This position is contingent upon sponsor award.
Purpose of Position:
The Assistant Director, Operations manages a team of two direct and 4+ indirect staff responsible for administering student relocation, housing, orientation, and special events for foreign students pursuing undergraduate degrees in the STEM fields in the US. Additionally, the Operations Manager oversees the development and implementation of systems administration and data reporting requirements for the program. Work is carried out independently under general supervision.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. IIE may add, change, or remove essential and other duties at any time.
People Management
•Work closely with department director to lead team through organizational change, clearly communicating roles, responsibilities and overall structure while ensuring concurrent, high-quality service delivery.
•Make recommendations concerning employment, termination, performance evaluations, salary actions, and other personnel actions.
•Prioritize, organize, distribute, and coordinate the flow of work.
•Guide individual employee performance via timely communication and support.
•Identify appropriate training and development opportunities to contribute to the achievement of department goals.
•Ensure that prescribed policies, procedures, and schedules are followed.
•Responsible for complying with applicable contract and sponsor requirements and following all IIE policies and procedures.
Program Management
•Establish Operations unit, manage operations and best practices for KGSP.
•Work with all program areas of the KGSP to create systems and processes that create efficiencies and ability to easily report to the sponsor.
•Oversee all functions associated with relocating new cohorts to each university location and providing ongoing support to existing students, including but not limited to:
oPlanning and implementing pre-departure orientation
oSecuring student housing; assisting existing students with housing arrangements
oTravel arrangements
oArranging for Initial student meetings and arrival orientations
•Provide all students with comprehensive pre-departure instructions and ongoing support.
•Manage logistics for all special program events and individual student activities.
•Oversee systems administration function, including, working with the Data Manager to provide high level oversight of the SharePoint, SLCM, AY, CRM and other IIE systems.
•Develop and implement quality assurance measures for each program activity.
•Satisfy daily, regular, and ad hoc reporting requirements.
Financial Management
•Manage unit budgets.
•Review and approve payments requests.
•Oversee vendor and sub-recipient agreements.
•Responsible for complying with applicable contract and sponsor requirements and following all IIE policies and procedures.
Performs other duties and functions as assigned.
Education/Experience:
•Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
•Minimum seven years of operations management experience for complicated, fast paced programs.
•Experience in international higher education exchange.
•At least two years of experience supervising staff.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
•Proven ability to manage, motivate, and develop high-functioning teams.
•Ability to communicate, negotiate, advise, and persuade on matters that are highly complex and sensitive in nature. Ability to communicate effectively with persons on all levels both inside and outside the organization.
•Proven ability to manage complex programs and logistics. Ability to work effectively in an atmosphere of multiple projects, shifting priorities, and deadline pressure.
•Demonstrated ability to maintain compliance and data reporting requirements of sponsor standards and guidelines.
•Excellent critical thinking skills and judgment.
•Strong written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to write required documents in a clear, concise, well-organized manner.
•Awareness, sensitivity, and understanding of cross-cultural issues.
•Ability to use various forms of data management software.
•Fluency in English, written and oral. Abilities in a second language relevant to the region preferred.
•Proficiency with MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
•Willingness and availability to travel within the United States and to Saudi Arabia.
Work Environment and Physical Demands: Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
