Operations Manager for Adaptive Behavior Cluster, Applied Bio-robotics

Position Objective

Working with a high degree of independence and under general direction, the Operations Manager will manage the administrative, business and operational activities of the Applied Bio-robotics Lab and key projects and collaborations. The Operations Manager will report to the Faculty Director and lead the budgeting and forecasting processes, combining work done by the team into complete reports and proposals, produce professional-quality materials for outreach and dissemination, and other coordinating activities as assigned.

This person will manage the reporting and administrative functions of associated major projects, including major awards and industry-sponsored projects. The Operations Manager acts as the administrative point of contact for these major projects and activities. The Operations Manager will work closely with internal collaborators, especially the seventeen faculty in the Adaptive Behavior / Neurorobotics research cluster, on special projects and initiatives, including large interdisciplinary grants, as well as external collaborators in industry and government.

The Operations Manager will empower our group to build ongoing and new collaborations between Biologists, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mathematicians, Sociologists, Civil Engineers, Computer Scientists and other researchers on and off campus by helping support meeting deadlines, generate quality documents, and facilitating cross‑disciplinary opportunities.

• Manage Sponsored Research Projects. Support investigators on major projects to deliver project outcomes on time, on budget and with the results expected by the grant‑funding agency. Help facilitate continuity of funding by focusing investigators on technical delivery and by providing exemplary financial and administrative management of the projects, in concert with the department research administrators. Track and manage schedules proactively by being familiar with the research goals and progress on those goals and managing the schedule of post‑award reporting to ensure key dates are met and reporting is as expected by the funding agency.
  
  Develop, implement, and conduct project management processes and procedures including but not limited to scheduling, financial planning, reporting, forecasting, billing, due diligence, and modeling. Work interdepartmentally by coordinating efforts and reporting with the dean's office Research Administration team and the university's Research and Technology Management team. Support the development of a strong platform for project management sections of awards that can be used as a boiler plate for proposals.
  
  Engage faculty and students, as well as research and administrative staff in projects as appropriate. Document best practices. Act as point of contact for information requests from university, government, and potential collaborators. (30%)
• Manage Financials. Develop and update forecasting spreadsheets and long‑range financial models so that team members can make effective resource allocation decisions and communicate promptly with university and sponsor funders. In conjunction with the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, identify key financial tools required for business decision support. Lead the development and management of the support tools in partnership with stakeholders.
  
  Integrate new decision support tools with existing processes, tools, and analysis. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by soliciting input from all faculty and researchers on continuing team needs and promote responsible financial practices by ensuring financial resources are spent accurately and without duplication for short term and long‑term needs. Oversee all procurement, reimbursement, and invoicing in coordination with others at the university.
  
  Develop and maintain a calendar of financial processes, activities, and deliverables. Coordinate information requests, analysis, and review to ensure timely and quality submission of major deliverables and requirements. Strategically prioritize major awards and manage these awards in collaboration with the principal investigator. (30%)
• Manage…