Administrative Director

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package: 

• Expected Range: $51,705.92 - $63,056 Annually
• Benefits 
• PTO Overview 
• Job Classification: Full Time Hourly Staff 
• Grade Level: 7

 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Works under the supervision of, and with direction from, the Senior Administrative Director to provide day-to-day administrative support to Department Chair(s)/Directors, faculty, and students in the academic departments. Jointly with the Senior Administrative Director, implements best practices for effective and efficient operations, facilitates good communications, maintains adherence to short and long-term strategic goals. Prioritizes tasks and workflow to optimize departmental operations.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Office organization and communication: Maintains the office information systems (databases/drives) with current information.  Facilitates departmental communications.  Responsible for departmental Canvas updates.  Oversight of the facility access lists for faculty and students.  Manages faculty, staff, and student travel arrangements. 

Finance and budget:  Manage departmental billing, invoices, and payments. Responsible for procurement and corporate card transactions and related communications. Attends School-wide finance and budget trainings.  Manages the hiring and payment processes for departmental student workers including teaching, graduate, and office assistant positions.

Graduate student support:  Assists with the graduate admissions process including communications to students and faculty, new student registration, and Interview Day Weekend planning and participation.  Assists with the thesis submission process including communications, tracking, and advisor assignments, if applicable

Event planning: Responsible for event management and planning including gather information for/entering into Engage, public relations materials, catering, room reservations, calendaring, and communications.  Coordinates travel arrangements, per diem payments, and accommodations for all visitors.  Assists in the planning of departmental graduate student and new faculty orientations.

Facilities and capital planning: Manages departmental capital asset requests; researching needs, submitting requests, and managing assets. Liaises with IRFM (Instructional Resources and Facilities Management) on short and long-term faculty projects.  Manages daily facility maintenance requests (360 tickets). Works with IRFM/MFA Studio office on graduate student studio-related issues.

Courses/course schedule: Assists with the preparation, submission, and communication of the course schedule for Chair/Director review and manages/tracks course schedule changes.  Coordinates submission of new course proposal applications. 

Full-time faculty searches:  Assists Department Chair(s)/Director with the full-time faculty search process; including room scheduling, event planning, calendaring, travel, accommodations, and advertising.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS/BFA preferred
• 3-5 years’ experience working in higher education or a cultural organization preferred
• Demonstrated experience in management and administration
• Strong leadership, organizational expertise, communication skills are necessary
• Must have the ability to collaborate well with others
• Ability to work with and adapt to a vari