ERA Operations Manager

Swoon is hiring for our Higher Education client in Tempe, AZ and this will be a hybrid position.

This is a 6-month contract to hire opportunity with Benefits - Health, Dental & Vision (50% of premium is covered for contractor). Additional benefits offered upon conversion to full-time employee.

The Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, governance, and continuous improvement of a large-scale enterprise research administration platform. This role serves as a critical bridge between research operations teams, system users, technology development teams, and external vendors to ensure system performance, usability, and alignment with organizational priorities.

• Oversee daily operations and ongoing enhancements of an enterprise research administration platform, ensuring reliability, scalability, and performance
• Partner with internal stakeholders and vendors to identify, prioritize, and implement system improvements
• Ensure system capabilities align with evolving business and operational needs

• Lead and manage governance routines across enterprise research, data, and forecasting platforms
• Establish transparent, inclusive governance processes aligned with organizational priorities and compliance requirements
• Ensure consistent operational standards and decision-making frameworks

• Review, support, and inform vendor agreements and service engagements
• Manage ongoing vendor relationships to ensure service delivery, accountability, and alignment with operational goals
• Act as a liaison during contract discussions, renewals, and negotiations

• Partner with leadership and business teams to define product needs, requirements, and development priorities
• Develop and maintain a product roadmap supporting both short-term enhancements and long-term strategy
• Track budgets, expenditures, and forecasts to ensure responsible financial management

• Coordinate timely resolution of system and operational issues across functional and technical teams
• Serve as a central escalation point for tracking issues through resolution
• Ensure consistent communication and documentation of issue status and outcomes

• Manage Agile / SCRUM processes for operational and project initiatives
• Lead backlog prioritization, sprint planning, and delivery execution
• Facilitate collaboration between developers, analysts, and business stakeholders to meet project goals

• Serve as a primary liaison between research operations, system users, technical teams, and leadership
• Provide clear, timely communication on system performance, priorities, and upcoming changes
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders to ensure alignment between technology solutions and business objectives

If interested in more details, please apply!