Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine

Department Administrator 3 

MED-Medical Social Sciences  http://www.mss.northwestern.edu/

Job Summary    
The Department Administrator is the senior administrative position in the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) within the Feinberg School of Medicine (FSM) & provides thought leadership to develop strategic administrative initiatives that meet the mission of the business area.  Oversees the effective, compliant, & efficient daily management of all operational, financial, & business functions in support of the business area's mission & in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Facilities, IT, & Provost.  Represents business area on internal & external business affairs & is viewed as an expert resource regarding business area administrative affairs.

The (MSS) Department Administrator serves as an adviser to faculty, faculty leadership, the MSS Chair, and Vice Chair(s) on fiscal, operational, compliance and human resource matters. This role also involves center administration for the Center for Patient-Centered Outcomes (CPCO) and Northwestern University Center of Outcomes and Education (NUCORE).

The Department of Medical Social Sciences is a leader in advancing and applying outcomes/effectiveness research to improve patient care and influence policy. Our strong academic ties across the institution make possible comprehensive and state-of-the-art health outcomes development and assessment activity, including collaborations in disease management, prevention and control that utilize innovative health information technology applications. We intend to meet a growing need for expanded interdisciplinary scientific collaboration, to promote discovery of multidimensional mechanisms of health and disease, to improve adult and pediatric health status assessment, to develop and apply novel technologies for outcome assessment, and to collaborate with partners in genetic, epidemiologic, biologic and behavioral translational research paradigms.

Candidates applying to the position should expect to manage an entrepreneurial culture.  Successful candidates will be self-directed, and able to work with leaders across a wide range of management styles.  This role requires solid problem-solving skills, an ability to communicate expectations, and an attentive focus to timelines. This role leads in a collaborative manner across the department's depth of specialists in informatics, qualitative methods, psychometrics, statistical analysis, and research operations.
    
Areas of Responsibility:
Budget & Financial: (15%)
1. Plans & manages complex budget(s) to fund strategic mission including financial sustainability & enhancement models.
2. Plans & implements annual budget including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment &/or gift revenues.
3. Delegate's payroll, purchasing, travel & entertainment (T&E) transactions & serves as Level II NU Financials approver.
4. Serves as school level approver in FASIS.
5. Oversees routine budget reconciliation & analyzes budget position.
6. Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.
7. Responsible to stop an expense that is inappropriate or against deficit chart string.
8. Knowledgeable in NU Financials, Cognos & FASIS; oversees staff training in same.
    
Sustainable Applied Research Center Services: (5%)
1. Plans & manages PCAR administrative functions; operationalizes goals & objectives; ensures that staffing is appropriate to support PCAR program cores, projects and execution of a 5-year business plan
2. Oversees implementation of PCAR and NUCORE business plan
3. Oversees & ensures that day-to-day business operations are appropriately managed and that they are efficient and effective.
 

Communications & Outreach: (5%)
1. Edit &/or distribution of newsletter; &/or management of website, & special events.
    
Facilities & Safety: (10%)
1. Manages office, lab & common areas to ensure strategic use of available space & routine maintenance.
2. Determines & assigns space allocation.
3. Oversees construction projects in coordination with Facilities Management.
4. Oversees/completes annual SIMS survey following NU protocol.
5. Develops safety plan & ensures communication & compliance.
6. Monitors facilities condition & responds to Risk Management reports.
7. Ensures communication with Principal Investigators (PIs) regarding ISIS participation.

Faculty Support: (15%)
1. Provides strategic recommendation for management of faculty appointments, credentialing & exit (retirement & termination) processes.
2. Reviews policies, recommends changes, implements new & ensures consistent interpretation.
3. Participates in creation & implementation of FASIS.
4. Oversees all aspects of faculty administrative tasks (colloquium, seminar, travel, faculty COI survey, annual report) ensuring optimal faculty support.
  
Grants & Contracts: (15%)
1. Manages professional research administration support staff in order to facilitate & enhance all administrative grant processes & related compliance.
2. Responsible for pre- & post-award administration completed by research administrators.
3. Builds relationships with Principal Investigators (PIs) & NU research associated offices; transfers knowledge & advises on research policy & procedure.
4. Oversees payroll for research appointments.
5. Ensures on-going training of support staff & PIs for optimal operations & compliance.
    
Human Resources: (15%)
1. Determines & implements organizational structures to align with strategic mission.
2. Manages implementation of human resource programs, policies, procedures & talent management lifecycle & related mentoring & training.
3. Oversees recruitment & selection process; Performance Excellence plan for each employee; & merit increase process.
4. Manages & provides consultation regarding complex performance problems & issues; administers leaves; approves timesheets & oversees completion of annual staff Conflict of Interest survey.

IT Services: (5%)
1. Acts as liaison to IT management to ensure technology systems are available to meet objectives of strategic plan.
2. Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure technology services are appropriated from central or internal IT.
3. Issues work order requests directly or through support staff.
4. Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the mission & needs of the organization.
    
Regulatory Compliance: (5%)
1. Oversees development & implementation of processes & procedures for all safety, security & compliance programs & ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local & NU laws, regulations, policies & procedures.
2. Oversees creation &/or implementation of associated training.
 
Strategic Planning: (5%)
1. Creates, implements, & manages, in conjunction with leadership, strategic plans to best utilize revenue for key faculty recruitments, program development, and research expansion, space planning etc.
    
Supervisory: (10%)
1. Supervises 2 or more staff &/or provide work direction to others.
2. Provides direction to or coordinate administrative effort of staff within or outside of immediate dept or division.

Minimum Qualifications:    
1. Bachelor's in business, accounting or a related field with 8 or more years' experience in administrative or supervisory capacity with exposure to a combination of budgets, finance, grant administration, facilities, &/or human resources; or 10 yrs administrative experience.

Minimum Competencies:
1. Financial Analysis Acumen: The ability to apply the concepts used to make economic decisions, key accounting, financial, analysis or investment valuation concepts used in operating activities.
2. Strategic Planning Acumen: The general understanding of business principles and the ability to leverage internal and external information to make thoughtful business decisions about the future of the organization quickly and successfully.

Preferred Qualifications:    
1. Master's in business, healthcare administration, hospital administration, public. health/administration or equivalent degree.
2. 5 years managerial experience.

Preferred Competencies:
1. Analytical and Problem Solving Skills: The ability to seek information from a variety of sources and in a variety of ways, to clarify situations and to facilitate effective planning, decision-making, and problem solving.
2. Ethics and Integrity: Consistently demonstrates the organizations values through behaviors.
3. Problem Solving: Develops effective approaches, addresses needs, and solves problems.
4. Teamwork: Works effectively with team/work group or those outside the formal line of authority to accomplish organizational goals.
5. Seizes Opportunities: seeks opportunities to innovate and continually improve.
6. Professional and Technical Knowledge: Understanding and utilizing policies,  procedures, technology, regulations, stakeholder interests, as well as economic,  financial, and industry data to accurately diagnose and identify key issues, when developing strategies and plans.

As per Northwestern University policy, this position requires a criminal background check.  Successful applicants will need to submit to a criminal background check prior to employment.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

To apply please click link below and proceed to job code 24243

https://nuhr.northwestern.edu/hr91prod_er/eRecruit_login.html (Go to advanced search and enter job code 24243)