Job Description

Description of Work Unit
The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering at Colorado State University consists of about 3,000 students enrolled in BS, MS, and PhD programs, 145 tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty, and over 400 support staff and research scientists. The Office of the Dean manages national accreditation for the College’s ten academic programs. The College conducts more than $75M of sponsored research annually in multiple buildings totaling more than 500,000 square feet of space, including classrooms, laboratories, centers and institutes.

The Engineering Business Office works closely with the CSU offices of Procurement Services, Business and Financial Services, and Travel Services to coordinate operational activities of the college with the university and to ensure compliance with and adherence to broader university initiatives and policies.
Position Summary
The Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering at Colorado State University (CSU) is seeking a highly motivated leader to serve as the Business Operations Manager, a full-time position providing vision and leadership for the college. This position reports to the Director of Business and Research Support Operations and serves as a strategic advisor to college leadership on all services related to purchasing, travel, cash management, and new employee relocations.

The Business Operations Manager is a subject matter expert on business operations within the college and serves in an advisory capacity to the director, the college leadership, and departmental personnel. This position requires broad and in-depth knowledge of varied purchasing and travel procedures, including related university-specific policies. The Business Operations Manager must also demonstrate a fundamental understanding of federal, state, and local regulations as well as the ability to implement controls to ensure compliance. Creative problem-solving skills and the aptitude to develop practical solutions are critical for success. The successful candidate must also demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively with departments, units across the college, and the broader campus community from a human-centered perspective.

In addition, the Business Operations Manager will possess strong technical skills. They will maintain tools previously built in Smartsheet and DocuSign, which are accessible via the college’s website. They will continuously adapt existing applications to meet new requirements or develop new features as needed to improve the efficiency of the Engineering Business Office and to ensure workloads remain manageable within current staffing levels.

Successful applicants will demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills, excellent interpersonal abilities, a commitment to excellent customer service, and strong organizational capabilities. Adaptability and the ability to work collaboratively with others are essential.

The dress code is business casual.

The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date. The Department will not sponsor a visa for this position.
Required Job Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of three (3) years in office leadership and management, with demonstrated success in supervising and leading teams
Demonstrated experience administering business operations within a large organization
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
Ability to interpret and effectively communicate policies and procedures to diverse audiences within a large, complex institution
Demonstrated experience using technology tools (such as low-code platforms or process automation software) to improve workflows or service delivery
The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date. The department will not sponsor a visa for this position.
Preferred Job Qualifications
Six (6) or more years of progressively responsible experience in office leadership and management, with demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage complex workflows, and drive performance improvement
Proven success leading strategic initiatives that improve operational efficiency, especially through the design or implementation of technical solutions
Demonstrated ability to assess business needs, develop scalable solutions, and integrate emerging technologies (e.g., automation, AI, analytics) into core operations
Experience designing or managing human-centered business systems or tools using low-code, no-code, or custom platforms
Experience working within an institution of higher education, with knowledge of university business practices, systems, and governance structures.
Familiarity with or direct experience applying university policies and procedures related to business operations, compliance, and administrative functions.
High level of proficiency with business and process improvement tools such as Kuali, Smartsheet, DocuSign, Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate), SharePoint, and Teams—or comparable systems
Demonstrated ability to integrate emerging technologies, including AI tools, into strategic decision-making to improve operational efficiency, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively across disciplines and cultures.
Essential Duties
Job Duty Category Business Operation Service Delivery
Duty/Responsibility
Design and implement workflow processes to ensure effective and efficient delivery of Engineering Business Office services.
Maintain existing operational tools and their integration with other applications such as DocuSign, MS PowerAutomate, and MS SharePoint.
Manage the stipend process for CSU affiliates, including selecting the appropriate payment method and processing payments accordingly.
Oversee internal and external receivables processes for the college, including invoice generation, recording deposits, receipt issuance, and timely follow-up on outstanding receivables. Responsible for ensuring the security of funds, separation of duties, and consistency in record keeping as it relates to receivables.
Educate college personnel on business practices and procedures through workshops, training sessions, and written guidance.
Administer and monitor the university Procurement Card (PCard) Program for the college, a volume of approximately $1.75 million and 14,000 transactions annually. Responsibilities include evaluating and adjusting PCard limits to ensure they are appropriate for cardholder needs, along with approving PCard applications and limit increase requests.
Serve as the college liaison to the central administrative offices including Procurement Services, Business and Financial Services, Travel Services, Risk Management & Insurance, etc.
Oversee the relocation process for new hires (domestic and international) and delegating initial contact for new employees with respect to integration into the college for business and relocation activities
As needed, contribute to document processing in systems (e.g., purchase requisitions in Kuali Financial) to ensure their staffs’ workloads stay at reasonable levels.
Percentage Of Time 30%
Job Duty Category Leadership and Management
Duty/Responsibility
Provide leadership and management for the Business Operations Office. This position oversees 5 full-time staff, and 1 part-time staff member
Interpret and implement policy in compliance with university, local, state, and federal regulations in the conduct of college business operations
Participate in the hiring of staff, manage work schedules, and conduct performance evaluations
Foster a work environment that emphasizes excellent customer service, strong team collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Proactively identify opportunities to increase and support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of professional activities
Represent the college as needed, including serving on behalf of the college in institutional or external meetings
Provide service outside the scope of normal job duties, such as committee work, commission and/or council membership, serving as an advisor, coach, collaborator, mentor, or on a task force, community and/or civic engagement, search committee activities, participation in professional organizations to advance the university and/or college’s scholarly and academic reputations, and volunteer (e.g., assist with commencement, conferences, fairs, move-in days, college and university events outside of immediate job responsibilities, etc.).
Perform other duties as assigned
Percentage Of Time 45%
Job Duty Category Technology Development and Support
Duty/Responsibility
Builds tools and solutions using various software platforms to ensure the business office employs modern, efficient, and effective approaches to work
Maintain and adapt existing technology tools (e.g., Smartsheet, DocuSign) to meet evolving operational needs and improve overall office efficiency.
Design and refine workflow processes to support the timely and accurate delivery of office services
Apply working knowledge of software systems to address staff and client needs, recommend upgrades or enhancements and collaborate with the appropriate stakeholders prior to implementation
Maintain and update content on the Engineering Business Office website, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and alignment with current operational tools and workflows.
Perform other duties as assigned
Percentage Of Time 25%
Application Details
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please submit a cover letter that clearly addresses the required and preferred qualifications for this position, your resume/CV, and the contact information for three (3) professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.

Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact Jamie Lindeman, [email protected]
EEO
Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.