Department Administrator II - Biology

University of Wisconsin

Madison (WI)

Hybrid

USD 95,000 - 128,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Biology seeks a Department Administrator II to partner with the department chair in supporting cutting‑edge research and innovative teaching within the College of Letters & Science. The role leads a broad admin team, manages budgets and facilities, and interfaces with college-level offices to ensure smooth operations and strategic alignment.

The position requires on-site presence with hybrid scheduling discussed during interview; expected to be in

Qualifications

Five+ years of professional administrative experience with progressive responsibility in coordinating operations and initiatives.
Experience working with financial data and budget generation.
At least 2 years of supervision.
Strong verbal and written communication and organizational skills.
Ability to build collaborative relationships across diverse groups.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for strategic and short-term planning processes and data for decision-making.
Lead department programs in research, teaching, and service, and oversee staff.
Oversee budgets, grants, and funds with compliance to policies and laws.
Lead faculty recruitment, evaluation, development, and promotion processes.
Coordinate space, IT, and philanthropy activities within the department.

Skills

Budgeting & financial management

Human resources

Supervision

Strategic leadership

Communication & collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Department Administrator II

Job Summary:

The Department of Biology at UW–Madison seeks a Department Administrator II to partner strategically with the department chair and support a cutting‑edge research and innovative teaching unit within the College of Letters & Science (L&S). Our department administrator provides key leadership that is central to all aspects of the department and is responsible for the smooth execution of administrative, operational, and financial functions. The person in this role operates with a significant level of independence, with general direction from the chair and faculty leadership. This position requires creative problem‑solving, continuous improvement, and management of change. The ideal candidate will combine expertise in budgeting, financial management, and human resources with strong project management, communication, and organizational skills. Responsibilities include supervision of the department's administrative team, development of department budgets, financial analyses, reports, and forecasts, management of renovation projects and facilities maintenance, and coordination of personnel and infrastructure needs with dedicated teams and committees throughout the department. In addition, the department administrator interfaces with teams at L&S to ensure support for daily operations including human resources, instructional administration, purchasing, fund and gift management, research support, and other business functions. The department administrator will report to the department chair and be part of the department's leadership team, and in that role will need to be collaborative, professional, and able to take initiative to pursue goals independently. The administrative leader we seek in this position will be able to develop holistic financial and administration strategies necessary to position Biology for continued success as it evolves.

This leadership role requires regular availability and an onsite presence. Hybrid scheduling options will be discussed during the interview process, however candidates should anticipate being onsite a minimum of three days per week, and as needed, following an initial onboarding period. The initial onboarding period will require greater onsite presence, and its duration will depend on the onboarding needs of the individual hired.

Key Job 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

Department:

College of Letters & Science, Department of Biology

With more than 250 employees including faculty, staff, postdoctoral, and student employees, the Department of Biology is committed to innovative teaching and impactful discovery in diverse areas of research. Officially launched in 2026, the Department brings together the former botany and integrative biology departments. Research programs in the Department span the range of biological sciences, from molecules to ecosystems, and the Department is home to 8 undergraduate and 3 graduate academic programs. The Department also houses the Wisconsin State Herbarium, Botany Garden and Greenhouse, the UW Zoological Museum, and the newly formed Center for Botany.

Compensation:

The expected salary range for this position is $95,000 to $128,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Required 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