University Director of Operational Systems and Project Strategy

SUMMARY:

The University Director of Operational Systems and Project Strategy plays a pivotal role in steering all university departments toward achieving key objectives, including enrollment growth, operational efficiency, and enhanced user experience across systems and processes.  This leadership position fosters collaboration among all functional areas and manages projects from conception to completion, ensuring alignment with university standards and specification. The University Director of Operational Systems and Project Strategy serves as a liaison between the operational units and IT, facilitating coordination of systems updates and technology advances, analyzing downstream processes, mapping integrations, creating automation of workflow to improve efficiencies, and developing comprehensive documentation of processes for record keeping and compliance.  The position supports needs across the organization for compiling, processing, maintaining, and tracking of policy, process and standardized reporting, for internal and external analysis and/or use.

Incumbent must assure that the South University philosophy is considered in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of this position: quality services to clients; development, growth, involvement, and recognition of employees; sound economic principles; and environment which is conducive to innovation, positive thinking and expansion.

KEY JOB ELEMENTS:

• Serve as the liaison between the university, IT, and Ellucian to drive resolution of Ellucian defects, find opportunities to improve system performance, and participate in implementation of Ellucian enhancements. Assist with testing and developing more efficient and effective processes of the Student Information System.
• Collaborate across the organization, with IT and vendors, to support operational systems configuration, updates, testing, and workflow, with platforms such as Ellucian, Docuware, Creatio, and D2L.  
• Manage the University’s IT projects, in collaboration with internal stake holders and Studio Enterprise, to ensure effective communication between the university and vendors regarding project requests, objectives, scope, priority, and resource requirements for timely deliverables and effective execution.  Ensure high priority projects have a significant impact to the business, and all projects are technically and budgetarily sound.  Keep apprised of progress, risks and issues through regular status meeting and ticketing system updates.
• Develop, implement, and maintain a program of ongoing training for all users of the Student Information System, Docuware, Creatio, and other integrated platforms.
• Develop standardized reporting as needed to monitor processes and workflows; support ad hoc reporting requests as needed.
• Participate in the process to evaluate new IT platforms to ensure systems meet business needs and will properly integrate with currently used operational and academic applications.  Support the development of job aids and training for new IT systems.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation including scope of work, reports, and change orders; maintain final project reports ad post- project evaluations to identity lessons learned.
• Ensure updates with policy, curriculum, and procedures, are documented and communicated to appropriate internal and external teams for the development of workflow and reporting
• Work with University Registrar, Academic Leadership Teams, Program and Policy Implementation Teams, to review current and new policies, track updates and procedures for approvals, conduct regular reviews to ensure publications are current and consistent, and implementation follows standard workflow for launch.
• Collaborate with Academic Operations, Data Analysis and Reporting, IT, Academic Affairs, Finance, Office of the Chancellor, and all Operational/Administrative units to coordinate special projects that support efficiencies, automation, enrollment, student success and the end-user experience.
• Other duties as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Master's Degree required

• 4 to 7 years of leadership experience managing student information systems and developing processes to support operational teams in enrollment, financial aid, registration, and related operational functions.  Experience in higher education preferred.

• Familiarity with a university student services structure (multiple programs, multiple calendars, policy and procedure background, strong and effective management experience with multiple staff, experience with university hierarchies)

• Experience with student information systems (preferably Campus Nexus, Anthology, Ellucian), digital document applications, and integration of multiple systems to create effective and efficient user experiences.

• Conceptual grasp of undergraduate and graduate curricula of all programs to assist campuses with effective advisement, auditing, and publication functions.

• Knowledge of financial/business analysis techniques.

• Knowledge of the procedures and processes associated with the development and dissemination of curriculum, catalogs, and student handbooks.

• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures. 

• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.

• Skill in the use of personal computers and related software applications.

• Strong understanding of project management methodologies

• Ability to interact respectfully and effectively with all campuses and departments

• Ability to gather and analyze statistical data and generate reports

• Ability to develop and maintain record keeping systems and procedures.

• Ability to present complex information clearly to diverse audiences

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The term "qualified individual with a disability" means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, video conference, through email and other electronic means, move about the office or school, handle various types of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 10 pounds unless otherwise specified in the job description.

South University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student and graduate success. We are committed to building and developing a diverse environment where a variety of ideas, cultures and perspectives can thrive