Associate Director, Strategy Department

Job Summary :

The Business Administrator (BA) is the senior administrative position in a department within a school & 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 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 administrative affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions.

The Business Administrator is an integral part of the Kellogg faculty support infrastructure, providing primary administrative oversight to the Strategy department.

Reporting to the Director of Academic Departments, the business administrator works closely with department leadership and serves as the senior administrator for all academic operations, supervising the administrative staff and functioning as the central liaison to the department chair(s), faculty, and doctoral students.

In collaboration with administrative support areas across the school, the business administrator helps build and lead cross-departmental expertise to enhance operational excellence in financial stewardship, course logistics, academic events, and research support.

Supports faculty community by delivering and developing best practices and standard operating procedures within a collaborative, team-oriented environment.

Within the department and in collaboration with school administrative teams coordinates course planning and logistics, seminar programming, and PhD student recruitment.

Oversees student, temporary staff, and contractor hiring to support teaching and research, and works closely with department leadership to ensure all curricular support needs are met.

Ensures the highest level of service is delivered to all faculty, staff, and visitors. Represents the department in internal and external administrative affairs by exchanging information and making recommendations.

Oversees departmental operations related to faculty recruitment in coordination with school administration.

Specific Responsibilities :

Budget & Financial :

• Serves a primary role in the development & implementation of annual budget including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment & gift revenues.
• Typically involved in the budget management of numerous research grants.
• Responsible for payroll, purchasing, travel & entertainment (T&E) transactions & requesting new chartstrings using NU protocol.
• Oversees prompt payment of invoices & related research of errors.
• Monitors open encumbrances & deficit chartstrings.
• Level II approver in NUFS.
• Routinely reviews & reconciles actual expenses to budget per NU Audit guidelines.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.
• Responsible to stop an expense that is inappropriate or against deficit chartstring.
• Negotiates with vendors for purchases & leases.

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, & / or renovations.

Faculty Support :

• Manages administration of faculty recruitment including ads, candidate communication, interview & visit, & orientation.
• Assists in the preparation of Promotion & Tenure cases.
• Interprets & applies policy & procedure.
• Oversees colloquium & seminar coordination, faculty travel planning.

Grants & Contracts :

• Oversees & / or completes pre- & 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 :

• Manages implementation of human resource programs, policies, procedures & talent management lifecycle & related mentoring & training.
• 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 departmental policy & implements school & NU policy.

IT Services :

Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure services are appropriated from central or internal IT.

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.

Student Support :

• Implements department strategy regarding structure, process, & staff support of students in compliance with NU policy.
• Researches scholarships, manages Teaching Assistant (TA) & grader allocations.
• Prepares academic year course schedule; monitors course registration & enrollments.
• Resolves student issues.
• Acts as primary contact with School or student organizations.

Supervisory :

• Supervises 2 or more staff & / or provide work direction to others.
• Provides direction to or coordinate administrative effort of staff within or outside of immediate dept or division.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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

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.

5 years' administrative experience including budgets, finance, grants, facilities, & / or human resources; or other relevant experience.

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

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically, both verbally and in writing
• Proven leadership ability in a matrixed reporting environment
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with university and research settings
• Ability to proactively identify and address needs
• Strong interpersonal skills, consultative and collaborative

Preferred Qualifications : (Education and experience

• Masters degree preferred
• Experience in an educational setting with a focus on supporting faculty excellence
• 3-5 years management experience leading dynamic teams

Preferred Competencies : (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

Interest in fields of economics, accounting, or finance

Target hiring range for this position will be between $80,000 $90,000 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.