Director of Operations and Strategic Planning

Director of Operations and Strategic Planning

The Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives is the central hub for the psychology department. The Director manages daily operations, directs and mentors a multi-disciplinary administrative and fiscal staff with six direct reports. Required to facilitate cross-functional communication across faculty, staff and students and coordinate processes to support the department's overarching academic and research goals. Responsible budget authority who ensures Federal, Commonwealth, and University policy compliance for $16M in commonwealth and external funding annually.

Triage and prioritize university-wide information and initiatives that have department, college, and university-wide academic and research impact.

Operational Execution and Oversight

• Translates high-level leadership vision into actionable projects and monitor progress across all programs within the psychology department;
• Serves as the primary project manager for major initiatives, proactively identifying bottlenecks and resolving operational issues;
• Accountable for departmental laboratory facilities and assets, including a specialized laboratory classroom. Serve as the subject matter expert (SME) and point of contact (POC) for lab space allocation, equipment purchasing, and maintenance;
• Collaborates with Facilities and external vendors to coordinate all renovations, space moves, and construction phases through to final sign-off;
• Manages, mentors, and develops professional staff, providing and recommending targeted training and supervising their progress toward departmental goals; and
• Directs annual and interim evaluations to establish and monitor SMART goals for direct reports, including the lab manager, business administrator, and finance team.

Departmental Financial Oversight

• Oversees departmental organizational budgets, including all funds and orgs and foundation accounts; serve as approver;
• Provides financial reporting and engages in long‑range fiscal planning discussions in collaboration with the Department Chair to ensure ongoing budget sustainability; and
• Evaluates financial risks, establish internal controls, and guide chair decision-making to ensure the department's financial stability and growth.

Communications & Stakeholder Management

• Functions as a proxy or surrogate for the chair in internal and external meetings when necessary;
• Serves as a central liaison between the chair, senior leadership, faculty, staff, and students; and
• Exercise sound judgment in triaging or resolving complex or sensitive inquiries.

Strategic Advising & Planning

• Serves as a trusted sounding board and thought partner for the chair;
• Assists in defining long-term departmental objectives and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs); and
• Analyzes enrollment trends and manage departmental enrollment growth each semester.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Department Leadership:
  Proven success managing, operating, and directing broad department operations in a fast-paced, shifting environment;
• Financial & Grant Administration:
  Strong working knowledge of government grants, alongside direct experience developing, managing, and reconciling complex department budgets;
• Human Resources & Talent Management:
  Significant expertise in human resources leadership, including recruitment, workforce development, employee engagement, performance management, succession planning, and the effective leadership and development of staff;
• Financial Stewardship:
  Mastery of departmental budgeting, forecasting, and comprehensive account reconciliation processes;
• Grant Management:
  Expertise in the administration, compliance, and budget tracking of government grants and other external funding sources;
• Human Resources:
  Thorough working knowledge of HR management, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training protocols;
• Team Leadership:
  Solid understanding of supervisory practices, performance management, employee motivation, and conflict resolution;
• Technical & Adaptability:
  Proficiency across multiple computer applications, with the ability to swiftly manage shifting priorities…