Ohio Wesleyan University ( www.owu.edu ) is a selective, private, undergraduate liberal arts, residential institution founded in 1842 and is located just 20 miles north of Columbus.

The Office of the Provost at Ohio Wesleyan University has an opening for an Operations Coordinator. This is a 12-month position in support of the Provost and Academic Affairs.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Operations Coordinator plays a key role in the administration of the day-to-day operations of the Provost’s office, especially in support of provost projects and programs, academic staff management and training, faculty hiring/contracts, support of faculty committee operations, and budget. The Operations Coordinator performs

advanced and confidential administrative duties requiring broad and comprehensive experience, skill and knowledge of the institution’s policies and procedures. The Coordinator must have a desire for continuous improvement in bettering projects, events, and systems. The Coordinator will support the Provost Office in carrying out the strategic goals and vision of Academic Affairs.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide support for Provost projects and programs (25%)

• Create and maintain effective project tracking systems for Academic Affairs programs; track progress; keep leadership apprised of upcoming deadlines as per agreements and timetables.
• Collaborate with university marketing and advancement staff to promote and announce distinctive features of programming.
• Make meeting arrangements (determine location, arrange for necessary IT equipment and catering, send google invitations and monitor RSVPs, and apprise the leadership team of attendees) as needed to support the activities of programs, committees and projects.
• Collaborate with Associate Provost to ensure process alignment across programs, including a consistent call for proposals format and budget request form.
• Independently drafts original correspondence, including memos and other written informational documents on behalf of the Provost and/or Associate and Assistant Provosts.
• Perform other duties as needed, such as ordering materials, initiating payments, etc. in support of Provost’s programs.

2. Data Management and Compliance (15%)

• Maintains data records for faculty, research, and experiential initiatives as directed by Associate Provost.
• Ensure compliance with data entry standards in Academic Affairs at the direction of Associate Provost.
• Maintain a calendar of institutional compliance reporting deadlines (IPEDS, ODHE, HLC) and ensure timely submission of required reports.
• Complete compliance reports in collaboration with appropriate offices and submit in timely manner.

3. Financial Reporting and Budget Administration (20%):

• Position gathers, analyzes and interprets financial information and budgetary data for decision-making and strategic planning; prepares reports to illustrate findings; writes executive summaries with recommendations for Provost and Associate Provosts.
• Develops budgetary information through analysis and forecasting within context of policies, practices and knowledge of college operations and budgetary requirements.
• Instructs academic staff on process for monitoring budgets and alerting leadership to variances.
• Monitors and reconciles budget (monthly) and alerts Associate Provosts to variances.
• Ensures all financial processing and financial transactions are performed in accordance with established budgets and within policies/guidelines.
• Checks department budget summaries and compensation worksheet, and cross-references with Faculty Lines Report to ensure distinctions between base and temporary faculty positions.

4. Academic Staff Operations: (20%)                                                                 A. Academic Staff Resource and Training:

• Oversees activities of Academic Assistants
• Identifies needs for professional development among academic staff members; recommends/delivers training opportunities.
• Assists with coordination of schedule for and promotion of employee development programs and activities.
• Assists Associate Provost in advising department chairs and academic staff on: sick time, vacation time, holidays, leave of absence, family medical leave, payroll, etc.
• Owns and continually refines documentation and training materials. Designs, develops, and deploys various training methods (classroom, eLearning, virtual, and blended curriculum, programs, and learning aids and modules) to use in training academic staff as needed.
• Trains current and new academic staff members in procedures, such as travel/expense reports, e-procurement system, etc.
• Onboarding: Collaborates with other Human Resources staff to evaluate and improve onboarding process; Provides special support for onboarding new academic staff (orienting employees to personnel practices and staff support, communicate departmental/university policies to all new employees; direct new staff how to enter their time in the ADP system, etc.)
• Conducts training in budgeting and reporting for academic staff
• Creates and maintains files related to employee participation in training activities; advises Associate Provost of gaps in departmental compliance.
• Serves as a mentor and resource to the administrative support staff across the university, including those in Centers and Institutes.

                  B. Staff Position Management

• Assists Associate Provost with reviewing, updating, and creating position descriptions for staff members as needed
• Consults with Associate Provost regarding funding available for position upgrades and salary increases
• Assists hiring departments in developing interview questions/assessments and conducting interviews for staff positions; keeps file of useful questions.
• Creates and maintains best practices and procedural requirements for hiring students through Handshake, and processes for hiring staff. Promulgates best practices across the university by drafting announcements and providing training.

                    C. Performance Management Process

• Assists Associate Provost by distributing forms for review process; keeps calendar/timeline;
• Issues reminders to departments and programs regarding performance review submission dates, etc.
• Ensures that review meetings are scheduled and have taken place.
• Creates and maintains files related to departmental compliance in performance management process; receives and triages performance management materials for Associate Provost’s review and action.
• Annually sends all completed performance management forms/materials to HR to be deposited in employee files as directed.

5. Support for Faculty positions, hiring, and contracts (20%)

• Assists the Associate Provost with updating the Faculty Lines Report and ensuring clarity between temporary and permanently funded positions.
• Keeps record of positions approved for hiring; updates annually;
• Maintains record of tenure-eligibility year for faculty members
• Maintains files and data records on all tenure track faculty members in accord with established procedures, and updates record of faculty rank as appropriate; maintains tenure, promotion, and merit process materials and provides support to Provost regarding tenure, promotion, and merit review
• Assists Provost in searching for faculty positions
• Provides administrative support in preparing position descriptions;
• Assists with scheduling meetings of the Provost/Associate provost with search committees as needed
• Collaborates with HR in posting faculty positions; posts faculty advertisements in external locations (such as Chronicle); ensures departments operate according to documented and approved search plan
• Provides support to Provost by scheduling interviews for Provost with faculty candidates; ensures CV and other application materials are available to Provost and Associate Provosts in advance.
• Reviews letters of hire and liaises with budget office and Associate Provost regarding special faculty requests, such as start up funds, prior to offers being made
• Engages with legal counsel as necessary for immigration paperwork as necessary for hiring tenure-track and part-time faculty
• Assists Associate Provost in contracting process for part-time positions; drafts and processes contract letters; liaises with HR to provide information necessary for hiring

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree, preferred in business-related field (accounting, management, finance, human resources, operations, management information systems, etc.).
• Professional experience reconciling actual expenses to budgets.
• Experience drafting and developing training materials.
• Professional experience training others in processes and systems.
• Demonstrated ability to protect and maintain confidentiality of information.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with little to no supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new computer/information technology systems and software.
• Demonstrated proficiency in an office software suite such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse populations in a professional and supportive manner.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively, respectfully, and professionally with multiple constituencies at all levels of an organization (such as faculty members, staff, administrators, university guests, etc.).
• Experience managing human resources performance processes.
• Experience working in a college or university office.
• Experience supporting faculty hiring.
• Demonstrated successful experience applying best practices for development and design of training curriculum, delivery of training/instruction for individuals and groups, and assessment of training efforts.
• Demonstrated successful experience collaborating effectively and cooperatively with others in a professional environment.
• Experience proposing and implementing new processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
• Professional experience analyzing financial data and preparing reports to deliver findings.
• Effective oral communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• Professional experience with Google Suite of applications (G-mail, Drive, Calendar, Documents)
• Demonstrated successful experience working to enhance diversity and inclusion.
• Willingness to engage with Ohio Wesleyan University’s mission and aims.