Interim Assistant Dean for Business and Operations - 6-9 month appointment

The Office of the Dean for the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Sciences (RSECS) is the administrative office directly responsible for guiding, coordinating, and applying academic, financial and human resources policies for the academic departments and research institutes houses in RSECS.

Position Summary

The Assistant Dean for Business and Operations assists the Dean in management of the administrative and business operations for the Ritchie School with the goal of achieving a high level of mission-focused performance, continuous improvement, and a strong sense of community. Working closely with the Dean, Senior Associate Dean, senior staff, and Department Chairs, the position supervises and provides leadership for budget and finance, operations, human resources, and financial aid functions. The position is responsible for coordinating strategic and tactical financial planning efforts, including the communication of strategic plans, budgets, and programmatic goals to internal and external RSECS stakeholders, as appropriate. The position will serve as a member of the senior management team and on various internal and university committees as requested. The position has dotted-line reporting to the Controller’s Office and the Office of Planning and Budget in the Office of the Provost.

This interim position is a 6-9 month appointment with an anticipated start date of April 1, 2025. 

Essential Functions

• Works closely with the Dean on day-to-day management of the unit and is involved in strategic planning for the unit.
• Responsible for recommending and implementing long-range strategic planning, goals, and growth projections.
• Establishes long-range financial objectives to meet strategic goals of a multifaceted organization.
• Responsible for large, combined budgets.
• Independently manages a broad range of business functions for RSECS with unique and specialized activities or services.
• Oversees activities that impact and interface with other functional areas.
• Develops and monitors internal policies and procedures to meet wide-ranging business needs including negotiating with external entities and constituents.
• Conducts financial management responsibilities in a multifaceted (e.g., multiple programs, units, etc.) division primarily funded by a broad range of funding sources that include an income generation component.
• Displays a comprehensive understanding of accounting and budgeting practices to submit operating budgets and prepare project/capital expense requests.
• Provides expertise on financial matters.
• Exercises oversight and authority of a dynamic budgetary planning and forecasting process.
• Supervises and manages professional level employees.
• Actively participates in ensuring employee growth and development.
• Ensures compliance with performance management policies and procedures.
• Works with HR to recommend resolution of disciplinary matters as needed.
• Plans for staffing needs and workload distribution for multi-functional areas and identifies funding source(s) for staffing.
• Serves as a resource for others in resolving issues and problems, including anticipating problems and developing resolution strategies.
• Prepares and analyzes complex technical matters involving existing and emerging issues and makes recommendations from the analysis.
• Plays a leadership role in the campus-wide business officer community as a mentor, role model, and resource for other business officers.
• Recommends changes to university-level systems and processes regularly utilized by business officers.
• Develops written documents and/or reports on complex matters that can be understood by both internal and external audiences.
• Communicates information involving complex matters (both internal and external) to RSECS departments, which may involve using persuasion and negotiation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of appropriate business practices and procedures.
• Demonstrates a proficient level of professional skill and/or knowledge in business operations or accounting, and financial forecasting.
• Ability to communicate information to individuals or groups.
• Ability to deliver presentations suited to the characteristics and needs of the audience.
• Ability to gather, organize, summarize and analyze data within prescribed timeframes.
• Ability to analyze business operations and/or financial statements.
• Ability to determine and ensure compliance with laws and regulations, draw conclusions, and review, examine and prepare documents.
• Ability to choose an effective course of action or develop appropriate solutions and/or reach conclusions.