Assistant Director, Operations - Business Operations Specialist 3

University of Connecticut; Storrs (CT); On-site; USD 76,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Connecticut's School of Fine Arts is seeking a full-time Business Operations Specialist 3 to support the Dean's Office with compensation, budgeting, hiring administration and financial reporting. The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration to optimize operations and ensure policy compliance.

You will model headcount costs, manage HR transactions, and work with the Financial Services Office to align HR/Payroll with budgets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field or comparable degree.
• Four or more years of workforce planning, budget and headcount analysis with financial modeling.
• Exceptional analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with peers, leadership, and subordinates.
• Advanced Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage financial consolidation, data analysis, and planning materials for headcount and compensation.
• Model compensation expenses and develop tools for budget prep, ad hoc reporting, quarterly projections, and long-range forecasts.
• Oversee school-level hiring administration and processing of personnel transactions: appointments, employment changes, leaves, separations, and organizational adjustments.
• Coordinate HR/Payroll activities with budgets and approvals to ensure compliance.
• Guide departments on HR topics and act as a liaison with HR to resolve hiring, compliance issues.
• Collaborate with Financial Shared Services Office on hires, attrition replacements, backfills, and salary adjustments.
• Oversee building and space management and coordinate with Facilities Operations for updates and safety plans.
• Administer the school-wide card reader system and ensure safety standards.
• Supervise staff, prioritize tasks, and lead special projects.
• Draft policies and perform other duties.

Skills

Excel

Financial analysis

Data analysis

Forecasting

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Kuali Financial Systems

KFDM/WebFOCUS

Job description

Assistant Director, Operations - Business Operations Specialist 3

Apply now Search #: 499888
Work type: Full-time
Location: UConn Storrs
Categories: Administrative Services

JOB SUMMARY

The School of Fine Arts seeks qualified applicants for a full-time position as Business Operations Specialist 3 (Job Level 5) within the Office of the Dean. Under the direction of the Assistant Dean and COO, this position provides cross-functional operational and technical support to all areas of the School of Fine Arts and is primarily responsible for compensation and budgeting analysis, hiring administration, and serves as a key member to support financial and management reporting, developing and supporting a culture of evidence, assessment, and continuous quality improvement by working collaboratively on optimization projects with key stakeholders and partners. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, detail-oriented individual capable of working in a fast-paced shared service setting. The School of Fine Arts is committed to being a welcoming community that reflects and enacts the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We seek skilled, engaged candidates who will enhance our representational diversity and contribute to diverse, equitable, inclusive, and belonging environments throughout the University.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage financial consolidation, data analysis, and preparation of planning materials for headcount and compensation in support of the annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes.
• Track and model compensation expenses, reconcile discrepancies, and ensure policy compliance. Conduct compensation analyses and develop modeling tools for budget preparation, ad hoc reporting, quarterly projections, and long-range forecasts.
• Manages school-level hiring administration and processing of personnel transactions: appointments, employment changes, leaves, separations, and organizational adjustments.
• Provides direct support for the School’s hiring and appointments in accordance with governing policies and the associated budget. Works in tandem with the hiring department and Financial Services Office to ensure HR/Payroll activities are contained within the established budgets and processed in accordance with appropriate procedural/approval workflows.
• Provides guidance to departments on a wide range of human resources topics/acts as a liaison between hiring departments, new hires, and University Human Resources to resolve issues related to hiring, compliance, etc.
• Collaborate with the Financial Shared Services Office to process transactions related to new hires, attrition replacements, backfills, title changes, transfers, and salary adjustments.
• Oversee building and space management for the School of Fine Arts and serve as point of contact for facility projects and issues. Coordinate with Facilities Operations and the COO on project updates, policy maintenance, space documentation, emergency plans, and compliance initiatives.
• Administer the school-wide card reader system and ensure facilities meet safety and accessibility standards.
• Supervise assigned staff, prioritize tasks, provide training, and monitor performance.
• Lead or support special projects requiring planning and coordination.
• Draft and research policies and procedures and perform other assigned duties.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field or a comparable degree.
• Four (4) or more years of combined experience in workforce planning, budget and headcount analysis with demonstrated experience in financial modeling, data analysis, and statistical forecasting, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Exceptional analytical skills with attention to detail and strong problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with peers, leadership, and subordinates.
• Consistently strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and sustain effective working relationships with colleagues of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Proven ability to efficiently manage multiple high-priority projects, timelines and deliverables.
• Demonstrated leadership experience.
• Advanced working knowledge of Excel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in related field with six to seven years of related experience.
• Experience with data management systems and data integration.
• Expertise in financial analysis and data visualization software, such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Experience in working with Kuali Financial Systems and KFDM/Webfocus or related enterprise GL/reporting systems.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The hiring range for this position is $75,786 to $81,000. An offer of employment, if made, will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s skill and experience, as determined by the University.

For more information about benefits and other offerings available to University employees, we encourage you to review the Human Resources website and explore the sections under the Benefits & Leaves header at the top of the page. Under Benefits & Leaves, select Benefits to access an overview as well as additional information on topics such as paid time off, benefits, retirement, and other resources. As you explore these pages, please note that this position is covered by the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA) and look for information specifically identified for UCPEA, as provisions may vary by employee group.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, permanent, 12-month position with an anticipated start date on or before January 22, 2027.

Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO employer including for Disability and Veteran status.

Advertised: Oct 30 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Nov 27 2026 Eastern Standard Time