Department Administrator - Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Interior Design at the College of Design

The College of Design at the University of Minnesota seeks an experienced professional for the position of Department Administrator for the Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Interior Design (ALI). ALI is a dynamic academic unit encompassing three distinct professional design disciplines that span across graduate and undergraduate programs, requiring a leader capable of navigating complex organizational structures, diverse faculty needs, and multiple program objectives.

This position is a member of the Department's leadership, serving as the primary operational and administrative partner to the Department Head and Associate Head. The Administrator is responsible for managing the Department's administrative operations, ensuring alignment between administrative processes, strategic vision, and University/College policies. The successful candidate will foster a professional, collaborative, and inclusive environment, directly contributing to the department's research, teaching, and outreach excellence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic and Executive Support - 25%

This role provides direct, high-level support to the Department Head. The Administrator acts as a strategic project manager, assisting in the development and execution of departmental strategic planning, budget proposals, and new program initiatives. Key responsibilities include monitoring critical institutional and departmental timelines, preparing confidential dossiers for faculty promotion and tenure processes, overseeing confidential faculty voting and annual review processes, supporting professional accreditation processes and annual reports, and managing logistics for all related internal and external studio reviews and visiting faculty, speakers and external reviewers. The Administrator drafts complex correspondence, departmental policy statements, and reports on behalf of the Head, gathering and analyzing data to inform executive decision-making on academic, financial, and administrative matters. The Administrator must maintain current, expert knowledge of relevant institutional policies and procedures across faculty affairs, operations, and HR, and serve as the main liaison to College and Central University administrative offices.

Financial and Business Management - 25%

The Department Administrator is the primary financial advisor and manager for the Department, overseeing a $8+ million dollar annual budget and all fiscal activities. Working closely with the College's Budget and Finance team, the Administrator develops annual budget forecasts and plans in consultation with the Head and Associate Head, monitors fiscal activities, tracks expenditure trends, and makes recommendations to manage balances across various funding sources (general, foundation, and sponsored project accounts). Responsibilities include coordinating the departmental annual budget, approving expenditures in compliance with university and college policies, initiating and processing business documents and reimbursements, and advising the Head on potential financial efficiencies. As the professional accredited degree curriculum undergoes frequent changes, and has a diversity of formats, the ability to assess costs of courses and changes is critical. This individual works with the Graduate Program Coordinator, Head, Graduate Program Directors and the Development team to confirm fellowships and awards are balanced within established budgets and also communicates this to the Finance team at the end of the annual recruiting and admissions cycle.

Human Resources - 30%

The Department Administrator reports directly to the Department Head and operates with a high degree of autonomy, discretion, and confidentiality. The Administrator also serves as the Department's primary liaison to the College of Design Human Resources team, managing HR processes, including hiring documentation for approximately 80 adjunct and visiting instructors annually, graduate and undergraduate appointments, and ensuring compliance with all College and University policies and procedural deadlines.

Supervision and Operational Management - 20%

The Administrator is responsible for the effective and efficient management of all day-to-day administrative and academic support services. This includes two full-time office professionals. This encompasses all aspects of personnel management for direct reports, including hiring, training, performance evaluation, ongoing coaching, workload distribution, and professional development planning.

The Administrator oversees administrative staff to ensure the integrity of the curriculum management process, course scheduling, curricula maintenance, and accreditation reporting. Furthermore, the role involves coordinating with the college Communications, Student Services, and Development teams' marketing and communications efforts, content updates for the departmental website and list serves, and supporting donor relations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BA/BS plus a minimum of at least 4 years of experience, or a combination of related education and work experiences to equal eight years

Must have experience in:

• Financial analysis and budget management
• Leading and supervising staff, working with human resources in hiring processes
• Project management, including managing multiple complex tasks
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Discretion and confidentiality
• Strong computer proficiency to organize and analyze data in the Google suite or similar
• Demonstrated commitment to working cooperatively and collaboratively within a diverse academic (or similar) and personnel setting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Progressively responsible experience in a complex higher education, and a demonstrated capacity to understand the culture, disciplines, and operational needs of the department
• Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., academic administration, communication, business, organizational leadership, or similar major)
• Background working with design and/or architects/designers.
• Experience working in an academic or institutional environment.
• Master's degree in a related field or a degree in a design field
• Evidence of ability to work cooperatively with administrators, faculty, staff and students
• Ability to produce graphic presentations and documents in Google Suite or similar
• Human resources experience
• Proficiency with University of Minnesota enterprise systems (PeopleSoft, EFS, PCAS, CourseDog, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and independently in a highly collaborative setting, with excellent skills in verbal and written communications; strong organizational skills, and the capacity to balance and manage a large number of projects and related details.
• Evidence of self-initiative.

Pay Range: $61,800.00 - $105,000.00 (29.71/hr to $50.54/hr); depending on education/qualifications and experience

Time Appointment: 100% , 12 month continuous appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. Please complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).