Associate Dean

Department
 

PSD Administration: Finance

About the Department
 

The Physical Sciences Division has a rich history of advancing and defining new fields of discovery in the physical sciences and mathematics, and this tradition of innovation continues today. Our inquiry and impact spans from the edge of the observable universe to human-computer interaction, from biophysical materials science to the geologic record of seawater composition, from gravitational waves to geometric flows, and beyond.

The Physical Sciences Division Local Business Center (PSD-LBC) provides grants and finance management support to faculty, researchers, and administrators for many of the departments, research centers, and institutes within the Physical Sciences Division. Our goal is to provide high levels of service in order to advance the PSD’s mission in research and education.

The division includes the academic departments of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geophysical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics. In addition, PSD includes a number of interdisciplinary research institutes and centers, including the Enrico Fermi Institute, the James Franck Institute, and the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics. This position is focused on grants & contracts administration for the department of Chemistry, with many of Chemistry’s faculty also appointed in one or more institutes. Many of our scientists have joint appointments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory as well as joint affiliations with other Chicago-based research institutions such as the Toyota Technological Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum. Our students build connections with world-leading scientists, collaborate across disciplines, and enjoy the dynamic Chicago and University communities.

Job Summary
 

Reporting to the Dean of the Physical Sciences Division, the Associate Dean (AD) collaborates with the Sr. Associate Dean and other senior leadership to develop and lead a comprehensive strategy for managing the PSD’s budget. Oversees the annual budget process, managing the Director of Finance to manage and oversee the spending of tuition, gift and grant funding. Develops multi-year projections to accurately forecast future expenses. Oversees the Director of Grants & Contracts and the large team of professionals who manage the Division’s grants and contracts. Tracks financial commitments and maintains short and long term projections. Supports senior leaders across the division to develop and execute mission-driven decision-making and financial planning.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the Dean, Sr. Associate Dean and other senior leaders to develop and execute long-term strategic financial plans. Provides financial and administrative insights to support decision-making and ensure alignment between financial resources and strategic priorities.

• Develops and implements multi-year financial strategies and policies to support the division’s mission and goals. Provides guidance and expertise in budget planning, financial forecasting, resource allocation, and financial analysis. Monitors financial performance, identifies areas for improvement, and recommends strategies for cost optimization and revenue generation. Responsible for budgetary projections and overall budget management for the fiscal year, including day to day operations.

• Supervises the Director of Finance, ensuring that recharge revenues, operating spending, university financial transfers, gifts and endowments are appropriately projected and allocated.

• Works collaboratively with the Sr. Associate Dean to effectively plan and manage the Division’s resources financial resources.

• Supervises the Director of Grants & Contracts, ensuring that the team of professionals included within the local business center provide optimal support for sponsored awards from proposal development through the entire life-cycle of the grant.

• Ensures compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and University policies. Develops and maintains effective internal controls and risk management practices to safeguard assets, mitigate risks, and maintain the integrity of financial and administrative operations.

• Serves as the expert within PSD to oversee the development of a comprehensive data analytics strategy for PSD’s financial and administrative data that integrates multiple domains and builds out the capacity to do modeling and reporting that supports PSD leadership in making data-driven decisions.

• Develops advanced reporting and dashboards to support the Dean, Chairs and Directors in their ability to oversee their unit’s resources.

• Collaborates with the Associate Dean for Adm