Director, Academic Operations and Student Services

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 92,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages and benefits

Professional development opportunities

Hybrid work model with in-office days

Job summary

The University of Minnesota seeks a Director to provide strategic governance and operational leadership for CCAPS undergraduate and graduate academic operations and student services. The role leads a multidisciplinary team of 8-9 direct reports, driving process improvements and balancing academic capacity planning with fiscal sustainability in a hybrid work setting.

Responsibilities include overseeing undergraduate and graduate student services lifecycles, utilizing data analytics and

Qualifications

• BA/BS with 8+ years relevant experience, or Master's with 6+ years.
• Higher education administration and direct supervision with formal hire/evaluate authority.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion across the student and staff experience.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills (written & verbal).

Responsibilities

• Oversee Undergraduate Student Services and onboarding frameworks.
• Lead graduate admissions lifecycle and milestone tracking across terms.
• Design data-driven enrollment forecasting and resource planning models.
• Coordinate Course scheduling using enterprise tools (CourseDog/PeopleSoft).
• Direct 8-9 direct reports and drive AI-augmented workflows for efficiency.
• Act as operational liaison between directors, faculty, and central units.

Skills

Higher education administration

Employee supervision

Communication skills

Equity & inclusion

Education

BA/BS + 8 years experience or Master's + 6 years experience

Tools

CourseDog

Asana

PeopleSoft

GPAS

APAS

Job description

About the Job

The Director provides strategic governance, organizational design,and administrative leadership for CCAPS undergraduate and graduateacademic operations and student services. Managing amultidisciplinary team of 8-9 direct reports, this role drivesoperational excellence and workflow efficiency across the studentlifecycle using process mapping, data analytics, and AI-assistedenterprise tools. Operating with broad latitude in a complexenvironment, the position balances distinct undergraduate andgraduate student services with academic capacity planning andfiscal sustainability.

This is a hybrid position with 2-3 required in-office days weekly.There will be other days/times, including evenings when attendanceis expected at unit/college/campus level events. It is a 12-month,continuous position.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Cardsponsorship.

Key Responsibilities

Student Services & Lifecycle Optimization (45%)

Undergraduate Student Services

• Partner with the Director for Undergraduate Academic Advisingand Student Success to develop, maintain, and continuously improveundergraduate student handbooks and onboarding frameworks.
• Oversee undergraduate degree audit system operations (APAS) andthe exceptions process, using process mapping to streamlinehandoffs between academic advisors and central registrarteams.
• Direct undergraduate graduation clearance processes acrossCCAPS academic programs, integrating enterprise technology andautomated checks to eliminate administrative bottlenecks.
• Provide strategic undergraduate student services input duringcourse and curriculum development to ensure new academic offeringsare suitably resourced.

Graduate Student Services

• Lead the strategic coordination and execution of the graduateadmissions lifecycle, establishing equitable, holistic reviewpractices and leveraging data analytics to track funnelmetrics.
• Lead the coordination of annual academic progress reviewsacross all terms for graduate populations (utilizing GPAS) toensure milestone tracking and timely degree completion.
• Develop, maintain, and update graduate student handbooks,academic policies, and orientation processes tailored specificallyto post-baccalaureate student needs.
• Oversee graduate degree audit systems (GPAS), exceptionapprovals, and final degree clearance workflows for all CCAPSgraduate programs.

Strategic Academic Operations (30%)

• Design and implement data-driven enrollment forecasting modelsto establish course viability standards, optimize instructionalcapacity, and guide long-term resource allocation.
• Monitor instructional cost data alongside program leadership,ensuring alignment between course scheduling, faculty compensationcosts, enrollment projections, and unit financial goals.
• Lead unit-level planning and continuous improvement forcatalog, curriculum, and course scheduling using CourseDog, Asana,and PeopleSoft, exercising daily operational decision autonomywhile escalating systemic policy changes to executiveleadership.
• Interpret university and college academic policies, translatingthem into clear operational procedures and standardized workflowdocumentation.
• Partner with Directors of Undergraduate Programs and GraduatePrograms to develop faculty course assignments and manage adjunctand overload commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in instructionalhiring and course assignment workflows to build operationalscalability.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between directors,faculty, and central university units.

Leadership and Supervision (25%)

• Directly manage, lead, and evaluate a team of 8-9 directreports, exercising full supervisory authority to hire, transfer,suspend, promote, discharge, assign work, reward, and disciplinestaff.
• Build team capability in data literacy, enterprise systemsusage, and AI-augmented administrative workflows to streamlinehandoffs and reduce operational friction.
• Establish structured performance management and successionplanning frameworks to build internal bench strength and ensureunit continuity.
• Lead change management initiatives across the unit, guidingstaff through organizational design shifts and technologydeployments.
• Foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team environment,ensuring operational practices reflect the college's commitment toaccess and equity.

Qualifications

Required/Minimum

• BA/BS degree plus at least 8 years of relevant experience, or aMaster’s degree plus 6 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated successful experience in higher educationadministration and direct employee supervision, including formalauthority to hire, evaluate, assign work, and disciplinestaff.
• Demonstrated ability to engage diverse audiences and a strongcommitment to equity and inclusion.
• Strong collaborative, interpersonal, written, and oralcommunication skills.

Preferred

• Terminal degree or extensive experience navigating planning andoperations within a complex higher education environment.
• Demonstrated experience partnering with faculty and academicleaders within a research institution.
• Proven capability to leverage enterprise platforms, reportingtools, process mapping, and emerging technologies (including AItools) to optimize workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams anddirect management experience with large teams

Pay and Benefits

Pay Rang e: $92,000-$103,000; depending oneducation/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% App ointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for moreinformation regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional trainingand degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition BenefitProgram
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counselingat no cost
• Employee TransitPass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metroarea

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversityand inclusion in enriching the employment experience of itsemployees and in supporting the academic mission. The University iscommitted to attracting and retaining employees with varyingidentities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to andopportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment withoutregard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender,age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteranstatus, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successfulcompletion of a background check. Our presumption is thatprospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminalconvictions do not automatically disqualify finalists fromemployment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among thelargest public research universities in the country, offeringundergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude ofopportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of oneof the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities,students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit fromextensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers,international corporations, government agencies, and arts,nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized byForbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employerfor Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State(2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence &Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-lifeflexibility.