Associate Director, Office of Academic Affairs

Wesleyan University; Middletown (CT); On-site; USD 76,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT is seeking an Associate Director for Budget and Operations in the Office of Academic Affairs. The role provides day-to-day leadership for financial and administrative operations across Academic Affairs, including budget management, policy implementation, and staff support.

The position reports to the Associate Provost for Budget and Personnel and leads staffing, onboarding, and process improvements to ensure efficient operations across departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 7+ years in budget management, financial operations, or equivalent.
• Experience managing operating budgets and approving financial transactions across multiple accounts.
• Experience coordinating training programs for staff on policies or systems.
• Experience reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and making hiring recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Fiscal Management: Manage Academic Affairs operating and capital budgets and approvals.
• Training and Process Improvement: Coordinate monthly training and develop materials with cross-functional partners.
• Staffing and Union Operations: Oversee staffing patterns, recruitment, onboarding, and union job descriptions.
• Systems and Collaboration: Coordinate with Finance, HR, ITS, and Labor Relations on financial and operational matters.
• Supervision: Oversee two Accounting Specialists and review time reporting.
• Cross-Functional Projects: Lead special initiatives for Provosts and Deans as assigned.

Skills

Budget management

Financial operations

Operations management

Staff training

Hiring and recruitment coordination

Cross-functional collaboration

Policy and governance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Workday HCM

SAP

Oracle

Microsoft Excel

Job description

## Associate Director, Office of Academic AffairsApply: Middletown, CT (Main Campus): Full time: Posted Today: R101356Wesleyan University is a selective liberal arts institution in Middletown, Connecticut, home to approximately 3,000 undergraduate students and a faculty of distinguished scholars deeply committed to teaching, advising, and research.The Office of Academic Affairs supports the work of the faculty and oversees the University curriculum, faculty hiring and promotion, faculty research and teaching, and the administration of all academic departments, programs, and the library.Reporting to the Associate Provost for Budget and Personnel, the Associate Director for Budget and Operations provides day-to-day leadership for financial and administrative operations across Academic Affairs, serving as a primary resource for budget management, financial policy implementation, and support for Administrative and Accounting Assistants.This role also provides consistent operational support for Administrative and Accounting Assistant staffing across academic departments, maintaining awareness of each department's staffing needs and coverage as chairs rotate, and coordinating staffing, recruitment, onboarding, and job description processes.Responsibilities include:**Fiscal Management and Budget Oversight*** Manage Academic Affairs operating and capital budgets for computing and non-computing purchases.* Support the Associate Provost in administering endowed budget allocations; coordinate with Finance on compliance with gift restrictions.* Approve pcard applications and travel advances.* Review and approve monthly spending in academic departments; approve or deny vouchers, journals, and budget transfers.* Serve as Cost Center Manager; review and approve expenditures above $500 and payments to individuals across Academic Affairs departments.* Manage spreadsheets for Finance of other annual commitments.* Create Memoranda of Understanding for departments with start-up obligations to new faculty hires; monitor spending and notify faculty when funds are expiring.* Resolve worktag and budget overspend issues in coordination with Finance; identify and correct financial errors in payroll in Workday.* Process Coursera revenue distributions; receive funds, create cash sales to designate ledger accounts, reconcile revenue against program expenses, calculate payable balances, and coordinate payment through vouchers or Human Resources as appropriate in coordination with Finance.**Training, Guidance and Process Improvement*** Serve as the first point of contact for Academic Affairs Administrative and Accounting Assistants on financial, operational, and policy questions; resolve routine matters and escalate complex issues to the appropriate office or the Associate Provost as appropriate.* Coordinate the monthly Administrative and Accounting Assistant training program; develop and maintain training materials and invite guest presenters from Finance, ITS, Human Resources, and other offices to provide cross-functional training.* Identify and implement process improvements across Academic Affairs to improve consistency in how departments oversee financial and operational tasks.* Stay current on university financial and administrative policies; attend Academic Affairs finance meetings and collaborate with Finance on policy development and new procedures.**Academic Affairs Union Workforce Operations*** Maintain awareness of each academic department’s Administrative and Accounting Assistant staffing levels, workloads, and coverage patterns; identify opportunities for shared arrangements or adjustments where appropriate.* Assess short and long-term staffing needs across departments; determine whether gaps are best addressed through temporary hiring, temporary redistribution of existing capacity, or shared arrangements.* Coordinate with Labor Relations when duty redistribution requires a formal Memorandum of Understanding; ensure proper documentation.* Coordinate the full recruitment process for union vacancies; review applicant pools, develop a shortlist, and present candidates to department chairs; schedule interviews per the chair’s selection; conduct reference checks and coordinate offer and onboarding with Human Resources.* Serve as a resource for Administrative and Accounting Assistants navigating workload changes or workplace concerns; identify personnel issues and connect staff and chairs with Human Resources for guidance and resolution.* Maintain and update union job descriptions to accurately reflect current responsibilities; initiate a review when duties change permanently or a position becomes vacant; complete a position questionnaire with the chair and submit to Human Resources for finalization and classification.**Systems and Process Improvement*** Identify opportunities to enhance institutional applications supporting Academic Affairs operations; submit improvement requests to ITS and test updates prior to release.* Coordinate with ITS on computer procurement for new Academic Affairs hires; assess faculty computing needs and ensure equipment ordered meets capacity requirements beyond standard configurations where appropriate.**Supervision*** Supervise two Accounting Specialists who support multiple departments in the sciences.* Review and approve weekly time reporting; perform annual evaluations.**Cross-Functional Collaboration and Special Projects*** Partner with Finance, Human Resources, ITS, Labor Relations, and other institutional offices on matters related to assigned responsibilities and Academic Affairs operations.* Cross-train with the Associate Director for Curriculum, Research and Special Projects to ensure continuity of operations and mutual coverage across key Academic Affairs functions.* Lead and administer special projects for the Provost, Associate Provosts, and Deans as assigned.***On Campus with Hybrid potential:****This position is an on-campus position with potential for a hybrid schedule in the future.***Minimum Qualifications:*** Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in budget management, financial operations, operations management, or a comparable professional environment in a complex multi-unit organization, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience* Demonstrated experience managing operating budgets, approving financial transactions, and overseeing expenditures across multiple accounts or cost centers.* Experience identifying and resolving financial discrepancies and processing corrections in an ERP, financial management system, or comparable enterprise platform.* Demonstrated experience coordinating or facilitating training programs for staff on operational policies, procedures, or systems.* Experience reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and making hiring recommendations.* Experience assessing operational needs across multiple units, identifying coverage gaps, and recommending practical solutions.* Demonstrated ability to support staff navigating workplace or operational challenges; knows when to resolve independently and when to escalate.* Demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships with senior leaders, department heads, and operational staff across a complex organization.* Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work with discretion and sound judgment on sensitive personnel and financial matters.* Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and Outlook, and PowerPoint.* Experience with Workday HCM, SAP, Oracle, or a comparable HRIS or financial management system.* Demonstrated commitment to working within a diverse environment and interacting openly with individuals of different backgrounds.**Preferred Qualifications:*** Experience in higher education administration or a similarly complex institutional environment* Familiarity with formal employment agreements, collective bargaining agreements, or comparable structured employment frameworks* Experience serving as a cost center manager or budget approver.* Experience supervising staff including performance management and goal setting.* Familiarity with workforce planning or staffing management across multiple departments or units**Additional Applicant Instructions:** Position is open until filled. For full consideration, please apply by October 8, 2026 when first review of applications will begin.Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume.**Compensation**: $76,300.00 - $90,800.00Work Location: On CampusAll offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate’s completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.