Director, Academic Affairs - Military Veterans

Location: Chicago, IL
Job Description:

• Ensures the procedural and substantive integrity of all academic personnel management in the Division and its Departments/Units, including initial appointment for new hires, reappointment, and promotion, as well as work authorization, leave of absence, retirement, resignation, and termination of academic appointees; oversees the tracking and management all these processes and guides priorities for the Assistant Director Academic Affairs and Academic Affairs Administrator, as relevant.
• Primary responsibility for employment processes and tracking of career track academic appointees, such as tenure-track faculty and other academic appointees.
• Oversees employment processes and tracking of non-career track academic appointees, including part-time lecturers, visiting appointees, and postdoctoral appointees, etc.
• Advises the Associate Dean and Dean on academic personnel matters and identifies opportunities for policy and operational improvements.
• Drafts memos on behalf of the Dean, Deputy Deans, and Associate Dean.
• Advises department Chairs, their administrators, and other faculty members on complex appointment-related situations and problems; communicates with several central offices on behalf of the Division on appointment-related issues, including the Office of Legal Counsel, Office of International Affairs, and Provost's Office.
• Directly supervises the Assistant Director, Academic Affairs and the Academic Affairs Administrator.
• Develops and maintains best practices and process documentation. This includes procedure manuals and standard operating procedures for department operations, to ensure efficient workflow, appropriate collaboration with other offices, and continuity.
• Discusses performance goals and promotes professional development opportunities. Engages in annual performance management process. Provides feedback and guidance to staff on day-to-day, short-term, and long-term activities.
• Serves as a resource for information about the SEIU Local 73 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This includes advising faculty and staff in the Division on policies related to the CBA and contributing input to policy proposals and process solutions related to management of academic affairs and SEIU Local 73.
• Oversees implementation and maintenance of systems related to academic appointment process, trains Divisional staff on their use, and serves as a resource for other units on their use.
• Conducts research and contributes to strategic planning for faculty and chair development, relocation of families with dual careers.
• Creates training and programming for faculty and chair development.
• Prepares and presents analyses, reports, and marketing materials to a wide variety of both internal and external audiences. Participates and contributes on a variety of committees/teams and with a diverse array of colleagues and partners.
• Conducts research and data gathering (e.g., Internet research, surveys), project planning, and implementation for a wide range of projects.
• Gathers and analyzes data for possible solutions for faculty-related issues. Writes reports and expands knowledge and experience in areas.
• Assists with managing the day-to-day operations of faculty affair programs with a moderate level of guidance.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree in a Humanistic field.

Experience:

• Relevant role in academic affairs or a related area of university administration.
• Leadership or management.
• Training others.
• Background working with central administrative units within a complex research university environment.
• Extensive knowledge of academic appointment process for a university.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficient with Workday or similar HRIS platform.
• Skilled with word processing applications, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Proficient with software applications, such as Workday, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Knowledge of scholarly landscape and best practices for college or university-level teaching in the Humanities.
• Familiarity with fields of humanistic research.

Preferred Competencies

• Capacity to understand and follow complex administrative policies and practices.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Attention to detail and always maintain accuracy.
• Read and understand complex academic work.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Develop and implement quality control standards.
• Make presentations.
• Handle sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.
• Manage a heavy workload, competing priorities, complex problems, and tight deadlines.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Use appropriate resources to resolve an issue.
• Follow an issue through to resolution.
• Considerable skill in working both independently and as a team member.
• Take initiative and organize and complete projects with minimal supervision.

Preferred Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via the Applicant Inquiry Form.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.