Associate Director of Academic Program Operations

University of Chicago; United States; On-site; USD 88,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Retirement

Paid time off

Job summary

The University of Chicago is seeking an Associate Director of Academic Program Operations to lead administrative operations for graduate and undergraduate programs in the Department of Chemistry. You will own operational delivery and work closely with the DGS, DUS, and Dean of Students to ensure seamless program support.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will coordinate with faculty leadership, manage budgets and payroll, and drive improvements across curricular and procedural processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Ph.D. in chemistry or related field is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify opportunities for curricular and process improvements in collaboration with DGS, DUS, and faculty leadership.
• Oversee and track yearly academic performance reviews and student progress within the master’s and PhD programs.
• Prepare monthly reports of graduate program metrics for the DGS.
• Coordinate, organize, and lead workstreams for graduate student recruitment, admissions and orientation with faculty leadership.
• Collect student concerns and develop resolution plans with the DGS, DUS and appropriate university offices.
• Manage undergraduate academic processes including chemistry placement testing, assignments, Minor forms, and course substitutions.
• Coordinate with the Student Affairs Administrator to complete classroom assignments and course catalog updates.
• Coordinate with College and Divisional offices (Registrar, Advising, Dean of Students) for successful program execution.
• Manage and oversee payroll streams and workflows for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Organize and manage undergraduate programs and events such as Beckman Scholar Program, open houses, awards, information sessions, and summer exchanges.
• Manage Teaching Assistant assignments in coordination with the DUS.
• Develop relationships with internal and external constituents to create synergies across departments.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical abilities

Coordination

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Ph.D. in chemistry or related field

Job description

Department PSD Chemistry: Administrative Staff

About the Department One of the first departments founded at the University of Chicago was the Department of Chemistry. Since its inception, the Department of Chemistry has embodied the University’s central mission of excellence in both research and teaching. The University of Chicago has been the recipient of more than 73 Nobel Prize recipients, 15 of which came from the Department of Chemistry. Our current faculty has considerable strength in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, as well as in interdisciplinary research that delves into biology, physics, and materials science. The Department is a community of over 500, including faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars and staff. Our academic support group operates the graduate and undergraduate educational programs for the department, including 60 undergraduate Chemistry majors and nearly 300 graduate students. Close student-faculty interactions have been a hallmark of our department for over a century. These have fostered a unique intellectual environment that both ensures superb graduate education and continues to produce important and exciting scientific discoveries.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Associate Director of Academic Program Operations leads administrative operations for the graduate and undergraduate programs within the Department of Chemistry and is the primary owner of administrative operations for the graduate and undergraduate programs. In support of and, in collaboration with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), this individual is accountable for the delivery of comprehensive operational support to all academic programs. The position collaborates with the Student Affairs Administrator(s) and Managing Director to ensure seamless coordination across the department. This position has a dotted line reporting relationship to the Dean of Students.

Responsibilities

• Identify opportunities for curricular and process improvements as well as develop innovative solutions to program challenges in collaboration with DGS, DUS, and faculty leadership.
• Oversee and track yearly academic performance reviews and student progress within the master’s and PhD programs.
• Prepare monthly reports of graduate program metrics related to the yearly progress tasks for the DGS.
• Coordinate, organize, and lead critical workstreams and events in graduate student recruitment, admissions and orientation in collaboration with faculty leadership.
• Collect student concerns and develop resolution and response plans in coordination with the DGS, DUS and appropriate University offices.
• Manage undergraduate academic processes including chemistry placement testing, assignments, Minor forms, and course substitutions.
• Coordinate with the Student Affairs Administrator to complete classroom assignments and course catalog updates.
• Coordinate with associated College and Divisional offices including the Registrar, Advising, and Dean of Students to ensure successful execution of educational programs.
• Manage and oversee payroll streams and workflows for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Organize and manage undergraduate programs and events, including but not limited to, The Beckman Scholar Program, open houses, awards selection and distribution, information sessions, and summer exchange programs.
• Manage Teaching Assistant assignments in coordination with the DUS.
• Develop positive and active working relationships with internal and external constituents to create synergies across departments related to programming, resolution of student issues, and other matters of common interest.
• Uses in-depth knowledge and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries such as communicating with programs sponsors and academic advising for undergraduate students.
• Develops and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria.
• Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
• Manages program budgets and recommends or makes budgetary recommendations.
• Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D., or foreign equivalent, in chemistry or related field.
• Experience: Management of administrative processes in a higher education setting.
• Technical knowledge skills: Experience managing academic programs and procedures.
• Experience managing / improving complex processes.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain relationships at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, independently develop and evaluate options, and develop solutions.
• Ability to work closely and effectively with faculty and other leaders across an institution.
• Demonstrated problem-solving, organization, analytical, and coordination skills including attention to detail.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)
• 3 Professional References (preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family Administration & Management Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 37.5

Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No Pay Rate Type Salary FLSA Status Exempt Pay Range $88,000.00 - $110,000.00

Benefits Eligible Yes

• health
• retirement
• paid time off

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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