Senior Department Administrator

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300acre treelined campus in Houston Texas Rice University is ranked among the nations top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6to1 undergraduate studenttofaculty ratio and a residential college system which supports students intellectually emotionally and culturally through social events intramural sports student plays lectures series courses and student government. Developing closeknit diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rices culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name RICE Responsibility Integrity Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

Rice Universitys Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Department Administrator (DA) to serve as the chief administrator overseeing departmental operations strategic initiatives and financial management. This role is pivotal in supporting the departments mission to provide highquality interdisciplinary education and drive innovative research that leads to impactful advancements in science and industry. The Senior Department Administrator is responsible for managing all departmental staff and ensuring operational efficiency in support of faculty students and academic programs. Working in close collaboration with the Department Chair this individual will implement initiatives policies and projects aligned with the universitys strategic priorities. Key responsibilities include overseeing budget planning and financial managementspanning department research discretionary gift and endowment fundswhile ensuring fiscal sustainability and compliance. This position requires a strategic leader with strong organizational financial and managerial expertise who can effectively guide departmental operations and support faculty and students in achieving their research and educational goals. The ideal candidate will bring a proactive approach to administration fostering a collaborative and efficient environment that aligns with Rice Universitys commitment to excellence.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate for the Senior DA position in ChBE is a strategic leader with a proven track record of effectively managing diverse teams and complex administrative functions. S/he possesses exceptional communication skills both written and verbal with a proactive and inclusive leadership style ensuring accuracy timeliness and a forwardthinking approach providing a welcoming opendoor policy for all constituents and using evidencebased approaches to managing people and tasks.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is exclusively onsite necessitating all duties to be performed in person at Rice Universitys OConnor Building for Engineering and Science. PerRice policy 440work arrangements may be subject to change. This role is classified as an essential position requiring onsite presence to effectively carry out its vital functions.

Hiring Range:$85000$90000 commensurate with experience.

*Exempt (salaried) positions underFLSAare not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelors degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement additional related experience above and beyond what is required on an equivalent yearforyear basis may be substituted
• 4 years of experience in an administrative role with significant financial and supervisory management
  • In lieu of the education requirement additional related experience above and beyond what is required on an equivalent yearforyear basis may be substituted

Skills:

• Strong leadership and management skills overseeing departmental operations and staff
• Expertise in strategic planning policy implementation and project
• Advanced financial management including budget planning fund oversight and compliance
• Ability to develop and streamline policies and procedures for operational efficiency
• Strong collaboration and communication skills to engage with faculty students and leadership
• Problemsolving and decisionmaking abilities to address administrative challenges proactively
• Experience fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment
• Knowledge of university policies regulations and best practices in administration
• Ability to support faculty and students in achieving research and educational goals
• Commitment to Rice Universitys mission of academic excellence and innovation

Preferences:

• Experience strongly preferred:
  • Experience with graduate program administration and graduate student funding
  • Experience with federal state and local policies and procedures federal guidelines for research expenditures
  • Previous administrative experience at a college or university
  • Experience using enterprisescale software management and accounting systems such as Oracle or PeopleSoft
  • Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and database software programs
• Skills strongly preferred:
  • Ability to manage and balance budgets in the short and long term
  • Keen understanding of the grant management cycle from proposal through closeout
  • Knowledge of HR functions including recruitment hiring workload management performance management goal development job description changes terminations salary changes etc.
• Experience preferred:
  • Seven years experience supervising staff and managing complex financials

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for the management of all departmental staff involved in administrative operations and support to faculty students and programs
• Address the departmental needs in the absence of the Department Chair (signature authority approval processes) and perform other duties as assigned by Chair
• Manage and direct the development implementation administration and evaluation of departmental operations including but not limited to: research administration budget/finance program administration human resources communications/outreach and compliance
• Participate in multiyear and strategic planning
• Monitor trends and establish goals for the department
• Provide guidance on the interpretation implementation and compliance with policies and regulations
• Serve a primary role in the development & implementation of the annual budget and short and longterm budget planning
• Oversee the management of complex budgets including expenditure approval budget monitoring expenditure review and approval processing payments conducting analyses creating forecasts and identifying trends
• Oversee the maintenance of financial records
• Create manage and implement outreach plans that may include relationship development communications and event management
• Provide a positive publicfacing representation for events and communications
• Manage the human resources function for the department for staff; oversee the visa process for international faculty staff and students; faculty appointments and the promotion and tenure process; may assist with coordinating faculty searches
• Provide oversight for graduate and/or undergraduate program administration including graduate student recruitment and admissions student records and curriculum support; coordinate the accreditation process; provide oversight in the management of scholarships and fellowships and student advising
• Supervise support to faculty
• Oversee pre and postaward research administration
• Act as a department liaison to ensure positive department cooperation within the school and university as well as alumni other institutions outside researchers vendors and consultants
• Oversee space planning maintenance security and safety for all departmentassigned space (currently six different buildings across campus)
• Oversee management of capital assets
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Delegate and/or serve as backup for other specified processes performed by administrative staff
• Serve on University committees to help improve processes and procedures

Rice University HR Benefits: Mission and Values:Mission and Values Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color religion age sex sexual orientation gender identity national or ethnic origin genetic information disability or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process please contact Rice Universitys Disability Resource Center atorfor support.

If you have any additional questions please email us at. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.