Business Administrator 1

Department: MCC Engg Sci & Applied Math
Salary/Grade: EXS/6

Job Summary:

Administers operational, financial, & business functions in support of the area/unit's mission & in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Facilities, IT, & Provost. Implements existing policy & ensures the effective, compliant, & efficient completion of daily administrative operations. May represent business area on internal &/or external administrative affairs by exchanging information.

The Business Administrator (BA) is the senior administrative position in the Engineering Sciences & Applied Mathematics (ESAM) department within the McCormick School of Engineering. This position provides thought leadership in reviewing & recommending policy & procedure designed to enhance operational excellence. Ensures the effective, compliant, & efficient daily management of all operational, financial, & business functions. These areas include: budget and accounting; payroll, purchase and expenses transactions; involvement in the management of sponsored accounts; staff organization, recruitment, training and performance; graduate & undergraduate student administration; space, safety and facilities projects; and general business office management. Under the general direction of the department Chair and in collaboration with deans, the BA supports the area's mission and exercises independent judgment based on university, school and organization policies and procedures. Represents department on internal & external administrative affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions.

Specific Responsibilities:

Work Complexity:

• EE uses some judgment to adapt an advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies &/or procedures & a moderate degree of innovation, analysis & reasoning to complete work that is somewhat project-oriented & involves some complex problems &/or decisions.
• EE administers policy.

Budget & Financial:

• Participates in determination of budget including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment &/or gift revenues.
• Directly responsible for payroll, purchasing, travel & entertainment (T&E) transactions & requesting new chart strings using NU protocol.
• Ensures prompt payment of invoices, researching errors/delayed transactions.
• Monitors open encumbrances & deficit chart strings.
• Level II NU Financials approver.
• Reviews & reconciles actual expenses to budget per NU Audit guidelines.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.
• Dept/School level approver myHR

Communications & Outreach:

• Works closely with the Office of Alumni Relations to determine opportunities for alumni contact & solicitation.
• Maintains alumni lists or database.
• Produces, edits, &/or distributes newsletter.
• Manages website, assuring updates are made in a timely manner.
• Plans numerous special events throughout the year, assuring all logistics are complete.

Facilities & Safety:

• Monitors area facilities conditions & directs requests to Facilities Management using FAMIS.
• Maintains key database & security.
• Works with management to assign staff &/or faculty space including appropriate FM refresh/renovation & furniture purchase.
• Coordinates set up of furniture, data & phone lines.
• Brings requests for building & space improvements to attention of management.
• Completes appropriate section of annual SIMS survey following NU protocol.
• Participates in communication of area safety plan.
• Ensures communication with Principal Investigators (PIs) regarding ISIS participation.

Faculty Support:

• Coordinates faculty recruitment, appointment & credentialing processes; place ads; candidate communication & visit.
• Provides support for preparation of Promotion & Tenure cases.
• Initiates HRIS (myHR) appointment paperwork.
• Arranges colloquium & seminar coordination, & faculty travel planning.

Grants & Contracts:

• Provides data for grant proposals; develop &/or administer budgets; submit proposals; coordinate IRB/IACUC, OSR/ASRSP transactions, &/or effort reporting.
• Ensures compliance with research safety regulations, interact with faculty, staff &/or funders to build relationships, transfer knowledge, &/or advise on research policies & procedures.
  • Oversees &/or completes post-award research administration.
  • Utilizes established systems (effort reporting, direct cost charging/SDA, financial reporting) to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
  • Interacts with Principal investigators (PIs) to build relationships, transfer knowledge & advise on research policies & procedures.
  • Oversees payroll for research appointments.
  • Ensures faculty completion of effort certification.
  • Provides appropriate training for staff & PIs.

Human Resources:

• Ensures human resources programs, policies, & procedures are implemented & consistently applied.
• Coordinates all or portions of the talent management lifecycle (sourcing, selecting, developing, coaching, rewarding, recognizing, managing information & optimizing talent.)
• In consultation with management, may administer HR solutions.
• Maintains excellent working relationship with Office of Human Resources.
  • Posts positions to eRecruit, leads the recruitment & selection process.
  • Manages area/unit structure & prioritizes & distributes staff workload.
  • Oversees Performance Excellence plan for each employee & prepares annual review.
  • Manages performance problems, administers leaves, approves timesheets & oversees completion of annual staff Conflict of Interest survey.
  • Institutes department policy & implements school & NU policy.

Strategic Planning:

• Administers & maintains existing strategic operation plans.
• Recommends changes & improvements to administrative operations to ensure most effective & efficient use of revenue streams for faculty & staff recruitment, program development, research expansions, space planning, etc.

Student Support:

• Implements department strategy regarding structure, process, & staff support of students in compliance with NU policy.
• For graduate students: Oversees annual recruitment & selection process & related data entry; advises students; resolves administrative issues (RAS forms, stipends, monitors fellowships, etc.) & organizes new student week.
• Manages graduate student funding quarterly.
• Resolves student issues.

Supervisory:

• Supervises 1-2 staff.
• Provides work direction.

Miscellaneous:

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as business, accounting or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 2 years' administrative experience including budgets, finance, grants, facilities, &/or human resources; or other relevant experience.

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

• Computer skills: standard office software. Well-organized, detail-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Good people skills

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Self-starter, pro-active, good communicator, good at multi-tasking, flexible, quick study in terms of learning new computer applications.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $56,782 - $79,850 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 https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html 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 https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html 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 https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html 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 COVID-19 and Campus Updates 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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