Director, Operations

tamus; College Station (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas A&M Engineering's J. Mike Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering in College Station seeks a Director of Operations to lead administrative and planning functions, partner with the Department Head, and drive cross-functional initiatives across faculty, staff, and student services.

The role emphasizes executive-level analysis, project management, and collaborative leadership to ensure operational excellence and strategic alignment with the college's mission and goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten years of related experience in management.

Responsibilities

• Executive Support: Serve as a partner to the Department Head by advancing departmental priorities through planning, coordination, and execution of initiatives.
• Operations and Organizational Leadership: Provide leadership and oversight for designated administrative and student service units, ensuring efficient operations and exceptional service to faculty, staff, and students.
• Faculty Affairs and Department Administration: Coordinate faculty appointments, onboarding, promotion and tenure processes, endowed positions, annual reporting, and other faculty-related administrative activities.
• Planning, Coordination, and Special Projects: Lead complex initiatives requiring collaboration across faculty, staff, college leadership, and other partners.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with faculty, students, alumni, industry partners, and college leadership.

Education

Bachelor's degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience

Job description

Job Title

Director, Operations

Agency

Texas A&M Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Why work for Texas A&M Engineering?

Who we are

Engineering has been part of Texas A&M University since its opening in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Today, the College of Engineering is the largest college on the College Station campus with more than 25,000 engineering students enrolled in 15 departments. Its mission is to serve Texas, the nation and the global community by providing engineering graduates who are well-founded in engineering fundamentals, instilled with the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and prepared to meet the complex technical challenges of society.

As the research arm of Engineering, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) is a state agency within the Texas A&M University System with a mission to improve lives through basic and applied engineering research, workforce development and technology transition. Our collaborations with industry, academia and government provide cutting-edge solutions to global technical challenges.

We are deeply committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce that embraces our core values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Service, by offering competitive salaries, an array of benefits, an extensive support network, and above all, an enriching and highly collaborative working community that is deeply passionate about our vision for higher education, research, and public service.

Purpose

The Director of Operations and Planning serves as a partner to the Department Head, providing leadership, coordination, and oversight for the administrative and operational functions of the department. Working with a high degree of independence and judgment, this position leads cross-functional initiatives, advances department priorities, oversees key administrative operations, and partners with faculty and staff to foster an efficient, collaborative, and high-performing organization.

The Director serves as a trusted advisor to department leadership, translating vision into actionable plans, coordinating implementation across multiple stakeholders, and ensuring operational excellence in support of the department's mission.

Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Serve as a partner to the Department Head by advancing departmental priorities through planning, coordination, and execution of initiatives.
• Translate goals into actionable plans, monitor progress, remove barriers, and ensure timely completion of complex projects.
• Provide executive-level analysis, recommendations, and decision support on operational and organizational matters.
• Lead special projects and initiatives that improve departmental effectiveness, organizational performance, and stakeholder experience.

Operations and Organizational Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight for designated administrative and student service units, ensuring efficient operations and exceptional service to faculty, staff, and students.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture through employee engagement, professional development, effective communication, and change management.
• Identify opportunities to improve business processes, organizational effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a liaison to centralized units.

Faculty Affairs and Department Administration

• Coordinate faculty appointments, onboarding, promotion and tenure processes, endowed positions, annual reporting, and other faculty-related administrative activities.
• Ensure compliance with university and college policies while serving as a liaison with central administrative units.
• Support department leadership in planning, organizational initiatives, and administrative decision-making.

Planning, Coordination, and Special Projects

• Lead complex initiatives requiring collaboration across faculty, staff, college leadership, and other partners.
• Coordinate departmental planning efforts, monitor progress toward objectives, and communicate outcomes to stakeholders.
• Serve as a primary resource for research, analysis, reporting, and project coordination supporting executive decision-making.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with faculty, students, alumni, industry partners, and college leadership.
• Partner with development, communications, and departmental leadership to support engagement activities, external partnerships, and initiatives that advance the department's reputation and goals.

What we need

• Bachelor's degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten years of related experience in management.

Work Location

Main Campus - College Station, TX.

About Mechanical Engineering

The J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University is a national and international