuring compliance with university procurement policies.
Manage department contracts, including tracking updates, deadlines, renewals, and extensions.
Coordinate departmental travel by clarifying procedures, reviewing expense documentation, and verifying travel and procurement card reports for professional staff.
Ensure operational practices reflect best management standards and comply with departmental and university guidelines.
Provide oversight for sport clubs, auxiliary, gift, and grant fund budgets to ensure accurate revenue and expense tracking, allocation of resources, and compliance with funding requirements and institutional guidelines.
Prepare and deliver department-wide budget forecasts and analysis for the Director of Campus Recreation during the annual budget planning cycle.
Manage departmental human resources systems, audits, and reporting, including late pay, job list, and the Human Capital Management (HCM) system.
Verify, reconcile, and resolve payroll and leave-related issues for Campus Recreation professional staff to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Communicate payroll processes and timelines to Campus Recreation professional staff.
Lead the implementation, training, and evaluation of human resources transactional and recordkeeping systems to ensure data integrity, records retention, and procedural compliance.
Coordinate and support the recruitment, search, hiring, onboarding, evaluation, and separation processes for professional staff, including job postings, search documentation, candidate travel coordination, and completion of required HCM documentation.
Direct workers’ compensation claims for Campus Recreation, including documentation, procedures, and correspondence in accordance with institutional and regulatory requirements.
Oversee student employment processes, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, eligibility verification, position coding, payroll entry, evaluation, and separation, ensuring compliance with student employment policies.
Collaborate with supervisors to support performance management, feedback, and coaching processes for professional and student employees.
Process and coordinate additional pay and personal and deliver department-wide budget forecasts and analysis for the Director of Campus Recreation during the annual budget planning cycle.
Provide leadership and direct supervision for 1 part-time professional staff member, including work planning, coaching, performance evaluation, and professional development.
Manages the full lifecycle of student employment in the Business Operations unit, including recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, and performance evaluation for student business operations employees.
Designs and delivers outcome-based training, team meetings, and development programs to enhance student employee skills and leadership.
Organize and analyze Campus Recreation data, including learning outcomes, assessments (e.g., post-trip surveys), and annual reports.
Develop and evaluate policies and procedures for Business Operations in alignment with industry, department, and university standards.
Maintain and update business operation manuals.
Monitor and maintain office and service desk supply inventory to ensure adequate stock levels and support efficient daily operations.
Develop dashboards, reports, and executive summaries to inform leadership decisions and communicate impact to stakeholders.
Serve on departmental and university committees to support Campus Recreation’s mission and values as needed.
Participate in professional development opportunities and promote continued learning across the department to stay abreast of current industry trends and standards.
Contribute to the planning and improvement of programs, facilities, and services.
Role is required to periodically attend Campus Recreation programs and use facilities to ensure compliance with standards and risk management practices.
Perform other duties as assigned to support Campus Recreation and the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs as needed.