Director, Academic Operations and Student Services

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

Job summary

University of Minnesota in Saint Paul is seeking a Director to provide strategic governance, organizational design, and administrative leadership for CCAPS undergraduate and graduate academic operations and student services.

The role oversees 8-9 direct reports in a hybrid 12‑month position, with 2–3 in-office days weekly and occasional evenings for campus events; H-1B or Green Card sponsorship is not offered. This is a senior leadership role focused on student lifecycle optimization.

Qualifications

• BA/BS with 8+ years or MA with 6+ years in higher education administration.
• Experience supervising large teams and managing staff.
• Proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Strong data literacy and use of enterprise systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead undergraduate student services and onboarding frameworks.
• Oversee undergraduate degree audit and graduation clearance.
• Coordinate graduate admissions lifecycle and progress reviews.
• Direct strategic academic operations and enrollment forecasting.
• Manage 8-9 direct reports and drive change management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

People management

Data analytics

Process improvement

Communication

Equity and inclusion

Education

BA/BS + 8 years

MA + 6 years

Tools

APAS

GPAS

CourseDog

Asana

PeopleSoft

Job description

• Location: Twin Cities
• Full/Part Time: Full-Time
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Job Code: 9362MD
• Employee Class: Acad Prof and Admin

About the Job

The Director provides strategic governance, organizational design, and administrative leadership for CCAPS undergraduate and graduate academic operations and student services. Managing a multidisciplinary team of 8-9 direct reports, this role drives operational excellence and workflow efficiency across the student lifecycle using process mapping, data analytics, and AI-assisted enterprise tools. Operating with broad latitude in a complex environment, the position balances distinct undergraduate and graduate student services with academic capacity planning and fiscal sustainability.

This is a hybrid position with 2-3 required in-office days weekly. There will be other days/times, including evenings when attendance is 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 Card sponsorship.

Key Responsibilities

Student Services & Lifecycle Optimization (45%)

Undergraduate Student Services

• Partner with the Director for Undergraduate Academic Advising and Student Success to develop, maintain, and continuously improve undergraduate student handbooks and onboarding frameworks.
• Oversee undergraduate degree audit system operations (APAS) and the exceptions process, using process mapping to streamline handoffs between academic advisors and central registrar teams.
• Direct undergraduate graduation clearance processes across CCAPS academic programs, integrating enterprise technology and automated checks to eliminate administrative bottlenecks.
• Provide strategic undergraduate student services input during course and curriculum development to ensure new academic offerings are suitably resourced.

Graduate Student Services

• Lead the strategic coordination and execution of the graduate admissions lifecycle, establishing equitable, holistic review practices and leveraging data analytics to track funnel metrics.
• Lead the coordination of annual academic progress reviews across all terms for graduate populations (utilizing GPAS) to ensure milestone tracking and timely degree completion.
• Develop, maintain, and update graduate student handbooks, academic policies, and orientation processes tailored specifically to post-baccalaureate student needs.
• Oversee graduate degree audit systems (GPAS), exception approvals, and final degree clearance workflows for all CCAPS graduate programs.

Strategic Academic Operations (30%)

• Design and implement data-driven enrollment forecasting models to establish course viability standards, optimize instructional capacity, and guide long-term resource allocation.
• Monitor instructional cost data alongside program leadership, ensuring alignment between course scheduling, faculty compensation costs, enrollment projections, and unit financial goals.
• Lead unit-level planning and continuous improvement for catalog, curriculum, and course scheduling using CourseDog, Asana, and PeopleSoft, exercising daily operational decision autonomy while escalating systemic policy changes to executive leadership.
• Interpret university and college academic policies, translating them into clear operational procedures and standardized workflow documentation.
• Partner with Directors of Undergraduate Programs and Graduate Programs to develop faculty course assignments and manage adjunct and overload commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in instructional hiring and course assignment workflows to build operational scalability.
• 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 direct reports, exercising full supervisory authority to hire, transfer, suspend, promote, discharge, assign work, reward, and discipline staff.
• Build team capability in data literacy, enterprise systems usage, and AI-augmented administrative workflows to streamline handoffs and reduce operational friction.
• Establish structured performance management and succession planning frameworks to build internal bench strength and ensure unit continuity.
• Lead change management initiatives across the unit, guiding staff through organizational design shifts and technology deployments.
• Foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team environment, ensuring operational practices reflect the college's commitment to access and equity.

Qualifications

Required/Minimum:

• BA/BS degree plus at least 8 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated successful experience in higher education administration and direct employee supervision, including formal authority to hire, evaluate, assign work, and discipline staff.
• Demonstrated ability to engage diverse audiences and a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Strong collaborative, interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.

Preferred:

• Terminal degree or extensive experience navigating planning and operations within a complex higher education environment.
• Demonstrated experience partnering with faculty and academic leaders within a research institution.
• Proven capability to leverage enterprise platforms, reporting tools, process mapping, and emerging technologies (including AI tools) to optimize workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams and direct management experience with large teams

Pay and Benefits

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

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

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

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• 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 counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

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 diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, 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 successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive 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 by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for 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-life flexibility.