Business Operations Manager

Overview

The Business Operations Manager is a key part of the Keller Center leadership team working closely with the Executive Director and their Center leadership peers in designing and executing an integrated approach to policy and strategic direction for the Center which includes participating in and contributing to short and long-term planning sessions and helping the Executive Director structure and execute weekly operating meetings. The Business Operations Manager reports directly to the Executive Director, with a secondary reporting relationship to the Director of Academic Administration in the Office of Human Resources.

 

The Business Operations Manager will be a key thought partner to the Executive Director in problem solving operational issues and developing new processes across the department to enhance department level efficiency and effectiveness. The Business Operations Manager is responsible for finance, technology, website, CRM, operations, human resources and the Makerspace. The Business Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring faculty, students, and staff have the operational and technical means to carry out their curricular, co-curricular and administrative duties. The Manager has strong financial skills and oversees all department financial activities. The Manager has outstanding interpersonal skills and builds strong trust-based relationships with peers.

 

The Manager will have two direct reports, The Technology Manager and the Makerspace Education & Design Lab Manager. The Manager will be a strong leader who clearly delineates expectations of direct reports in alignment with the needs of the department and develops employees while maintaining a high performing, collaborative work environment.

 

The Keller Center has on average 25 affiliated faculty, half of which are tenure track and the other are practitioner faculty; 1-2 visiting faculty, and 16 administrative staff. The Keller Center reaches about a quarter of the undergraduate student body with its courses every single year through its 25+ courses and 2 certificate programs. The Center reaches hundreds more with its flagship and signature co-curricular programs including the eLab, Tiger Challenge, PSIP, student project funding, and via its makerspace.  Additionally, the Center offers robust programming for faculty with the Innovation Forum, the Program in Institutional and Historical Racism in Engineering, Technology and Innovation, as well as the Design for Innovation Program. The Keller Center is geographically dispersed in three locations with a) faculty and staff offices in the EQuad, b) offices, creative classrooms and a makerspace in the HWing of the Equad and c) offices and co-curricular programming space in the 15,000 square foot entrepreneurial hub at 34 Chambers which the Keller Center manages.

 

 

Responsibilities

Finance Functions:

Oversee financial planning and budgeting processes for the department. Prepare annual budget in collaboration with leadership and all key stakeholders across the department. Prepare monthly report to track actual spending versus budgeted spending and recommend measures to course correct. Develop long term funding and programmatic expense picture to identify potential shortfalls in funding in future years. As required develop pro forma analyses of new programs and activities under consideration to estimate future cost and required donor funding.

Manage overall fund balances for each programmatic area. Ensure allocations are distributed to each area early in the year so that programmatic fund balances can be managed against actuals throughout the year.

Oversee purchasing process. Set appropriate approval levels for each employee.  Approve any purchases above individual approval levels. Make purchase decisions as required. Reconcile purchases for the department

Oversee concur / credit card billing approvals and reconciliations.  

 

Operational Functions:

Oversee the technology area ensuring that all key stakeholders (students, staff, faculty) have the technology enabled resources and services they need to effectively fulfill their roles. Oversee the department’s website technology and other technical assets. Oversee all activities related to the department’s customer relationship management (CRM) infrastructure and associated databases.

Oversee the Makerspace ensuring the necessary infrastructure, equipment, supplies and personnel are in place to enable the student user experience and support the Makerspace Education & Design Lab Manager in helping them achieve their objectives.

Take a lead in assessing department wide processes and recommend and implement solutions that will enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the Center.

Oversee other administrative functions as required.