Job Details

Operations Director, Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts and Humanities

Main Campus - Boston, MA
R05499

Located in Boston's historic Fenway area, Simmons University is a private, non-sectarian institution that has prepared women for leadership in the world through transformative education that links passion with purpose since 1899. Today, Simmons serves nearly 2,000 students in a women-centered undergraduate program and nearly 5,000 students in coeducational graduate programs. Simmons recently achieved university designation and embarked on an academic redesign to create four interdisciplinary colleges, including the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities. More information on Simmons University and the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities is available on our website.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Dean, the Operations Director (the Director) will have strategic and tactical oversight of operational services and support in the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts and Humanities (the College). The Director, in alignment with the strategic vision of the Dean and Provost, also serves as a key member of the Academic Operations team, led by the Associate Provost, driving best practices across the Colleges to ensure efficiency and sustainability, as well as to advance excellence in the delivery of services to students, faculty, and staff.

The Director has an essential role in the development and implementation of the College's strategies, policies, and practices. In addition, this Director will supervise all staff members within the College. The Director is expected to build and foster a collegial and inclusive environment, integrating continuous improvement to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency. A successful contributor in this position will be strategic, intentional, and adaptable and a strong advocate for students, faculty, staff, and the University.

Essential Responsibilities

College Operations

• Set operational strategy for the College, in partnership with the Dean, to achieve the goals of the College and the University, with a focus on the student experience, operational efficiency, process improvement, and performance management;
• Manage and oversee daily - as well as annual, quarterly, and other regularly occurring -academic and operational processes and procedures, allocating staff and other resources to ensure that work is scheduled and completed effectively and efficiently, in coordination with the Dean, the Provost office, and program leadership (e.g., course evaluations, contracting, Commencement-related activities, financial planning, reporting, annual faculty and staff evaluations etc.);
• In collaboration with the Dean, oversee and manage both procedural and compliance best practices for hiring, onboarding, and deployment of faculty and staff;
• Serve as key liaison coordinating general academic space planning in the College, in collaboration with facilities, public safety, and other campus partners.
• Manage the availability and functionality of technology and facility resources necessary for the academic and operational needs of the College;
• Represent the College in campus-wide academic and operational projects.

Staff Management

• Implement, manage, assess, and refine academic staffing to achieve desired results and service standards, maintaining a balance between University consistency and College customization, in collaboration with the Associate Provost and other Operations Directors;
• Lead, manage, and develop staff members by managing performance, outcomes, and inclusivity best practices; developing actionable goals and development plans tied to strategic goals of the College and University;
• Foster and maintain a culture of continuous feedback, coaching and engagement, encouraging professional and personal growth;
• Lead by action and example a commitment to Simmons University's culture, values, goals, and vision.

Assessment, Reporting, Planning

• Develop and maintain documentation of the institutional effectiveness system;
• Work with faculty and administrators to enhance integration and consistency to document effective assessment and improvement at Simmons;
• Support academic programs and educational/administrative support units in conducting assessment, i.e. planning, implementation, data analysis and reporting;
• Develop resource materials to assist faculty/staff to improve assessment practices and maximize the use of evaluation results.
• Oversee and manage the annual budgeting and planning process; administer and review all financial plans and budgets; monitor progress and changes, working closely with the Director of Academic Budgets;
• Provide broad analytical and operational perspective based on sound analysis and budget projections to inform and improve objectives for leadership;
• Collaborate with Dean and Department Chairs to ensure financial integrity, productivity, and alignment with College initiatives;
• Oversee budget(s), faculty appointments, faculty searches, resource deployment, and data acquisition and analysis to inform decisions.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree preferred;
• Minimum 8-10 years of professional work experience, preferably with a minimum of 3-5 years in position(s) involving a significant volume of progressive operational and project management responsibilities;
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience;
• Excellent communication skills with diverse stakeholders;
• Demonstrated leader with experience managing with integrity and influence, holding constituents accountable;
• Excellent organizational skills with particular ability to prioritize work in an environment with multiple and competing interests;
• Strong business acumen and previous budget oversight experience;
• Ability and experience extracting and converting data into business information;
• Strong strategic thinking, project management skills, attention to detail, and ability to proactively identify opportunities and risks;
• Proficient with Microsoft and Google Applications, along with an aptitude and interest in learning new tools and software.

Core Competencies

Organizational Awareness. Demonstrated understanding of the nature of the relationships, hierarchies, and decision-making and communications processes.
Strategic Influence. Ability to leverage interpersonal skills to establish rapport and develop relationships with key stakeholders, to influence a cross-functional team and top management to follow a particular course of action based on organizational objectives.
Leadership and Management. Ability to establish a team culture that promotes collaboration towards a common goal; exhibits respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships. Ability to implement and manage change, creating an environment that addresses individual and organizational change management needs.
Strategic Thinking. Ability to develop a broad view of an organization and its mission; apply awareness of competitive advantages, industry trends, and emerging technology to inform leadership decision's on resource investment; ability to link long-range visions and plans to daily work.
Quality and Compliance. Able to deliver a standard of excellence in processes and outcomes, honoring College and University policies and regulatory requirements.
Planning and Prioritization. Effectively plan, coordinate, and manage stakeholders and resources. Demonstrated ability to prioritize and sequence projects and action items, identifying the resources required to achieve both short and long-term goals.

Required Application Materials

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Salary Grade
S09

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the "Resume/CV" box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices-at all levels, for all positions-ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.


To apply, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Operations-Director--Gwen-Ifill-College-of-Media--Arts-and-Humanities_R05499

Located in Bostons historic Fenway area, Simmons College is a small, private, non-sectarian College which has educated students for enriching careers and purposeful lives since 1899. Working at Simmons means joining a collaborative, diverse and mission-driven community of educators and professionals.

We prepare students to be leaders for themselves, their communities and the world. Our faculty and staff members lead by example - sharing a commitment to excellence and putting the students first.