Senior Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives

Louisiana State University

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, a Louisiana State University academic research institute in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, seeks a Senior Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives. The role works with the Associate Executive Director of Operations & CFO to provide direction and support to Pennington Biomedical administration. It provides professional counsel and advice, leadership and guidance, assists with developing and administering policies and procedures, and coordinates operational and strategic initiatives within delegated authority. The Senior Director provides direct oversight and broad direction to Computing Services, Auxiliary Services, Facilities Management, and Institutional Research. The position coordinates the annual institutional budget development process and leads cross-functional initiatives supporting institutional priorities, operational effectiveness, and continuity of operations. It develops operational strategies, policies, procedures, continuity plans, and performance measures, and prepares decision materials for executive leadership. The position is based at LSU – Pennington Biomedical in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume with their online application. Official transcripts are required before hire, but not at the time of application. An offer is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.

Requirements

College degree from an accredited institution in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible operational or management experience, including at least 3 years at a senior management level.
Demonstrated experience leading complex operations, supervising professional leaders, managing cross-functional initiatives, improving organizational processes, and advising senior executives.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Management, or a related field.
Experience in a public university, academic research organization, healthcare research environment, or similarly complex institution.
Experience coordinating institutional budget development, strategic planning, operational improvement, continuity planning, or enterprise-wide initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to develop trusted working relationships with executive leaders, faculty, administrators, and staff.

Responsibilities

Advise the Associate Executive Director of Operations & CFO on operational matters, institutional priorities, and the implementation implications of leadership decisions.
Provide leadership and broad direction to Computing Services, Auxiliary Services, Facilities Management, and Institutional Research; set expectations, monitor performance, and promote effective service.
Coordinate activities across assigned units to strengthen communication, improve processes, reduce duplication, and align services with institutional priorities.
Lead assigned cross-functional strategic initiatives, including developing implementation plans, milestones, responsibilities, risk considerations, and progress reports.
Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, procedures, continuity plans, and performance measures that support the Center’s mission and long-term goals.
Identify operational risks, capacity constraints, service gaps, and improvement opportunities; recommend solutions and coordinate implementation.
Coordinate the annual institutional budget development process, including timelines, submissions, meetings, documentation of requests and decisions, and follow-up.
Partner with Fiscal Operations to ensure budget submissions and consolidated information are financially accurate and meet accounting, reporting, and internal control requirements.
Partner with Institutional Research to obtain trends, forecasts, scenario analyses, resource allocation models, dashboards, and other decision-support information for budget and strategic planning.
Limit access to confidential personnel, compensation, and other sensitive information to the level authorized by the Associate Executive Director of Operations & CFO.
Prepare concise summaries, recommendations, and decision materials for executive leadership on budget requests, operational priorities, resource needs, and strategic initiatives.
Collaborate with Legal and Regulatory, Communications, Institutional Relations, Human Resources, Sponsored Projects, Fiscal Operations, other LSU campuses, and external partners as needed.
Perform other duties and lead special projects as assigned by the Associate Executive Director of Operations & CFO.
Oversee Computing Services’ technology operations, infrastructure, systems support, cybersecurity coordination, continuity planning, and technology initiatives.
Oversee Auxiliary Services’ service delivery, operational processes, vendor and marketplace coordination, inventory controls, and support of institutional customers.
Oversee Facilities Management’s property security and safety, buildings, grounds, equipment and systems, energy management, and renovation and construction projects.
Oversee Institutional Research’s development of decision-support information for budget and strategic planning.