Operations Manager

Job Description

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Req #: 210794 Department: SCHOOL OF AQUATIC AND FISHERY SCIENCES Job Location: Seattle Campus Posting Date: 10/06/2022 Closing Info: Closes On 10/13/2022 Salary: Salary is commensurate with education and experience Shift: First Shift Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For detailed information on Benefits for this position, click here. As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
The School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, SAFS, is dedicated to sustaining healthy marine and freshwater environments. Our School comprises one of the largest and most diverse academic aquatic and fisheries sciences program in the United States. Our faculty conduct innovative research from the organism to the ecosystem scale, and are recognized leaders in aquatic biology, sustainable fisheries management, and aquatic resource conservation.
The Operations Manager within the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences serves as a flexible resource who will be available for use by Leadership Management Team of the School for projects, internal consulting, troubleshooting, and short-term management level roles. As such, the Operations Manager within the School has a wide range of responsibilities including, but not limited to, assisting various SAFS special projects, back-up support for Administrator of SAFS, operational assessments, financial enhancement and expense reduction reviews, academic and staff human resources oversight, including organizational efficiencies, and other administrative functions.
Reporting primarily to the Administrator of SAFS, the Operations Manager assesses, prioritizes, and triages projects and issues, developing methods and strategies to carry out projects and manage them to completion on behalf of the Director and the Administrator. The position will periodically lead Continuous Process Improvement projects in various areas that will maximize staff effectiveness and productivity; and be involved in readiness effort, such as, UW Financial Transformation, for the School.
The management skills for this position are complex as they encompass a wide range of activities and interactions with high level faculty, academic leadership, and institutional members, staff, and all of the collaborative partners, including external organizations and the general public. This position is expected to play a significant role in achieving success of all programs and initiatives in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, manage executive level committees, review and analyze policies and procedures. This position will also work independently, acting as administrator in performing financial reporting and project work for the Director of SAFS. The Operations Manager requires a high degree of initiative, independent decision-making, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to organize and prioritize many competing tasks from faculty, directors and School staff, and staff and students within our community. With the future developments in SAFS, the position requires a high-level thinker with independent judgement, discretion, ability to manage highly charged political system while working under pressure of frequent deadlines and changing priorities
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Continuous Process Improvement and Project Management
Act as internal management consultant or project manager to the Leadership Management team to identify and define key issues, opportunity for improvement, and lead process improvement projects to address concerns covering broad functions. Conduct/coordinate administrative, operational, and financial analyses to assess performance or support special projects. Assist staff in implementing enhanced functionality and reporting features using current and future UW Administrative Systems (EDW, MyFD, ASTRA, Ariba, Workday, UWFT). This may include, but not limited to:
• Rebuild financial reports using potential UWFT queries (including MyFD) to increase efficiencies and reduce data errors.
• Examine, review, and reestablish all Ariba permissions to match current organization and correct process flow.
• Analyze and formulate data produced in EDW that are essential to managing SAFS processes so that important measurements could be understood.
Financial Management and Development
Manages the financial resources of SAFS, including budgets and funds from federal, state, private, University and foundation sources. Maintains a working knowledge of SAFS’s financial operations, funding sources, policies, and procedures, and budget reviews to close budgets. Understands and utilizes appropriately the School’s multiple sources of financial income, including, State-derived budgets, indirect cost recovery funds (RSA/RCR), federal grants, cost centers, gift and endowed accounts, industry and other sponsored contracts, and agreements. Projects School expenses and develops budget models and budget analysis to determine opportunities to save expenses. Provides regular financial reports of financial activity and trends to the Director, Administrator, and management team. Analyzes and controls budget variances, including oversight of budget reconciliation to ensure prudent fiscal management. Plans, organizes, and directs the SAFS’s financial support operation, including the planning, budgeting, and accounting functions. Collaborate with UW Continuum College to plan for Summer Sessions quarter instructional program in regards to revenue forecasting and general fiscal strategy by using team Budget (Questica) to submit reports.
Operations and Project Management
Works closely with School managers, scientific leadership and faculty, key institutional partners, and staff to maintains facilities, operations, day-to-day cyclic requirements and services in compliance with relevant federal, state, and University regulations and policies, in order to meet School service and performance goals. Provide interim management support to SAFS units as needed, directing team activities during transitional times when vacancies occur, supporting the Administrator in this function. Serve as the key resource advisor to the Director and Administrator. Exercise independent judgment and discretion in work related to finance, management policies, staffing, and operations.
Assist in managing facilities to ensure effective, efficient and safe operations and preservation of resources. Work with the Administrator to review space assignments periodically to develop business plans and proposals to support requests for space, including research lab areas and offices. Develop written material for SAFS Emergency Operations Plan, oversight of COVID-19 processes, including administrative safety plan, and guidelines for staff and critical employees. Interprets and implements federal, state, UW, and other laws and policies relating to safeguarding of facilities and capital resources. Ensures compliance with fire and safety codes, which includes working closely with Environmental Health and Safety
Manage information requirements of the School, to include academic, business, educational and research information needs, and incorporating and utilizing existing Information Technology architecture (shared drive in Sharepoint on intranet). Continue research and document system features and individual user system compatibility, establish and document use protocols. Understands the needs for and assists in the planning/deployment of new IT. Ensures that electronic files and communications are properly backed up and retained in accordance with SAFS, CoEnv, and UW policies and directives. Interprets and integrates IT security requirements on a continuing basis.
Assist in the management of research resources of the School, including grant and contract funds, staff and processes, research staff support, capital equipment, physical plant, and IRB. Understands UW cost accounting standards. Interprets and integrates federal, state, industry, and private policies, laws, contracts and agreements regarding research activities at the UW. Assists in funded projects or programs, may assist in requesting new budgets or extensions of existing budgets. Assist for facilities used in sponsored research through SIMS, which includes working closely with the Grants and Contracts Manager.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
• Bachelor’s degree in Administration, Business, Sciences, or related field.
• Five years of project management level administrative experience with demonstrated success in the management of complex budgetary analysis work in an academic, government or research institution environment.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Ability to navigate a complex, layered organization to achieve results. Ability to research UW policies and procedures to analyze systems and workflows, and to propose processes and guidelines to maximize efficiencies.
• Strong organizational skills highlighting the ability to develop, use, and maintain systems to track information and materials.
• Strong knowledge and experience in large project management, including problem-solving skills.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to do detailed work and financial planning.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to oversee planning and implementation of complex projects including office automation systems and software.
• Exceptional computing and data skills, including excel, shared drives, and administrative systems. Ability to interpret and apply technical information.
DESIRED:
• UW experience to include using UW administrative systems, including Workday.
• Experience with UW budgets, grants & contracts, self-sustaining, and discretionary.
• Ability to creatively problem solve.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
• The position often requires the employee to work beyond a normal work week (e.g. more than 40 hours a week) and intermittently requires evening and weekend time to meet project deadlines and attend meetings.
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law .

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is a leader in environmental stewardship & sustainability , and committed to becoming climate neutral.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected] .

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

Governor Inslee's Proclamation 21-14.2 requires employees of higher education and healthcare institutions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. View the Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement webpage for information about the medical or religious exemption process for final candidates.

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