Centers and Institutes Operations Partner

Hastings Center, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness programs

Paid time off and holidays

403(b) with company match

Tuition reimbursement and professional

Development paths

Job summary

Howard University is seeking a Centers and Institutes Operations Partner to coordinate administrative work across HR, Finance, Procurement, and Facilities. You’ll onboard new centers, develop playbooks, and ensure readiness for day one operations.

You will support annual budget planning, space planning, and stakeholder communications, while maintaining documentation and service levels across university offices. A bachelor’s degree and 5–7 years of relevant experience are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, higher education administration, public administration, organizational leadership, or related field.
• 5–7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education administration or a complex institutional environment.
• Experience coordinating work across multiple functional areas such as HR, finance, procurement, operations, facilities, or technology services.
• Experience developing process documentation, operational guidance, or training materials.
• Working knowledge of Workday or a similar ERP system.

Responsibilities

• Serve as central operations coordinator for Centers and Institutes, ensuring administrative work moves across HR, Finance, Procurement, and Facilities.
• Onboard new Centers and Institutes, establishing infrastructure, approvals, system access, and day-one readiness.
• Track requests across functions, escalate delays, and maintain service level visibility.
• Develop and refine operational playbooks documenting processes, roles, and timelines.
• Conduct annual training for directors and staff on processes, submission requirements, and service expectations.
• Support budget planning with Finance and leadership; assist with space planning and facilities coordination.
• Monitor performance, maintain records, and communicate priorities to stakeholders.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Operational playbooks

