Senior Operations Manager

The University of Texas at Austin•Austin, UT

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Operations Manager leads and strengthens NDC’s internal operations, ensuring teams, projects, and administrative systems remain coordinated, efficient, responsive, and aligned with center priorities. The role leads center-wide operational planning and continuous improvement; oversees high-level project management and adoption of appropriate technology, automation, and AI-enabled workflows; and supports the Director and Leadership Team with coordination, communication, and implementation of organizational priorities. The position supervises the Operations Manager and Access Coordinator and coordinates hiring, contracting, and onboarding for staff, student employees, interns, consultants, and other project personnel. It serves as an operational liaison with MCPER and other UT units and coordinates center-wide meetings, retreats, events, travel-intensive work, and related team infrastructure. The role also contributes to a collaborative organizational culture through transparent communication, shared accountability, and effective team processes. The position is based at the UT Main Campus in a typical office environment. It is scheduled for 40 hours per week and is expected to continue until September 30, 2027. The earliest start date is November 3, 2026.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, organizational leadership, project management, education, public administration, or a related field.
Five or more years of experience in operations, project management, program administration, or a related role.
Demonstrated experience evaluating, implementing, or improving technology-supported workflows, project management systems, or organizational processes.
Ability to learn and apply emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to improve efficiency while attending to data protection, accessibility, quality, and human oversight.
Experience managing complex projects with multiple timelines, priorities, dependencies, and stakeholders.
Demonstrated experience supervising staff and supporting team performance.
Strong organizational, project management, problem-solving, and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and coordinate effectively across teams and organizational units.
Beginner proficiency in American Sign Language or willingness to learn.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Seven or more years of experience in operations, project management, program administration, or organizational leadership.
Demonstrated experience supporting senior leadership and coordinating organization-wide initiatives.
Experience with portfolio management, strategic implementation, change management, or continuous improvement.
Experience implementing AI-enabled workflows, automation, shared knowledge systems, or other emerging technologies within an organizational setting.
Experience working within a university, nonprofit, research center, or grant-funded environment.
Experience coordinating across institutional administrative systems and external partners.
Intermediate or greater proficiency in American Sign Language.

Responsibilities

Lead center-wide operational planning and continuous improvement by developing, refining, and implementing workflows, protocols, systems, and decision-making processes.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools while supporting consistent, accessible, and responsible practices.
Lead high-level project management across center priorities, including maintaining project management systems, tracking milestones and timelines, coordinating dependencies and follow-up, identifying risks, and escalating operational challenges to the Director and Leadership Team.
Evaluate and integrate AI-enabled tools and workflows to strengthen planning, documentation, knowledge sharing, coordination, and follow-through.
Support the Director and Leadership Team with center-wide coordination and implementation, including internal communications, cross-team information flow, staff meeting systems, staff retreats, professional development, and follow-through on organizational priorities.
Supervise the Operations Manager and Access Coordinator by setting priorities, clarifying responsibilities, supporting performance and professional growth, and ensuring effective coordination across operational functions.
Coordinate hiring, contracting, and onboarding processes for staff, student employees, interns, consultants, and other project personnel, including timelines, documentation, logistics, communications, and cross-unit follow-up.
Support consistent onboarding systems that help new team members integrate effectively into NDC.
Serve as an operational liaison with MCPER and other UT units by coordinating administrative processes, clarifying institutional requirements, resolving operational issues, and ensuring timely follow-through.
Coordinate major center-wide operational activities and team infrastructure, including meetings, retreats, events, travel-intensive work, and other shared operational needs.
Ensure responsibilities, timelines, access needs, logistics, and follow-through for operational activities are clearly assigned and integrated.
Support a collaborative organizational culture through transparent communication, shared accountability, effective team processes, and a strong sense of community and belonging.