Department Manager (19411)

About the Department/Unit

Departments within the School of International Service (SIS) serve as academic, organizational and community homes for our faculty, department staff, and students (undergraduate and graduate), while also facilitating interdisciplinary work within and across the school's programs and initiatives.  These are ‘non-traditional’ departments:  they fill core traditional departmental functions for faculty affairs and curricular development and delivery, but they are also specifically designed to be ‘incubators’ of SIS innovation:   developing new ‘thought leadership’ initiatives, driving more outwardly-facing engagement on translational work and issues; strengthening engagement with alumni and donors; and investing in pilots and partnerships that ensure SIS remains a Top 10 school of international studies and is viewed as cutting-edge on interdisciplinary approaches to solving challenges at the intersection of key global issues.  The Department Manager creates and leverages opportunities to enable departments to serve as incubators for strategic innovation, brings expertise in the business and operational requirements and trade-offs of specific investments and priorities, and serves as a strategic partner alongside other department leadership positions. The Department Manager is the key staff member responsible for the department’s thriving, and as part of that collaborates with the other members of the department leadership team to create, cultivate, and ensure a community within the department for students, faculty, and staff.  

The Department Manager will help us build the foundations of our exciting new academic departments. The Department Manager is a key staff member responsible for the overall success of the department. They play a strategic role in developing and implementing departmental policies and procedures, overseeing faculty affairs, managing the budget, and ensuring that the department is meeting its academic and operational goals. The Department Manager also collaborates with other SIS departments and offices to promote innovation and inclusive excellence.

This requisition is filling five positions at SIS's new departments. Positions to be filled are: 19411, 19412, 19413, 19414, 19451.  If there is any preference to work in a specific department, please mention this in your Cover Letter:

• Dept. of Environment, Development & Health (19414)
• Dept. of Politics, Governance & Economics (19413)
• Dept. of Peace, Human Rights & Cultural Relations (19412)
• Dept. of Foreign Policy & Global Security (19411)
• Dept. of Global Inquiry (19451)

Summary/Objective

Essential Functions

1. Strategic Management of Department Budget, Operations, and Administration: The Department Manager shapes and executes a set of annual goals to guide priorities and decision-making and assesses progress throughout the year. They provide and share knowledge and continuity across department chairs (which rotate on a regular basis) and develop and maintain departmental-level procedures and systems related to course planning, faculty and student affairs, and other department activities. The Department Manager designs, implements, and periodically reviews department administrative and operational policies, procedures, and guidance, and designs and executes systems to make department decision making more data-driven.   
2. Curriculum Management & Student Affairs: The Department Manager manages the process for the preparation, submission, review, and adjustment of the department’s annual course offerings and course schedule. With the support of the Academic Program Coordinator, they oversee the planning and execution of student-facing programming as well as provide graduate program support and backstopping support as necessary. 
3. Faculty Affairs: The Department Manager executes department-led processes for faculty affairs, including the collection of merit scores, the appointment and reappointment of term and adjunct faculty, processes related to faculty searches, and onboarding of new faculty.  The Department Manager develops and executes processes to support data-driven decision making and to align faculty resources with department needs.
4. Material Development and Communications, Website, and Events Management: The Department Manager manages the generation of content creation for the department websites and disseminates department activities, achievements, and information across SIS, AU, and externally as appropriate, to create an accessible, differentiated “identity” that amplifies the Departmental contributions to the overall SIS/AU brand In collaboration with the Department Chair, the Department Manager develops and implements a strategy, based on department goals, for determining what faculty-initiated events will be supported by department resources, including funding and staffing. 
5. Staff Supervision Training and Guidance: The Department Manager hires, onboards/trains, and supervises the Academic Program Coordinator and other student or part-time staff (if relevant). They complete the annual Performance Management Plan process with staff in the department, ensure staff meet performance expectations, and provide coaching or supervisory directives when needed. 
6. Special Project and Other Duties: The Department Manager conducts additional projects as assigned by the Department Chair. The Department Manager also represents the department or its programs on SIS, AU or departmental committees or task forces, as necessary. The position serves as a backstop for other Department Managers or Academic Program Coordinators as necessary.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Department Managers for Dept. of Environment, Development & Health (19414), Dept. of Politics, Governance & Economics (19413), Dept. of Peace, Human Rights & Cultural Relations (19412), Dept. of Foreign Policy & Global Security (19411) supervise Academic Program Coordinator, a Full-Time staff, and part-time or student employees.
• The Department Manager for the Dept. of Global Inquiry (19451) does not supervise an Academic Program Coordinator.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Full-Time.
• Exempt.
• Sr. Coordinator/Analyst B.
• Hybrid work arrangements: 3-4 days a week in-person, 1-2 days a week remote.
• The Department Manager for the Dept. of Global Inquiry (19451) is union eligible.

Salary Range

• $70,000-$75,0000, Commensurate with experience.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree.
• 3-5 years of relevant experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

• 5-7 years of relevant experience. Experience working with senior leaders to develop and operationalize strategic prioirities.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience with financial administration, Experience with data analysis, business intelligence and other data system and data-driven decision making.
• Office management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Must be dependable and exhibit sound judgment and professionalism.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Microsoft Outlook; facility with technology and familiarity with email distribution lists.
• Organizational skills.
• Experience in event management.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Must be dependable and exhibit sound judgment and professionalism.
• Must be able to function independently with attention to detail and minimal supervision.