Northwestern University Hiring for Director of Operations, QSIB at Chicago, IL  Full Time

Department: QSIB – Querrey Simpson Inst B
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Job Summary:

The Director of Operations (DO) leads the strategic business management and tactical operation of the Institute. The Director innovates, implements, and continually enhances the Institute’s programs and plans to ensure excellence at all levels.

Proactively interfacing with Institute senior management, executive committee and advisory board, the DO manages current initiatives and long-term planning in support of the Institute’s education, and research mission. The DO fosters the collaborative spirit of the Institute with alliances both internal and external to the University.

QSIB’s mission is to enable the development of biocompatible electronic, photonic, and microfluidic technologies for the human body, across a broad scope of applications, including those in medicine and human health. Given this mission, QSIB’s activities span the Northwestern campus – the majority of which fall within the Office for Research, McCormick School of Engineering, and Feinberg School of Medicine. The DO is responsible for managing these cross-campus operations to ensure that all financial and operational data reflect the full scope of QSIB activities.

QSIB is looking for a DO who has a deep understanding of the full lifecycle of sponsored research, well-rounded financial experience, a curiosity to learn about the Institute’s research, robust compliance experience, an analytical mindset, broad experience with systems and processes, and a willingness to dive into day-to-day tasks.

Specific Responsibilities:

Management of Operations

• Develops the vision, mission and financial and administrative operating principles of institute.
• Creates and maintains the infrastructure operating plan and process to enable efficient operations and compliance with University and funding agency policy.
• Orchestrates and coordinates activities of many people in various departments to provide seamless support for QSIB and the Rogers group operations and research programs.
• Determines the staff organization structure and supervises the recruitment, hiring, training and performance management of any new administrative staff. Continually stays abreast of external regulations.
• Manages capital and operating budget planning, purchasing and payroll expenditures, and regular reconciliation and reporting to ensure sound financial/fiscal management.
• Manages administrative aspects of space planning and other resource deployment.
• Coordinates with other budgeting units within the University.

Internal and External Relations

• Works with the Director and leadership team to support QSIB’s growth, development, and expand internal and external relationships.
• Interacts with faculty and administration at NU, funding agencies, and university collaborators to ensure smooth execution of the Institute’s initiatives.
• Serves as liaison to Northwestern’s upper administration and central offices throughout the university; engages partners at other universities as needed.
• Initiates and nurtures regular, productive communication with faculty directors, executive committee, advisory board and sponsors.
• Assists the Director in the preparation of informational reports, analyses, financial statements and programmatic presentations as required sponsor, federal government, Director, Advisory Committee, and participating Universities.
• Proactively engages other NU centers, institutes, departments, and school partners.

Strategic Planning

• Manages & implements strategic operation plans.
• Reviews plans, meets with leadership & key faculty & staff, & recommends changes & improvements to administrative operations to better meet organizational needs & objectives.
• Oversees existing programs; develops and implements new programs.
• Fulfills reporting requirements of various NU offices.
• Facilitates translational opportunities and develops relationships involving industry partners in coordination with COI and INVO

Research Development, Proposal and Award Management

• Provides high level research administration and oversees an extensive and complex sponsored research portfolio.
• Oversees submission process and facilitates a large volume of proposal submissions in collaboration with multiple external partners, departments, OSR, and other units.
• Meets with faculty during planning stages to develop logistical plan for submission of proposal.
• Liaises with OSR at early stages and throughout proposal preparation.
• Manages ongoing administrative relationships with funding agencies and many external sponsored research partners.
• Oversees compliance and manages a large, diverse portfolio of awards.
• Ensures reporting requirements of sponsors are fulfilled.

Supervisory:

• May supervises staff &/or provide work direction to others.
• Interfaces with staff support provided by the McCormick departments to coordinate efforts.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Bachelor’s in business, accounting or a related field with 5 or more years’ experience in administrative or supervisory capacity with exposure to a combination of budgets, finance, grant administration, facilities, staff supervision, &/or human resources.
• 5+ year’s management experience with progressively larger responsibilities.
• Interest in the business of higher education and research.
• Knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint or similar packages; familiarity with web development.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Proven communication, interpersonal and analytic skills.
• Adept at project management. Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated competency in organization management and financial stewardship.
• Proactive, energetic, innovative.
• Ability to work independently and yet is an accomplished team player.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Master’s degree in Business Administration or a PhD in a relevant science, technology, or engineering discipline.
• Previous management experience in a university environment.
• Experience in grant functions including proposal development, award management close-out.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Working knowledge of People Soft Northwestern University systems such as NUFinancials, Cognos, InfoEd, financial forecasting, basic intellectual property principles, granting agency policies and processes.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $96,000-$113,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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