Director of Strategic Operations (Senior Administrative Program Support)

The Wells Fargo Center for Neurodiversity & Inclusive Employment at the University of Connecticut is seeking a full-time Director of Strategic Operations. This 12-month, annually renewable position is based in Hartford with occasional travel to Storrs, other regional campuses, and out-of-state locations. The role may require weekend and evening hours to support program activities and events.

About the Role

The Director of Strategic Operations will integrate strategy, operations, finance, and program execution to enable the Center to scale its work across employers, universities, community partners, and neurodivergent job seekers. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role exercises operational financial authority, supervises staff, and serves as the Center’s second-most senior representative at the university level.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Operational Leadership: Translate Center-wide strategic priorities into operational plans, processes, and systems. Anticipate organizational needs, identify risks, and develop solutions for sustainability.
• Enterprise Systems Design & Organizational Infrastructure: Build and optimize workflow systems, contracting processes, procurement pathways, CRM/data structures, and reporting mechanisms. Establish scalable practices for national expansion across 30+ corporate and university partners.
• Strategic Financial Management & Fiscal Stewardship: Oversee budget monitoring for a $3.75M multi-year grant, expenditure approval, vendor contract management, and financial reporting to external funders. Provide financial modeling and analysis for strategic decisions.
• Program & Initiative Execution: Lead operational execution of flagship employer education programs, including planning, vendor management, and partner coordination. Resolve real-time issues to ensure high-quality outcomes.
• Cross-Institutional & External Coordination: Serve as the primary operational liaison with UConn departments (Finance, HR, Legal, Compliance, etc.), the UConn Foundation, and external partners. Represent the Center in operational matters with Wells Fargo and corporate partners.
• Staff Supervision, Leadership & Team Enablement: Supervise full-time and part-time staff, set performance objectives, provide feedback, and manage workload allocation. Develop training materials and tools to support staff adoption of new systems.
• Data, Reporting & Strategic Insights: Build and maintain dashboards integrating financial, operational, and program data. Produce reports for university leadership, funders, and partners.
• Confidentiality & Professional Standards: Manage sensitive financial, contractual, personnel, and partner information with discretion. Uphold 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 in a senior or project lead role.
• Demonstrated experience in financial management, including budget oversight, expenditure approval, and reporting to external funders.
• Experience directly supervising professional staff, including performance evaluations and workload management.
• Ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Professionalism in writing and interpersonal communication to build collaborative relationships with university leadership, funders, and partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, 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.
• Experience identifying and improving operational inefficiencies and leading process improvement initiatives.
• Familiarity with higher education environments, including university financial systems, sponsored programs, and compliance requirements.
• Experience in highly regulated public agencies or grant-funded programs, including post-award financial management.
• Knowledge of neurodiversity, disability, or workforce inclusion, with experience engaging neurodivergent individuals or populations.
• Experience representing an organization in cross-institutional or external partnership contexts.
• Experience developing operational infrastructure in a growing or scaling organization.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn.
• Additional benefits outlined in the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA).

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, along with in-state, out-of-state, and international travel as needed.