Job Description

Position Summary:

The Katz College of Science and Health seeks a Director of Operations and Budget to lead the administrative services that support its faculty, researchers, and staff across four campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx.

Reporting to the Dean, the Director is a member of the College’s leadership team, hands-on manager who supervises three staff members: the Senior Academic Administrator for HR, the Budget and Planning Analyst, and the Procurement Specialist. These staff manage routine transactions, records, and reporting. The Director sets priorities, reviews their work, makes decisions and approves transactions within delegated authority, and follows through on problems that require coordination with University offices.

The Director is responsible for ensuring that departments can use approved funding, hire and onboard personnel, purchase what they need, and work in facilities that are ready for teaching and research.

Where you’ll work

The Director is based in midtown Manhattan and works in person four days a week. The Director visits the Bronx campus monthly, joins senior staff for a visit each semester, and travels to other College locations as operational needs require.

Position Responsibilities:

Lead the administrative team
Supervise, coach, and evaluate the three direct reports.
Set clear responsibilities, priorities, and service expectations.
Monitor outstanding work, address delays, and arrange coverage during busy periods or staff absences.
Establish clear procedures and approval routes so faculty and staff know how to get things done.
Review how well administrative services are working, address recurring problems and unnecessary delays, and improve procedures in consultation with the offices involved.
Keep the Dean and department leaders informed about significant issues, decisions needed, and progress toward resolution.
Coordinate the team’s contributions to operational planning and accreditation reporting.
Put the operating budget into practice
Work with the Dean and department leaders to translate approved priorities into spending plans and day-to-day budget decisions.
Ensure departments have access to allocated funds and can move approved activities forward. Work with the University Budget Office to resolve funding and processing barriers.
Direct the Budget and Planning Analyst’s work on budget transfers, reconciliations, financial reports, and forecasts.
Review spending, balances, and variances with the Analyst; discuss emerging issues and trade-offs with department leaders and recommend action to the Dean.
Recommend budget guidelines and allocation approaches for the Dean’s approval, and implement approved decisions.
Approve budget actions and expenditures within delegated authority.
Oversee HR administration
Direct the Senior Academic Administrator for HR’s work on search administration, appointments and reappointments, onboarding, payroll coordination, and personnel records.
Plan with academic and administrative leaders for upcoming hiring and appointment needs, including high-volume adjunct and student hiring.
Monitor whether appointments, payroll, and system access are completed on time, and follow through on exceptions with University HR and other offices.
Coordinate staff performance review timelines and documentation with supervisors and HR.
Supervisors remain responsible for evaluating their staff; academic leaders retain responsibility for faculty selection and evaluation.
Identify administrative staffing or workflow needs and recommend changes to the Dean and responsible leaders.
Oversee purchasing and payments
Direct the Procurement Specialist’s work on requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, reimbursements, and purchasing records.
Review pending transactions and follow through on delays or exceptions with Procurement, Accounts Payable, Legal, and department leaders.
Approve purchases and other transactions within delegated authority.
Coordinate contract review and purchasing requirements with University offices, ensuring departments understand the steps and expected timelines.
Implement approved procedures for P-cards, travel, and expenses, and address recurring processing problems.