Director of Strategic Operations (Senior Administrative Program Support)

UConn Hartford – Full-time, 12-month, annually renewable position with end date.

About the Role

The Wells Fargo Center for Neurodiversity & Inclusive Employment at the University of Connecticut seeks a Director of Strategic Operations (Senior Administrative Program Support) to integrate strategy, operations, finance, and program execution into a unified infrastructure that enables the Center to scale its work across employers, universities, community partners, and neurodivergent job seekers. The Director reports to the Executive Director and exercises operational financial authority over a $3.75M multi-year grant, including budget monitoring, expenditure approval, vendor contract management, and financial reporting to external funders. This role supervises staff and serves as the Center’s second-most senior representative at the university level. Based in Hartford, the position may require travel to Storrs or other regional campuses, as well as in-state and out-of-state locations, and occasional weekend and evening hours for program activities and events.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Operational Leadership:
  • Translate Center-wide strategic priorities into operational plans, processes, and systems to enable execution, growth, and national leadership.
  • Anticipate organizational needs, identify operational risks, and develop solutions ensuring operational and program integrity and sustainability.
  • Serve as a key strategic partner and primary advisor to the Executive Director, shaping planning, resource allocation, and long-term operational directions.
• Enterprise Systems Design & Organizational Infrastructure:
  • Build and optimize workflow systems, contracting processes, procurement pathways, CRM and data structures, and reporting mechanisms.
  • Design infrastructure ensuring institutional compliance, operational continuity, and stakeholder confidence.
  • Establish repeatable, scalable operational practices supporting the Center’s national expansion across 30+ corporate and university partners.
• Strategic Financial Management & Fiscal Stewardship:
  • Exercise operational financial authority, including budget monitoring, expenditure approval, vendor contract management, and financial reporting to external funders.
  • Provide financial modeling and analysis informing strategic decisions, program viability, and external partnership commitments.
  • Create transparent, accurate, and compliant financial practices supporting external funders, UConn leadership, and multi-year growth strategies.
• Program & Initiative Execution:
  • Lead operational execution of the Center’s flagship employer education programs across the U.S., including planning, vendor management, scheduling, and partner coordination.
  • Uphold institutional standards for reputation, visibility, and inclusive excellence.
  • Resolve real-time issues during delivery, ensuring high-quality outcomes for corporate, university, and community partners.
• Cross-Institutional & External Coordination:
  • Serve as the Center’s primary operational liaison with the School of Business Finance, HR, Administrative Leads, UConn Foundation, Procurement, Accounts Receivable, Cash Operations, Sponsored Programs, Compliance, Legal, and external partner organizations.
  • Represent the Center in operational matters with Wells Fargo program officers, UConn Foundation, Sponsored Programs, and corporate partner organizations; second in seniority representing the Center at the university level.
  • Strengthen UConn’s leadership in neurodiversity and workplace inclusion through effective operational partnerships and academic research projects.
• Staff Supervision, Leadership & Team Enablement:
  • Directly supervise full-time and part-time staff, including setting performance objectives, providing feedback and coaching, conducting performance evaluations, and managing workload allocation.
  • Delegate tasks strategically to enable team efficiency and maintain operational integrity.
  • Develop training materials, workflow guides, templates, and tools to support staff adoption of new systems, policies, and practices.
• Data, Reporting & Strategic Insights:
  • Build and maintain dashboards integrating financial, operational, and program activity; use data to inform strategic decisions, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.
  • Produce reports for University leadership, funders, and partners.
• Confidentiality & Professional Standards:
  • Manage sensitive financial, contractual, personnel, and partner information with discretion.
  • Uphold the professional standards expected of a leadership position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology or business administration.
• Five to six years of progressively responsible experience in operations, program management, or administrative leadership, with at least two years as an advanced/senior team member or project lead.
• Demonstrated experience in financial management, including budget oversight, expenditure approval, and reporting to external funders or sponsors.
• Demonstrated experience directly supervising professional staff, including setting priorities, conducting evaluations, and managing performance.
• Ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects independently and exercise sound judgment without direct supervision.
• Professionalism in writing and interpersonal communication to build and maintain collaborative relationships with university leadership, external funders, corporate partners, and community organizations.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products, CRM systems, and data reporting tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business administration.
• Background in financial or management consulting, preferably within a professional accounting services firm.
• Previous work identifying and improving operational inefficiencies and leading structured process improvement initiatives and system improvements.
• Experience in a higher education environment, including familiarity with university financial systems, sponsored programs administration, and compliance requirements.
• Experience operating in highly regulated public agencies and similar contexts.
• Experience supporting or managing grant-funded programs, including post-award financial management and funder reporting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of neurodiversity, disability, or workforce inclusion and experience engaging with neurodivergent individuals or populations.
• Experience representing an organization in cross-institutional or external partnership contexts.
• Demonstrated experience developing operational infrastructure, systems, or processes in a growing or scaling organization.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn.
• Additional benefits outlined under UConn Health Benefits, including sections on Benefits & Leaves and Engagement & Learning.

Pay

$93,500 to $98,500, depending on education, qualifications, and experience.

Schedule

• Full-time, 12-month position with possible renewal subject to performance and funding.
• Occasional weekend and evening hours required for program activities and events.
• Travel required to Storrs, other regional campuses, in-state and out-of-state locations, and internationally as needed.