Job Description

Job Summary:

The Business Administrator (BA) is the senior administrative position in the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) 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 in support of the business area's mission & in coordination with McCormick Administration. Specific 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 and safety; and general business office management. Under the general direction of the department Chair and in collaboration with the Associate Dean, the BA supports the area’s mission and exercises independent judgment based on university, school and organization policies and procedures. Represents business area on internal & external administrative affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions.

Areas of responsibility:

Administration

Budget & Financial

Communications & Outreach

Facilities & Safety

Faculty Support

Grants/Contracts

Human Resources

Regulatory Compliance

Strategic Planning

Student Support

Specific Responsibilities:

Areas of responsibility:

Administration
Budget & Financial
Communications & Outreach
Facilities & Safety
Faculty Support
Grants/Contracts
Human Resources
Regulatory Compliance
Strategic Planning
Student Support
Ensures that the program/project meets associated revenue & expense goals.
Work Complexity:

EE uses judgment & an extensive amount of experience to adapt an advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies & procedures & a moderate degree of innovation, analysis, & reasoning to plan & prioritize work that is primarily project oriented & involves some extremely difficult problems &/or decisions.
EE interprets policy.
Anticipates projects, deadlines and departmental initiatives and prepare upfront analysis and documents for review by the Department Chair.
Assists the Department Chair to develop and implement policies, procedures and strategies to achieve departmental goals and long-term vision;
Acts as the department information resource for faculty, staff and student inquiries and assistance.
Uses judgment & an extensive amount of experience to adapt an advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies & procedures, sometimes without clear precedents, & a considerable degree of innovation, analysis & reasoning to independently plan & prioritize work that is almost all project oriented & involves many extremely difficult problems &/or decisions.
Recommends changes to policies and procedures to develop best practices to better meet objectives.
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.
Prepares faculty salary recovery & summer salary.
Oversees prompt payment of invoices & related research of errors.
Monitors open encumbrances & deficit chartstrings.
Level II approver in NUFS.
School level approver in HRIS (myHR).
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.
Oversees timely and accurate processing of purchases for department non-sponsored and sponsored requirements including lab purchases.
Communications & Outreach:

Working closely with the Office of Alumni Relations, may actively pursue opportunities for alumni contact & solicitation.
Delegates or completes maintenance of alumni lists or database; production, edit &/or distribution of newsletter; &/or management of website, & special events.
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.
Brings requests for building & space improvements to attention of management.
Completes appropriate section of annual SIMS survey following NU protocol.
Manages the development & communication of department safety plan.
Monitors research lab compliance & respond to Risk Management reports.
Ensures communication with Principal Investigators (PIs) regarding NSIS participation.
Faculty Support:

Manages administration of faculty recruitment including ads, candidate communication, interview & visit, HRIS (myHR) paperwork & orientation.
Oversees the preparation of Promotion & Tenure cases.
Interprets & applies policy & procedure.
Oversees colloquium & seminar coordination, faculty travel planning. Ensures faculty completion of annual Conflict of Interest Survey.
Provides accurate, prompt and thorough administrative and financial support for faculty.
Orients new faculty to department and act as first point of contact for questions from faculty.
Advises faculty on financial matters pertaining to sponsored and non-sponsored accounts.
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) I 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.
Manage HRIS (myHR) appointments and payroll for accuracy for post docs, grad students, work study, temps; Meet/exceed NU Audit Control objectives.
Foster cooperative spirit and clear communication with other McCormick departments, McCormick Administration, NU schools, NU Central Administration, OSR and ASRSP.
Regulatory Compliance:

Manages implementation of all safety, security & compliance programs & ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local & NU laws, regulations, policies & procedures.
Develops innovative methods to assist faculty & staff with adherence to grantor compliance programs.
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.
For graduate students: Oversees annual recruitment & selection process & related data entry; resolves administrative issues (RAS forms, stipends, monitors fellowships, etc.) & organizes new student week.
Advises students on an on-going basis.
Researches scholarships, manages Teaching Assistant (TA) & grader allocations.
For undergraduate students: Organizes new student week & orientation to department.
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.
Acts as teacher and mentor to department staff, identifying staff knowledge gaps and developing training workshops with exercises that help achieve school-wide best practices; delivers school-wide training in an area of subject matter expertise.
Provides direction for staff on possible career paths and opportunities.
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.
5 years' administrative experience including budgets, finance, grants, facilities, &/or human resources; or other relevant experience.