Director of Operations and Special Projects

Description:

The Institute is searching for a Director of Operations and Special Projects who will report to the Executive Director and serve on the leadership team of the organization. The Director will play an important leadership role in furthering the Institute’s strategic growth and effectiveness. The Director recommends and implements strategies and policies to help ensure that the Institute meets its financial and operational objectives. The Director will provide critical senior staff counsel as well as nurture a positive team culture and ongoing learning across the organization. S/he will ensure that systems and processes are as effective as possible; maximizing the Institute’s efficiency and impact, and allowing the staff to do their best work. The Director will have an ability to understand how projects and teams are connected, inter-related, and funded. Supervising a small team, the Director supports program directors in managing their resources and teams effectively.

The Director of Operations and Special Projects will lead the administration team on the operations-related work of the Institute, including grants and contracts management, budget, administration, human resources, personnel management, and operations. The Director will also communicate regularly and work closely with the Office of Academic Affairs’ Administrative Services unit to ensure that fiscal and personnel operations are completed in keeping with CUNY and RFCUNY policies and protocols. The Director will maintain strict confidentiality regarding sensitive budgetary and human resource issues. The Director will also provide development, implementation, supervision and project management for special projects on an as-needed basis.

Responsibilities:

Administrative Leadership

• Leads and supervises the budget, human resources, administrative and operations functions of the Institute to support the Institute’s programs, projects, and initiatives, ensuring that each team has the resources and staff needed to do their work effectively and efficiently and meet project goals.
• Builds and fosters the Institute’s organizational culture of inclusivity, diversity, teamwork, flexibility, responsiveness, and collaboration.
• Directly supervises the Budget and Administration Senior Manager and Project Associate, and others as needed.
• Works with administrative and operations support staff at CUNY and RFCUNY to facilitate smooth and efficient functioning of fiscal and administrative processes.

• Works closely with the Executive Director on long-range strategic and growth planning.
• Ensures Institute compliance with CUNY and RFCUNY policies, protocols, and procedures.

Budget and Contracts Management

• Provides fiscal oversight and accountability for an annual organization budget of $20M+ with funding from public and private sources.
• Supervises staff to monitor and manage grants and contracts, including reporting. Monitors revenues from grants and contracts.

• Collaborates with Institute leadership and Directors in developing budgets for funding proposals/grant applications.
• Ensures monthly budget meetings with Budget and Administration Senior Manager and Directors to review budget spending reports.
• Ensures that budgets are appropriately allocated and spent in funding timeframes and in accordance with the guidance and restrictions of each grant/contract. Processes budget modifications as needed, per funding guidelines.
• Provides and ensures timely responses to budget issues and questions.

Human Resources Management

• Manages staffing processes, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and other human resource needs.
• Supervises, strategizes, and delegates scheduling, payroll, and time and leave processes for 100+ staff.
• Supervises annual revision of Staff Handbook.
• Leads the administrative team to ensure staff have access to the relevant resources and information that they need to be successful, e.g. communications about policy and procedure changes.

Procurement

• Supervises, revises, and communicates procurement policies that align with RFCUNY purchasing policies and expectations, including consultant and service contracts.
• Works with administration team to identify cost effective and efficient modes of procurement and to maintain positive relationships with key vendors.
• Sets expectations of Institute team to ensure the team implements accurate and appropriate procedures for orders and purchase requests, maintenance of inventories, payment of invoices, and utilization of funds.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties, including special projects, as assigned by the ED

Qualifications: