Repost: Academic Dept Manager III - Hamilton, Canada - McMaster University

Description

Ranked as one of the world's top 70 universities, McMaster University is known for teaching and research excellence. Our purpose is the discovery, communication, and preservation of knowledge. In our teaching, research, and scholarship, we are committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence. We value integrity, quality, inclusiveness, and teamwork in everything we do. We inspire critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for lifelong learning. We serve the social, cultural, and economic needs of our community and our society.

About the Department: The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB) is an intensive teaching and research-based department. Our 33 faculty members provide instruction to over 15,000 undergraduate students, and teach more than seventy undergraduate courses throughout the year, with the assistance of over 150 Tutorial Assistants. Our faculty also provide supervision and instruction to over 100 graduate students enrolled in PNB. Our undergraduate programs confer degrees in Science, Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary programs. PNB has long enjoyed an international reputation for research excellence in experimental Psychology (across Animal Behaviour; Cognition/Perception; Developmental Psychology; Evolution & Social Behaviour; Systems & Behavioural Neuroscience; and Research & Clinical Training). Total annual research awards exceed $2.8million.The department is housed in its own building consisting of five floors with 40,000 square feet of the building dedicated to research purposes, and the remaining 50,000 square feet to faculty & administrative offices, classrooms and seminar rooms; and its current annual operating budget is just over $10 million.

About the Position: Reporting to the Department Chair , The Academic Department Manager III is responsible for the strategic and operational management of a very large, complex academic department with multiple functions including graduate and undergraduate programming, fee for service facilities, labs, research institutes, centres, and external partnerships. This role plays an integral role in driving the department strategy and ensuring alignment with the strategic vision of the University , influencing the culture within the department, reinforcing university values and shaping the direction of the department offerings with a forward- looking perspective.

Key Accountabilities

• Provides administrative and operational leadership, visioning and strategic planning, and advises the Chair and faculty members on financial and human resources, space, curriculum, academic planning, advising and scheduling, and other strategic matters.

• Collaborates with the academic leadership of the department and senior administrative staff of the Faculty and with central offices such as the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the School of Grad Studies, the Office of the Registrar, Human Resources, Institutional Research and Analysis, ROADs, MILO, Finance, Facility Services.

• Provides critical analysis of the Department's needs related to planning, resourcing and proposal development using detailed data analytics to develop and drive the Department's strategy.

• Provides a link between incoming and outgoing faculty and staff on operational procedures and policy as they relate to undergraduate and graduate education, and research administration, and advises on new initiatives or changes to policies and procedures at both the department and university levels.

• Plays an integral role in managing and overseeing all aspects of the Accreditation process (includes overseeing the administration of the annual Graduate Attribute measurement and collection process, as well as the preparation for the program visits)

• Manages and oversees the Internal Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) for both graduate and undergraduate programs.

• On a day-to- day basis, the Manager implements the policy decisions taken by the Department, Faculty, or University with respect to undergraduate and graduate students, and research administration, represents the department/programs on University-wide committees, and provides leadership and direction to the staff who provide service to students in the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Other Key Areas Include:

1) Financial Management

• Independently manages the financial resources (operating, research, facilities/services, research institutes and centres) of the department.

• Serves as the Chair's delegate and has financial decision making and signing authority necessary for the continued operation of the Department.

• Develops and monitors financial policies and procedures and ensures compliance with University policies, participating in audits where necessary, develops and prepares reports.
2) Strategic Planning

• Plays a key role in advising the Chair on strategic planning, not only in the respective Department but also within the Faculty.

• Drives the implementation of the department strategy and ensures alignment with the strategic vision of the University, influences the culture within the department, reinforces university values and shapes the direction of the department offerings with a forward-looking perspective.

• Provides critical analysis of the Department's needs related to planning, resourcing and proposal development using detailed data analytics.
3) Operational Management

• Responsible for ensuring that the Department is managed in an effective and efficient manner.

• Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates all infrastructure activities of the Department including staff recruitment, promotion, human resource, finance, research and teaching activities within the Department.

• Develops and facilitates marketing and communication plans for the Department.
4) Human Resources Management

• Manages all direct reports including hiring, work assignment, conflict management, performance management, hiring disciplinary action, training and development for direct reports.

• Supports the Chair in hiring and onboarding all employees including Faculty, Sessionals ,Post Docs, IAs, TAs, work study, co-ops, technical and research staff

• Establishes and ensures adherence to quality and quantity standards and coordinates the resource needs of the staff, balances workloads, assesses and meets training requirements.
5) Physical Resource Management:

• Performs space analysis for space planning activities (including funding), tracking the NASM for budgeting purposes/reporting ensuring optimal space utilization within the Department

• Ensures the maintenance of a fixed asset and space inventory and creates asset replacement plans to accompany the budget each year.

• Serves as the main contact and must resolve all security issues.
6) Education Administrative Support:

• Responsible for managing the resources and infrastructure supporting education activities within the Department and is heavily involved in academic planning, advising and development. Educational activities include:

• Manages and participates in (representing the non-academic members of the Department) the Departmental Accreditation process (for external bodies such as IQAP and Accreditation Boards (for graduate and undergraduate programs) and internal process, i.e., department reviews).

• Accountable for administration of graduate and undergraduate programs (i.e., financial, statistical, external reviews).
7) Research Administrative Support:

• Oversees the administrative support of research activity within the Department

• Observes and identifies opportunities for research collaboration, keeping the Chair informed.

• Consults with research finance on complex financial or legal matters as required, providing advice and direction to the Chair and faculty members.

Are you the right candidate?
This role requires a senior level professional with at least 5-10 years of managerial/leadership experience with a broad understanding of research, finance, Faculty and University initiatives. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives and has been recognized for building impactful relationships, handling complex decisions with tact, good judgement and diplomacy . Additionally, the successful incumbent will have demonstrated experience making decisions independently and exercising leadership in the management of support services.

Other qualifications

• Master's level degree in relevant field or a professional designation such as CPA

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience interpreting policies, procedures, and guidelines

• Must be organized, a long range-planner and an accomplished problem-solver able to quickly assess situations and individuals and lead solutions.