Business Officer

Brief Summary Of Job Duties

The Business Officer is responsible for the full range of management functions for the Global Studies Department encompassing administration, financial management, contract and grant administration, staff and academic personnel, academic and student support services, technical support services, purchasing, facilities maintenance and renovation, instructional resources and safety programs.

Develops and implements operating policies and procedures as they relate to overall department goals and objectives. Independently solves problems requiring interpretation of a wide variety of federal, state, and campus policies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training
• 1-3 years Supervisory and Personnel work experience
• 1-3 years Financial Work experience
• Student Advisory experience

Preferred Qualifications

• 4-6 years Supervisory, personnel, and financial work experience
• Thorough knowledge of University rules and regulations, processes, protocols and procedures for budget, accounting and fund management, and / or personnel management.
• Interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, persuasiveness, advising and counseling skills.
• Knowledge of a variety of administrative operational activities such as event planning, basic fundraising processes, risk management planning, website design, accounting and payroll, and contracts and grants regulations and guidelines.
• Solid knowledge of common University-specific computer application programs.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Strong skills in short-term planning, analysis, problem-solving, and customer service.
• Thorough knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques, and / or human resources policies and procedures for staff and academic employees.

Special Conditions Of Employment

• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Job Functions And Percentages Of Time

• 30% General Administration - The Business Officer has full responsibility for the complex, multi-functions of the Department of Global Studies. Responsible for all management functions necessary for the conduct of teaching, research, and performance missions of the Global Studies, its undergraduate program, PhD emphasis in Global Studies, Masters of Arts in Global Studies, and PhD program. The Department provides research support for visiting scholars from around the globe, hosts academic and cultural events involving faculty, students, guest speakers, and public officials and figures, through conferences, seminars, workshops, and lecture series, on campus, in the community, and internationally. Advises and assists the department Chair in all aspects of operations. Provides administrative analysis in all aspects related to operations, budgets, grants/awards, accounting, payroll, space and personnel, and has full functional responsibility for planning, directing, controlling and evaluating the organizational structures, policies, procedures, practices, and cost benefit studies for the Global Studies Department. Provides oversight and administrative leadership in the areas of budget, financial management, contract and grant administration, staff and academic personnel and payroll, instructional program administration, space utilization, facilities and equipment management, and program planning. Actively participates and advises academic leadership in analysis and implementation of both short-term and long-range planning. Oversees academic student affairs. Supervises all support staff. These responsibilities require thorough knowledge of University, State, and Federal regulations, policies, guidelines and procedures. Develops and implements operating policies and procedures as they relate to overall goals and objectives, and interprets policies for faculty, staff, and students. Requires considerable initiative, independent judgment, and professional orientation. Strong problem solving, organizational, verbal and written communications skills required. Serves as the department liaison to other campus/off-campus academic and administrative units/agencies. Represents the department at campus meetings. Maintains broad knowledge of university policies, procedures, and their current interpretations. Assesses and analyzes the effects of changes in policies and procedures on department operations and implements appropriate modifications as required. Executes sound judgment and tact in problem-solving and decision making. Handles confidential faculty and staff matters and ensures compliance with and implementation of affirmative action guidelines and procedures. Provides consultation and advice to the Chair and faculty and staff on University, State, and Federal regulations, policies, guidelines and procedures. Attends faculty meetings, helps set agenda and coordinates minutes.
• 30% Financial Management - The Business Officer is responsible for the supervision of the financial affairs of the department, deriving from multiple funding sources including state and federal monies, as well as extramural funds in the form of both grants and gifts. Extramural funding includes several multi-year grants/gifts in addition to the management of all aspects of research support and programming needs for 2 Endowed Chairs. Projects and monitors expenditures within the department operating budgets, gift and grant accounts, and a variety of one-time allocation accounts (e.g. faculty start-up and retention funds, Instructional Development, and L&S computer funds). In consultation with the Chair, provides fiscal priorities as well as long-range planning in the budget. Responsible for overseeing the program financial affairs, including monitoring allocations, expenditures, and ensuring compliance to campus, state and federal agencies for all fund sources. Oversees funding of events (multiple lectures and several multi-day workshops and conferences per year) and jointly funded events with other departments. Establishes, monitors, maintains, updates, and insures compliance of department policies and procedures in conjunction with established campus and system wide policy. Authorizes expenditures of funds and has signature authority for all department support budget functions. Must report on all financial matters. Has responsibility and authority to identify administrative areas for analysis, to develop plans for necessary changes, and to implement those changes. Maintains an ongoing review of financial goals, and evaluates their degree of attainment. Identifies anomalies in data, defines problems behind them, and devises solutions. Prepares the Temporary Faculty/TA FTE and the Summer Sessions teaching and budget requests in consultation with the Chair, including recommendations of course assignments, visiting appointments, and preparation of the budget request. Responsible for supervising the day-to-day processing of financial transactions via payroll transactions, reimbursements, recharges, purchasing, travel, and equipment inventory. Advises faculty on policy regarding budgets, fellowships, and grant requests; establishes procedures for submissions of applications and reports; and is responsible for the administration of such university.