Operations Manager, Pathways Center

Manhattan College; Northern, New York (KY, NY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Manhattan College seeks an Operations Manager for the Pathways Center to provide administrative, financial, and operational support for career strategy and advising, ensuring efficient day-to-day functioning.

The role leads front desk operations, coordinates inquiries, and connects students, faculty, employers, alumni, and partners with resources to support student success. Strong organizational and budgeting skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible administrative, operations, office management, or business management experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily administrative and operational functions of the Pathways Center with focus on efficiency and service.
• Lead front desk operations: welcome students, respond to inquiries, coordinate flow of visitors and appointments.
• Collaborate with Success Coaches, Directors, and campus partners to support outreach, tracking, and assessment.
• Hire, onboard and supervise work-study and graduate assistant students.
• Oversee purchasing, procurement, invoices, reimbursements, travel requests, and financial transactions per policies.
• Monitor budgets and prepare reports for Center leadership.

Skills

Organizational skills

Project management

Problem-solving

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Canva

CRM platforms

Project management tools

Job description

The Operations Manager, reporting to the Executive Director for Career Strategy and Advising, provides comprehensive administrative, financial, and operational support for the Pathways Center (a holistic center for career & academic planning and coaching), ensuring the efficient day-to-day functioning of the University's integrated advising, career development, employer relations, and student success initiatives.

As the first point of contact for the Center, the Operations Manager leads the daily administrative operations of this dynamic, high-volume student services office, ensuring efficient workflow, exceptional customer service, and seamless coordination of front desk operations, communications, and inquiries while connecting students, faculty, employers, alumni, and community partners with the appropriate resources and staff. The Operations Manager fosters a welcoming, responsive, and student-centered office environment that reflects the mission and values of the Pathways Center.

• Manage the daily administrative and operational functions of the Pathways Center while ensuring efficient workflow and exceptional customer service.
• Manage the daily front office operations of the Center by welcoming and assisting students and visitors, responding to phone, email, and walk-in inquiries, coordinating the flow of visitors and appointments, providing accurate information, and connecting individuals with appropriate staff, services, and other campus resources.
• Collaborate with Success Coaches, Directors, and campus partners to support coordinated student outreach, referral processes, milestone tracking, and assessment initiatives, ensuring timely follow-up and efficient operational support for student success efforts.
• 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.

Required 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.

Preferred Skills and Competencies

• 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.