Job Description
The Department Manager serves as the senior administrative leader for the department, responsible for translating academic and strategic priorities into effective operational execution within a decentralized school environment. This role partners closely with the Department Chair and faculty while coordinating extensively with centralized/shared service units (Finance, HR, Sponsored Research, and Accounting).
The Department Manager ensures that departmental needs are met through proactive planning, service coordination, and escalation, while maintaining accountability for outcomes despite distributed service delivery. The position supervises department-based staff, including student services and administrative personnel.
This role has process oversight responsibility across administrative functions and operates with an implicit dotted-line relationship to College functional leadership, including the Associate Dean for Finance, Accounting, and Sponsored Programs Support and the Associate Dean for Human Resources, to ensure consistency, compliance, and alignment with College-wide standards.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively interact with faculty, staff, students, researchers, and other university personnel
- Ability to write precisely, clearly, and concisely and to proofread documents to eliminate all errors and ambiguities
- Analytical and reasoning abilities relevant to evaluation of complex requirements and regulations at the University, State, and Federal levels
- Experience with computerized financial reporting and analysis systems, with a thorough understanding of business computer technology
- Experience in planning, organizing, and implementing effective management systems
- Extensive financial and other management experience and/or demonstration of a high degree of competence in management of a complex organization.
The selected candidate is preferred to have:
- Working knowledge of PeopleSoft/ConnectCarolina, Infoporte, or similar systems and Adobe Acrobat XI Pro. Knowledge of UNC policies/procedures is preferred. Concur software is preferred as well.
- Experience in grants management, personnel management, and academic administration
- Four years’ experience in management of administrative activities in an academic setting preferred.
- Knowledge (or willingness to learn) of how to effectively use AI in the business office setting
This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority in accordance with the Clery Act. This position will be required to report Clery crimes to the Clery Compliance Manager and complete annual training about reporting responsibilities.
