Department Administrator 1

Target hiring range for this position is between $80,000-$100,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

About the Role

The Department/Center Administrator (DA/CA) is the senior administrative position in a department/center within the Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) and provides thought leadership in reviewing and recommending policy and procedure designed to enhance operational excellence. Ensures the effective, compliant, and efficient daily management of all operational, financial, and business functions in support of the business area's mission and in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Facilities, IT, and Provost. Represents the business area on internal and external administrative affairs by recommending alternatives and suggestions.

Work involves using judgment and extensive experience to adapt advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies, and procedures, requiring a moderate degree of innovation, analysis, and reasoning to plan and prioritize work that is primarily project-oriented and involves some extremely difficult problems and decisions. Interprets policy.

Responsibilities

• Budget & Financial
  • Serves a primary role in the development and implementation of the annual budget, including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment, and gift revenues.
  • Manages the budget for numerous research grants.
  • Responsible for payroll, purchasing, travel and entertainment (T&E) transactions, and requesting new chartstrings using NU protocol.
  • Prepares faculty salary recovery and summer salary.
  • Creates and monitors recharge centers.
  • Oversees prompt payment of invoices and related research of errors.
  • Monitors open encumbrances and deficit chartstrings.
  • Serves as a Level II approver in NUFS and a school-level approver in HRIS.
  • Routinely reviews and reconciles actual expenses to budget per NU Audit guidelines.
  • Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary and appropriate.
  • Responsible for stopping expenses that are inappropriate or against deficit chartstrings.
  • Negotiates with vendors for purchases and leases.
• Clinical Services
  • Manages day-to-day practice operations, ensuring the Foundation’s mission, values, and “Ideal Patient Experience” guidelines, policies, and procedures, clinical and service standards, and Billing Compliance Program are implemented and maintained.
  • Reviews service provided with goals and objectives and patient satisfaction surveys to identify improvement opportunities; works with leadership to create new procedures and practices.
  • Creates and maintains programs to review and analyze clinical performance at the faculty member, division, and departmental levels.
  • Ensures all staff members responsible for clinical practice management receive and maintain appropriate training related to their position responsibilities.
  • Identifies and assists with acquiring appropriate space for the department to develop and expand clinical operations.
• Communications & Outreach
  • Works closely with the Office of Alumni Relations to actively pursue opportunities for alumni contact and solicitation.
  • Delegates or completes maintenance of alumni lists or database, production, editing, and/or distribution of newsletters, and/or management of websites and special events.
• Facilities & Safety
  • Monitors area facilities conditions and directs requests to Facilities Management using FAMIS.
  • Maintains key database and security.
  • Works with management to assign staff and/or faculty space, including appropriate FM refresh/renovation and furniture purchase.
  • Coordinates setup of furniture, data, phone lines, and/or renovations.
  • Brings requests for building and space improvements to the attention of management.
  • Completes the appropriate section of the annual SIMS survey following NU protocol.
  • Manages the development and communication of the department safety plan.
  • Monitors research lab compliance and responds to Risk Management reports.
  • Ensures communication with Principal Investigators (PIs) regarding ISIS participation.
• Faculty Support
  • Manages administration of faculty recruitment, including ads, candidate communication, interview and visit, HRIS paperwork, and orientation.
  • Oversees the preparation of Promotion & Tenure cases.
  • Interprets and applies policy and procedure.
  • Oversees colloquium and seminar coordination, faculty travel planning.
  • Ensures faculty completion of the annual Conflict of Interest Survey.
• Grants & Contracts
  • Oversees and/or completes pre- and post-award research administration.
  • Utilizes established systems (effort reporting, direct cost charging/SDA, and financial reporting) to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
  • Interacts with Principal Investigators (PIs) to build relationships, transfer knowledge, and advise on research policies and procedures.
  • Oversees payroll for research appointments.
  • Ensures faculty completion of effort certification.
  • Provides appropriate training for staff and PIs.
• Human Resources
  • Manages implementation of human resource programs, policies, procedures, and talent management lifecycle, including related mentoring and training.
  • Posts positions to eRecruit, leads the recruitment and selection process.
  • Manages area/unit structure and prioritizes and distributes staff workload.
  • Oversees the Performance Excellence plan for each employee and prepares annual reviews.
  • Manages performance problems, administers leaves, approves timesheets, and oversees completion of the annual staff Conflict of Interest survey.
  • Recommends complex HR solutions and implements decisions.
  • Institutes departmental policy and implements school and NU policy.
• IT Services
  • Acts as liaison to IT to ensure technology systems are properly installed and maintained and meet the informational, analytical, and computing needs of users.
  • Ensures necessary hardware, software, and network infrastructure services are appropriated from central or internal IT.
  • Issues work order requests for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.
• Regulatory Compliance
  • Manages implementation of all safety, security, and compliance programs and ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and NU laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
  • Develops innovative methods to assist faculty and staff with adherence to grantor compliance programs.
• Strategic Planning
  • Manages and implements strategic operation plans.
  • Reviews plans, meets with leadership and key faculty and staff, and recommends changes and improvements to administrative operations to better meet organizational needs and objectives.
• Student Support
  • Implements department strategy regarding structure, process, and staff support of students in compliance with NU policy.
  • For graduate students:
    • Oversees annual recruitment and selection process and related data entry.
    • Resolves administrative issues (RAS forms, stipends, monitors fellowships, etc.).
    • Organizes new student week.
    • Advises students on an ongoing basis.
    • Researches scholarships, manages Teaching Assistant (TA) and grader allocations.
  • For undergraduate students:
    • Organizes new student week and orientation to the department.
    • Prepares the academic year course schedule; monitors course registration and enrollments.
    • Resolves student issues.
    • Acts as the primary contact with the School or student organizations.
• Supervisory
  • Supervises 2 or more staff and/or provides work direction to others.
  • Provides direction to or coordinates the administrative effort of staff within or outside of the immediate department or division.
• Miscellaneous
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as business, accounting, or related field; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 5 years of administrative experience including budgets, finance, grants, facilities, and/or human resources; or other relevant experience.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Paid medical/sick and parental leave.
• Tuition benefits for the employee and dependents.
• Pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care.
• Retirement savings options.
• Wellness programs.

For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit Northwestern Benefits.

Work-Life and Wellness

• Flexible work arrangements where possible.
• Programs to help locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care.
• Visit Work-Life and Wellness to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development

• Career development support, including tools and resources for professional growth.
• Opportunities for continuing formal education.
• Visit Professional Growth & Development to learn more.