Operations Manager, Pathways Center

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Operations Manager at The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. supports the Pathways Center with comprehensive administrative, financial, and operational services, ensuring efficient day-to-day functioning of our student-centered advising and career development initiatives.

As the first point of contact, you will lead front desk operations, coordinate inquiries, and connect students with staff and campus resources while collaborating with Success Coaches and campus partners to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible administrative, operations, office management, or business management experience, preferably in higher education or a nonprofit environment.
• Demonstrated organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing exceptional customer service in a student-facing environment.
• Understanding of and appreciation for Manhattan University's Catholic Lasallian mission and heritage.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, adapt to changing demands, and exercise sound judgment in a fast-paced, student-centered environment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Canva. Experience with budgets and purchasing preferred.
• Familiarity with University administrative information systems.
• Knowledge of CRM platforms and project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage the daily administrative and operational functions of the Pathways Center while ensuring efficient workflow and exceptional customer service.
• Oversee the daily front office operations of the Center by welcoming and assisting students and visitors, responding to inquiries, coordinating appointments, and connecting individuals with appropriate staff and campus resources.
• Collaborate with Success Coaches, Directors, and campus partners to support coordinated student outreach, referral processes, milestone tracking, and assessment initiatives.
• Hire, onboard and supervise work-study and graduate assistant students.
• Manage departmental purchasing, procurement, invoices, reimbursements, travel requests, and other financial transactions in accordance with University policies.
• Monitor departmental operating budgets and prepare budget reports, reconciliations, expenditure tracking, and financial summaries for Center leadership.
• Provide administrative and budgetary support for the University's Title III grant and other grant-funded initiatives, including budget monitoring, purchasing, documentation, reporting, and compliance with grant requirements.
• Coordinate onboarding, student employment, and other personnel-related processes in collaboration with Human Resources.
• Schedule meetings, maintain calendars, prepare agendas, record meeting minutes for the Executive Director. Coordinate internal and external event communications.
• Working closely with events management, facilities, and catering for all internal and external events hosted by the center, including career fairs, mentoring program, workshops, and advising events and sessions and other Pathways Center initiatives.
• Maintain departmental records, databases, and files while ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with University policies.
• Manage office technology, equipment, supplies, facilities requests, and workspace needs.
• Assist with data collection, assessment reporting, and operational projects that support student success and institutional effectiveness.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Some nights and weekends required.

Skills

Customer service

Organizational skills

Project management

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Canva

CRM platforms

Project management tools

Job description

Position Description

The Operations Manager, reporting to the Executive Director forCareer Strategy and Advising, provides comprehensiveadministrative, financial, and operational support for the PathwaysCenter (a holistic center for career & academic planning andcoaching), ensuring the efficient day-to-day functioning of theUniversity's integrated advising, career development, employerrelations, and student success initiatives.

As the first point of contact for the Center, the OperationsManager leads the daily administrative operations of this dynamic,high-volume student services office, ensuring efficient workflow,exceptional customer service, and seamless coordination of frontdesk operations, communications, and inquiries while connectingstudents, faculty, employers, alumni, and community partners withthe appropriate resources and staff. The Operations Manager fostersa welcoming, responsive, and student-centered office environmentthat reflects the mission and values of the Pathways Center.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage the daily administrative and operational functions ofthe Pathways Center while ensuring efficient workflow andexceptional customer service.
• Manage the daily front office operations of the Center bywelcoming and assisting students and visitors, responding to phone,email, and walk-in inquiries, coordinating the flow of visitors andappointments, providing accurate information, and connectingindividuals with appropriate staff, services, and other campusresources.
• Collaborate with Success Coaches, Directors, and campuspartners to support coordinated student outreach, referralprocesses, milestone tracking, and assessment initiatives, ensuringtimely follow-up and efficient operational support for studentsuccess efforts.
• Hire, onboard and supervise work-study and graduate assistantstudents.
• Manage departmental purchasing, procurement, invoices,reimbursements, travel requests, and other financial transactionsin accordance with University policies.
• Monitor departmental operating budgets and prepare budgetreports, reconciliations, expenditure tracking, and financialsummaries for Center leadership.
• Provide administrative and budgetary support for theUniversity's Title III grant and other grant-funded initiatives,including budget monitoring, purchasing, documentation, reporting,and compliance with grant requirements.
• Coordinate onboarding, student employment, and otherpersonnel-related processes in collaboration with HumanResources.
• Schedule meetings, maintain calendars, prepare agendas, recordmeeting minutes for the Executive Director. Coordinate internal andexternal event communications.
• Working closely with events management, facilities, andcatering for all internal and external events hosted by the center,including career fairs, mentoring program, workshops, and advisingevents and sessions and other Pathways Center initiatives.
• Maintain departmental records, databases, and files whileensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with Universitypolicies.
• Manage office technology, equipment, supplies, facilitiesrequests, and workspace needs.
• Assist with data collection, assessment reporting, andoperational projects that support student success and institutionaleffectiveness.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Some nights and weekends required.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsibleadministrative, operations, office management, or businessmanagement experience, preferably in higher education or anonprofit environment.
• Demonstrated organizational, project management, andproblem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing exceptional customerservice in a student-facing environment.
• Understanding of and appreciation for Manhattan University'sCatholic Lasallian mission and heritage.

Preferred Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple prioritiessimultaneously, adapt to changing demands, and exercise soundjudgment in a fast-paced, student-centered environment.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communicationskills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Canva.Experience with budgets and purchasing preferred.
• Familiarity with University administrative informationsystems
• Knowledge of CRM platforms and project management tools.