Centers and Institutes Operations Partner

The Howard University; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Flexible work arrangements

403(b) with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

The Howard University seeks a Centers and Institutes Operations Partner to streamline onboarding, coordination, and readiness for new centers and programs. You will collaborate across HR, Finance, Procurement, and Facilities to build sustainable administrative infrastructure and ready-to-launch support from day one.

This role emphasizes process documentation, training, budget planning, and stakeholder communication to ensure timely launches and ongoing program stability across the university.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating across multiple offices to move work efficiently.
• Ability to develop and refine playbooks for standard processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as central operations coordinator for Centers and Institutes.
• Onboard new Centers and Institutes with required infrastructure and processes.
• Track requests across functions and escalate delays to maintain timelines.
• Develop and maintain operational playbooks documenting processes and roles.
• Conduct annual trainings for center directors and staff on procedures.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

Stakeholder communication

Project management

Budget coordination

Job description

The 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-wellness

We 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 elevate 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