Assistant Director, Business Operations

General Description / Primary Purpose

The Assistant Director of Business Operations provides advanced operational, analytical, and systems-level support for departmental business operations, including accounting and finance, grant administration, human resources coordination, procurement oversight, and business systems administration.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Business and Program Management, this position exercises independent judgment and discretion in analyzing operational practices, interpreting policies, and supporting implementation and continuous improvement of departmental systems and workflows.

The Assistant Director of Business Operations serves as the primary operational resource for routine business and program management matters, escalating complex, high-risk, or policy-related issues to the Associate Director of Business and Program Management. When formally delegated, the Assistant Director may represent the Associate Director in operational matters.

• Supports the planning, implementation, and evaluation of departmental business processes related to finance, human resources coordination, and procurement.
• Serves as the primary operational point of contact for routine business management matters, exercising independent judgment to resolve issues, identify challenges and compliance risks, and determine appropriate next steps within established policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with program leadership and staff to review financial information, document action items, and support timely followthrough, while assisting with the application and interpretation of State, Federal, University, and fundingagency requirements as they relate to routine operational matters.

• Provides accounting, finance, and grant management support by contributing to the development, monitoring, and analysis of departmental budgets across multiple funding sources, including EandG, Auxiliary, Grants and Contracts, and Foundation funds.
• Monitors financial activity throughout the fiscal year to support accuracy, allowability, and alignment with budgets established in four fund categories and project objectives.
• Assists with tracking grant and contract expenditures, assembling supporting documentation, and contributing to the preparation of required fiscal and programmatic reports.
• Serves as a routine fiscal liaison with internal and external partners under the supervision of the Associate Director of Business and Program Management.

• Monitors departmental human resources processes associated with recruitment, hiring, and onboarding activities to ensure activities are progressing in accordance with established procedures and timelines.
• Reviews and tracks position postings, application workflows, and required documentation prepared by designated support staff to promote consistency, accuracy, and compliance.
• Serves as a departmental resource for routine HR-related questions and procedures.

• Coordinates FIEs data entry into the Workday system and monitors procurement transactions for materials and services, (e.g., Pcards, purchase orders, and service contracts) to support timely and efficient processing of procurement activities in compliance with University policies, documentation standards, and approval requirements.

• Coordinates FIE Quick Books Enterprise data entry activities and monitors financial data for accuracy and consistency and provides feedback to FIE data entry staff and leadership.
• Develops and maintains FIE user procedure manuals.
• Supports staff training related to Quick Books Enterprise processes and procedures.