Biology Dept Administrator II: Strategic Operations Leader

University of Wisconsin Madison; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation and holidays

Sick leave

Retirement benefits

Health insurance

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Biology is seeking a Department Administrator II to partner with the chair and lead strategic operations for a high-impact research and teaching unit within L&S.

The role combines budgeting, HR, and project oversight to advance department priorities, ensure compliant financial management, and support a collaborative leadership team. The incumbent will manage renovation projects, space, and staffing while engaging with university-wide offices.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of professional administrative experience with progressive responsibility in areas such as overseeing office operations, guiding process improvements, and supporting strategic initiatives in a complex organizational environment
• Experience working with financial data and budget generation
• At least 2 years of experience with supervision
• Strong verbal and written communication and administrative and organizational skills supported by effective use of digital tools and systems
• Experience fostering and maintaining collaborative relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds and education levels.
• Ability to apply sound judgement and discretion in applying and interpreting laws, rules, policies, and procedures as applicable to the position

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership for the strategic and short-term planning processes, as well as obtaining and validating data needed for strategic decision-making
• Provides leadership, guidance, and management of the department's research, teaching and service programs, and staff to ensure efficient and effective operations
• Provides leadership and administrative oversight of basic and translational research programs including staffing, compliance, fiscal, information technology (IT), and facility needs
• Provides leadership in developing and administering budgets. Oversees financial operations including grants, contract, and other funds to ensure adherence to prudent and generally accepted accounting practices, and compliance with Federal, State, university, and sponsor rules, regulations, laws and bylaws
• Provides leadership for faculty recruitment, evaluation, development, and promotion processes
• Responsible for communication and marketing of department activities, accomplishments, and department philanthropic activities including meeting with and engaging potential donors
• Provides oversight and management of office and research space on and off campus, department information systems, and regional network development
• Facilitates the training and professional development of the administrative team and contributes to comprehensive onboarding processes for new hires across the department.
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

Skills

Budgeting

Financial management

Human resources

Project management

Communication

Organizational skills

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

HR systems

Budgeting software

Job description

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Biology is seeking a Department Administrator II to partner with the chair and lead strategic operations for a high-impact research and teaching unit within L&S.

The role combines budgeting, HR, and project oversight to advance department priorities, ensure compliant financial management, and support a collaborative leadership team. The incumbent will manage renovation projects, space, and staffing while engaging with university-wide offices.