Senior Associate Director, Strategy and Operations

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is seeking a Senior Associate Director for Strategy and Operations. The role involves overseeing complex operational strategies, leading thematic initiatives, managing budgetary activities, and engaging with stakeholders to ensure program success. Ideal candidates will have seven or more years of experience in project management and a strong educational background.

Benefits

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years’ experience in related job discipline.
• Master's degree preferred, Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience in managing complex projects and analyzing data.

Responsibilities

• Oversees operational strategy and leads innovative initiatives.
• Manages interdisciplinary programs and stakeholder engagement.
• Supervises staff and manages budgets for operational activities.

Skills

Project Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Strategic Thinking

Data Analysis

Marketing Strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

MS Office Suite

CRM (Phoenix)

Job description

Department

Booth Strategic Initiatives

About The Department

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth Is Proud To Claim:

• an unmatched faculty.
• degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
• a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
• strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.
  
  

As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment.

For more information about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.

Job Summary

The Senior Associate Director, Strategy and Operations oversees complex operational strategies and drives innovative initiatives across multiple areas, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and maximizing impact. This role focuses on high-level management of key programs, research and data systems, stakeholder relationships, marketing, strategy development, program development, and team leadership, including the oversight of the Family Office Initiative's (FOI) budget, summit and major activities. This role will lead and develop the operational infrastructure, include being the primary liaison to the FOI steering committee, the Family Office Council, FOI committees, as well as Booth and University faculty and staff. The Senior Associate Director also manages operational aspects in collaboration with Booth’s partners in IT, accounting, facilities, and HR, including financial management, technology infrastructure, and other internal partners.

Responsibilities

• Operational Strategy and Leadership - develops and executes operational plans that align with institutional priorities. Ensures smooth administration of initiatives, including Family Office Initiative’s summits, workshops, courses, and research activities.
• Program Management - oversees the design, planning, and continual improvement of interdisciplinary programs for students, alumni, and council members. Manages domestic and international events and summits, ensuring efficiency and effective execution. Designs and develops innovative programs and engagement opportunities for council and event attendees. Oversees the development of student internship and development programs and partner with Booth career services to establish employment pipelines.
• Strategic Oversight - leads the integration of research-driven insights into organizational strategies and programs. Identifies growth opportunities and innovates new initiatives, emphasizing education, research, and networking in family office programs and activities. For students and alumni, develops and cultivates a recruitment/pipelining program, and for family office practitioners develops a peer-to-peer and trusted service provider network.
• Stakeholder Engagement - serves as the liaison between students, alumni, faculty, council, collaborators, and global communities. Builds partnerships with other Booth and UChicago departments and centers. Creates visibility for programs through collaboration and outreach. Develops and oversees avenues to deepen council and steering committee engagement. Manages internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Data and Research Analysis and Utilization - provides strategic oversight of data analytics and research tools, such as FINTRX, WealthBriefing, for actionable insights. Supports research assistants and research professionals. Builds frameworks for analyzing programs, applies and shares research, and ensures research partnerships.
• Team and Resource Management - supervises and mentors staff, ensuring they meet institutional standards. Manages budgets, allocates resources, and oversees compensation planning for administrative roles.
• Marketing and Communication - leads collaboration and marketing efforts for events including summits, workshops, and webinars. Ensures the creation and dissemination of high-impact resources for diverse audiences. Oversees the development of FOI website and newsletters for council and stakeholders. Ensures brand consistency and institutional visibility in print and digital outlets, including social media. Develops avenues to share research, insights, and market programs. Serves as main liaison to the Anthony Pritzker Family Foundation regarding FOI events, marketing materials, and impact of the fund/annual reports. Oversees the development and publishing of FOI annual report.
• Manages all financial activities, including financial analysis and reporting, budgeting, accounting, accounts receivable/payable, and procurement. Oversees facilities management, including renovations, moves, maintenance and ongoing facilities operations. Manages development of all contracts, including those with vendors and other institutions.
• May oversee the management of informational technology planning, ensuring necessary operating and information systems and resources are in place to accomplish strategic goals. Conceives and directs special projects related to the business of the organizational unit.
• Performs other related work as needed.
  
  

Education:

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Master’s degree.
  
  

Experience:

• A minimum of five years in a related job discipline with experience collecting and analyzing data, managing projects, developing programs, and/or executing complex projects.
  
  

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of platforms like Airtable, MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Google Workspace), CRM (Phoenix) and data-driven tools.
  
  

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to manage projects from inception to final deliverable, high commitment to successful project leadership and execution.
• Advanced skills in planning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and aligning goals with institutional vision.
• Develop and lead effective marketing strategies, ensuring global visibility for programs and events.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with flexibility to adapt to dynamic stakeholder needs. Strong relationship-building capabilities with diverse constituencies.
• A proactive, innovative approach for managing resources and dynamic priorities.
• Work independently with little supervision; possess a self-motivated disposition; identify opportunities for improvement and recommend effective changes, all while achieving key objectives resulting in desired outcomes.
• Creative and resourceful with strong problem-solving skills and willingness to seek out, coordinate, and appropriately disseminate information to key stakeholders.
• Handle multiple detailed tasks/projects simultaneously and meet strict deadlines with frequent interruptions.
• Professional demeanor, including tact, discretion, and a customer service-oriented approach.
  
  

Working Conditions

• This position works remotely.
• Work evenings or weekends for events and adapt to varying job demands.
  
  

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
  
  

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$75,000.00 - $90,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.