Academic Affairs Operations Manager

Job Responsibilities

The Academic Affairs Office Manager coordinates daily operational workflow for Academic Affairs and serves as a central point of coordination for divisional communication, scheduling priorities, meeting preparation, and follow-up. This role involves managing the Academic Affairs general inbox, routing inquiries appropriately, tracking action items, and supporting continuity of operations when the Chief Academic Officer is unavailable. The role also facilitates communication among academic leadership, faculty, staff, institutional offices, and external stakeholders.

This position coordinates timelines, documentation, deliverables, and follow-up activities for selected Academic Affairs priorities, strategic initiatives, partnership agreements, academic pathways, and cross-functional projects. It involves monitoring project status, maintaining organized records, identifying process gaps, and recommending improvements to support divisional efficiency and accountability. The role provides coordinated support to divisional leadership for initiatives assigned by the Chief Academic Officer.

The Academic Affairs Office Manager coordinates and tracks recurring administrative processes across Academic Affairs, including faculty appointment documentation, load documentation, credentialing support, hiring-related timelines, assignments, and administrative actions. This role partners with Human Resources, deans, and other appropriate offices to support accurate and timely completion of faculty-related processes. The role also maintains internal process guides, reference materials, and documentation for recurring Academic Affairs workflows.

The position coordinates Academic Affairs leadership meetings, retreats, governance-related follow-up, and divisional planning activities. It prepares agendas, materials, minutes, summaries, and action-item tracking documents. The role supports preparation of Academic Affairs materials for executive-level needs.

The role tracks divisional expenditures, maintains internal budget summaries, and assists with monitoring discretionary and travel budgets. It coordinates purchasing documentation with the Business Office and supports travel authorizations, arrangements, and reimbursement documentation for the Chief Academic Officer.

Minimum And Additional Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and experience in administrative operations, project coordination, executive support, office management, or a related area; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Preferred qualifications include experience working in higher education administration, as an office manager, business manager, or in a similar administrative leadership role, experience supporting senior leadership, experience coordinating complex projects or cross-functional initiatives.

Additional Comments

Applicants indicating degree(s) on the application may be required to provide unofficial copies of transcripts in the application process and official transcript upon hire.

Benefits:

• State of South Carolina Benefits: Includes health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.
• Insurance Benefits: Health insurance, including prescription coverage and wellness benefits; dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.
• Retirement Benefits: Defined benefit and defined contribution plans; South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.
• Workplace Benefits: Tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.