Director of Administrative Operations - BSPH (Finance & Administration) - #Staff

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) seeks a Director of Administrative Operations to advance operational excellence as the senior administrative leader for the School's departments. Partner with chairs, Academic Department Administrators, and School leadership to drive standardization, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision making.

Reporting to the Executive Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, the role oversees performance development and succession planning

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, Finance, Research Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Ten years of leadership experience in administrative operations, finance, research administration, or a related administrative function, including supervising staff and leading initiatives.
• Experience leading organizational change, business process improvement, and strategic initiatives across multiple functional areas.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders to implement organizational strategies and improve performance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic advisor to EVP for Finance and Administration on administrative strategy and operational transformation.
• Partner with School leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives improving operations and workforce planning.
• Lead design and continuous improvement of processes, systems, and structures to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Champion School-wide operational excellence initiatives and cross-functional process improvement from planning to implementation.
• Lead organizational change with stakeholder engagement and adoption strategies.
• Represent BSPH on university committees, contributing expertise on operations and risk management.
• Foster collaborations across departments to strengthen administrative effectiveness.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Change management

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-informed decision making

Project management

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/public administration/finance/related field

Ten years of leadership experience in administrative operations

Experience supervising professional staff

Experience leading organizational change and process improvement

Tools

SAP

Workday

Oracle

Microsoft Office

BI tools

Job description

We are seeking a Director of Administrative Operations for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) who will serve as the senior administrative leader responsible for advancing operational excellence across the School's academic departments. Reporting to the Executive Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, this position provides strategic leadership to strengthen departmental administration through the development of Academic Department Administrators, operational standardization, continuous improvement, organizational effectiveness, and technology-enabled innovation.

The Director partners closely with department chairs, Academic Department Administrators, the Divisional Business Office, and School leadership to enhance administrative performance, improve compliance, promote operational consistency, and lead strategic initiatives that support the School's mission. This role oversees the performance, development, and succession planning of Academic Department Administrators while driving business process improvement, organizational change, data-informed decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Executive Vice Dean for Finance and Administration and School leadership on administrative strategy, organizational effectiveness, and operational transformation.
• Partner with School leadership and academic departments to develop and implement strategic initiatives that improve administrative operations through organizational development, workforce planning, business process redesign, and technology.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of administrative processes, systems, and organizational structures that enhance consistency, efficiency, compliance, and service delivery.
• Champion School-wide operational excellence initiatives, leading cross-functional business process improvement efforts from planning through implementation.
• Lead organizational change initiatives by developing stakeholder engagement, communication, implementation, and adoption strategies that ensure successful outcomes.
• Represent BSPH on University committees and working groups, contributing expertise on administrative operations, business continuity, and institutional initiatives.
• Foster collaborative partnerships across departments to strengthen administrative effectiveness and support the School's strategic priorities.

Department Administration Leadership

• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to Academic Department Administrators, aligning departmental administration with School priorities while promoting operational excellence and leadership development.
• Build and sustain a collaborative community of practice among Academic Department Administrators that encourages knowledge sharing, professional development, and adoption of best practices.
• Oversee performance management, mentoring, succession planning, and professional development for Academic Department Administrators in partnership with department chairs and Human Resources.
• Advise Academic Department Administrators, in collaboration with the Senior Director of Finance, on administrative, financial, academic, and operational matters.
• Partner with department chairs to provide supervisory guidance and conduct annual performance evaluations for Academic Department Administrators.
• Support departmental strategic planning, operating and capital budget planning, and administrative improvement initiatives.
• Develop and oversee administrative performance dashboards, metrics, and reporting that provide meaningful insights for School leadership and support informed decision-making.
• Serve as point of contact for Academic Department Administrators in support of external operational audits, and liaise with internal subject matter experts as needed on specific audit requirements.

Operational Excellence

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance reporting to assess departmental effectiveness, operational efficiency, resource utilization, and service quality.
• Analyze operational data and organizational trends to identify opportunities for improvement and provide actionable recommendations to School leadership.
• Advance the effective use of technology, automation, and digital tools to streamline workflows, improve operational efficiency, and enhance service delivery.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standards and best practices that promote consistent, efficient, and compliant administrative operations across the School.
• Identify and implement strategies that strengthen internal controls, reduce operational risk, improve compliance, and enhance administrative effectiveness.
• Manage departmental space allocation and support schoolwide space planning.

Strategic Projects

• Lead or support strategic initiatives identified by the Executive Vice Dean for Finance and Administration, including organizational assessments, operational analyses, and implementation of complex administrative initiatives.
• Conduct benchmarking analyses and evaluate emerging best practices to identify opportunities for organizational improvement and operational excellence.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams responsible for strategic initiatives, business process improvement projects, and organizational analyses that advance the School's long-term strategic objectives.

Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of administrative leadership, organizational management, and operations within a complex academic, healthcare, or research environment.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking with the ability to translate organizational priorities into operational plans and measurable outcomes.
• Proven leadership, coaching, and talent development skills with experience building high-performing teams and developing future leaders.
• Ability to influence without direct authority, build consensus among diverse stakeholders, and effectively advise senior leaders on complex organizational issues.
• Experience leading organizational change, continuous improvement initiatives, and implementation of new administrative processes, technologies, and operating models.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex issues and develop practical, data-informed solutions.
• Experience developing and utilizing key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, analytics, and performance metrics to support operational excellence and strategic decision-making.
• Knowledge of business process improvement methodologies and experience redesigning and optimizing administrative processes.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to prioritize competing demands in a dynamic environment.
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leaders, faculty, administrators, staff, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships and work effectively across organizational boundaries.
• Commitment to responsive, collaborative, and customer-focused service.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, coaching, and evaluating professional staff.
• Advanced proficiency with enterprise business systems (e.g., SAP, Workday, Oracle), Microsoft Office applications, and business intelligence, reporting, and data visualization tools.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, Finance, Research Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Ten years of leadership experience in administrative operations, finance, research administration, or a related administrative function within a complex organization, including experience supervising professional staff and leading organizational or operational initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change, business process improvement, and strategic initiatives across multiple functional areas
• Experience partnering with senior leaders to develop and implement organizational strategies, improve operational performance, and achieve institutional objectives.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple complex initiatives while exercising sound judgment, building consensus, and delivering measurable result.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Experience leading administrative operations in a research university, academic medical center, or similarly complex organization.
• Leadership experience in academic department administration.
• Experience leading administrative transformation, organizational redesign, or enterprise-wide change management initiatives.
• Experience developing performance metrics, dashboards, and data-driven approaches to organizational decision making.
• Experience fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing work environment while working effectively with diverse faculty, staff, students, and institutional leaders.

Classified Title: Director, Administrative Operations-BSPH

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Director of Administrative Operations - BSPH (Finance & Administration)

Role/Level/Range: L/05/LG

Starting Salary Range: $114,595 - $225,000 Annually ($225,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/School of Public Health

Department name: Sr Assoc Dean for Fnce and Admin Off of

Personnel area: School of Public Health

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.