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field

Tools

Workday

Job description

## Centers and Institutes Operations PartnerApplylocations: Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Buildingtime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Yesterdayjob requisition id: JR108518The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.Here is what we offer: * ***Health & Wellness:*** Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support* ***Work-Life Balance:*** PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements* ***Financial Wellness:*** Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match* ***Professional Development:*** Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths* ***Additional Perks:*** Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture**Join Howard University and thrive with us!** https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellnessWe are searching for our next Centers and Institutes Operations Partner who will serve as a senior coordination professional supporting the successful launch, growth, and operational continuity of Howard University’s Centers and Institutes. This role will work across university administrative offices to help Centers and Institutes build and sustain the infrastructure needed to operate effectively. The position will focus primarily on onboarding new Centers and Institutes, cross functional coordination, escalation management, operational playbook development, annual training and readiness support, budget planning coordination, service level oversight, space planning support, and stakeholder communication.**SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:**This position currently has no formal supervisory responsibilities; however, supervisory duties may be assigned in the future based on organizational needs. The incumbent will coordinate work across multiple offices and will influence progress through collaboration, follow through, and relationship management rather than through direct authority.**NATURE AND SCOPE:**Maintains regular contact with Center and Institute directors and staff, faculty leaders, administrative staff, and representatives across Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, Enterprise Technology Services, Facilities, Development and Alumni Relations, and other university offices.The incumbent serves as the central operations coordination point for assigned Centers and Institutes during periods of high operational demand, including launch, early-stage development, expansion, and transition. The Operations Partner helps move work across administrative functions, tracks progress, escalates issues when needed, supports operational readiness, and provides clear updates to stakeholders. This role does not approve transactions, authorize expenditures, make hiring decisions, or direct the work of functional staff. Budget decisions, hiring approvals, procurement authorizations, and programmatic decisions remain with Center and Institute leadership and the appropriate functional offices.**PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:**Serve as the central operations coordinator for assigned Centers and Institutes, ensuring that administrative work moves efficiently across Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, Enterprise Technology Services, Facilities, and other relevant offices. Coordinate onboarding for new Centers and Institutes so that operational infrastructure, documentation, approvals, systems access, and foundational administrative processes are in place to support day one readiness. Review incoming requests for completeness and quality at intake, helping ensure that documentation is sufficient before routing begins and reducing delays caused by incomplete submissions. Track requests that involve multiple administrative functions, identify where items are stalled, follow up with the appropriate offices, and escalate issues when timelines exceed expected service levels. Provide intensive coordination support to established Centers and Institutes that are expanding programs, increasing staffing, adding new funding streams, or taking on more complex administrative activity. Develop, maintain, and refine operational playbooks for Centers and Institutes that document required processes, roles, decision points, timelines, and key administrative requirements to support consistency and continuity. Conduct annual training and orientation sessions for Center and Institute directors and staff to strengthen understanding of administrative processes, submission requirements, service expectations, and available support resources. Partner with Development and Alumni Relations and other relevant offices to support fund activation and related administrative readiness so that newly funded activity can begin without unnecessary delay. Support annual budget planning by coordinating with Finance and Center and Institute leadership to identify operational considerations, surface potential misalignments, and provide timely information to support sound decision making. Support space planning and facilities coordination for Centers and Institutes by partnering with relevant university offices to identify needs, facilitate planning discussions, and help advance operational requirements related to physical space. Monitor service performance for operational requests, maintain visibility into work in progress, and communicate priorities, status, and next steps to Center and Institute leaders and administrative partners. Maintain accurate records of requests, decisions, and outcomes to support reconciliation, audit readiness, institutional reporting, and continuity of service. Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the Centers and Institutes Service Model. Leverage data and technology tools to identify process improvement opportunities, support operational decision-making, and enhance service delivery for Centers and Institutes.**CORE COMPETENCIES:**Demonstrated ability to work effectively across a wide range of constituents and to build trusted relationships with faculty, directors, administrative staff, and university leaders.Strong knowledge of administrative operations within a complex institution, with the ability to navigate processes involving Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, Facilities, and technology services.Excellent project management and coordination skills, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent requests, organize follow-through, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Ability to move work forward across organizational boundaries without direct authority by using sound judgment, clear communication, and strong relationship management.Strong analytical and operational problem solving skills, with the ability to identify process gaps, remove barriers, and improve coordination across units.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex operational issues into clear, concise updates for diverse stakeholders.Ability to develop practical tools, guidance, and training materials that improve operational consistency and user understanding.Ability to maintain discretion, exercise sound judgment, and manage sensitive information appropriately.Strong attention to detail and commitment to documentation, recordkeeping, and operational consistency.Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to work effectively in Workday or a comparable enterprise resource planning environment.**MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:**Bachelor’s degree in business administration, higher education administration, public administration, organizational leadership, or a related field.Five to seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in higher education administration or another complex institutional environment.Demonstrated experience coordinating work across multiple functional areas such as Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, operations, facilities, or technology services.Experience managing projects, operational workflows, or cross functional initiatives that require collaboration across organizational lines.Experience developing process documentation, operational guidance, training materials, or similar tools that support consistent service delivery.Working knowledge of Workday or a comparable enterprise resource planning system, including transaction processing, status tracking, or related administrative workflows.Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with a broad range of stakeholders.**PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:**Master’s degree in a relevant field.Professional experience at Howard University or at a peer institution, particularly in an environment with complex academic or administrative structures.Experience supporting the launch, growth, or administration of a research center, academic institute, or similar entity.Familiarity with budget planning, restricted funds, grant related administration, or sponsored program support in a higher education setting.Experience in organizational effectiveness, change management, administrative transformation, or service delivery improvement.Experience supporting orientation, training, or readiness efforts for faculty, staff, or administrative stakeholders.Familiarity with fundraising support processes and coordination between programmatic units and Development and Alumni Relations.Space planning, facilities coordination, or workplace planning experience in a university or similarly complex environment is preferred.**Compliance Salary Range Disclosure****Compensation Range: $118,171 - $140,000**### About UsHoward University is a comprehensive, research-oriented, historically Black private university providing an educational experience of exceptional quality to students of high academic potential with particular emphasis upon the provision of educational opportunities to promising Black students. Further, the University is dedicated to attracting and sustaining a cadre of faculty who are, through their teaching and research, committed to the development of distinguished and compassionate graduates and to the quest for solutions to human and social problems in the United States and throughout the world.Howard University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex,sexual orientation,gender or gender identity, marital status, religion, disability or protected veterans status. Veterans and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.Inquiries regarding provisions for persons with disabilities or veterans status, Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX should be directed to the Office of Employee Relations and Equal Employment Opportunity at 202-806-1280.**This position description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as may be required. The university has the right to revise this position description at any time. This position description is not be construed as a contract for employment.**