Campus:
Pomona

Job ID: 518248

Job Title:
Senior Operations Lead

Appointment Type:
Probationary

Time Base:
Full-Time

Date Posted:
November 14, 2022

Closing Date:
Open until filled

Description:

Type of Appointment: Full-Time, Probationary

Collective Bargaining Unit: California State University Employees Union - Unit 9

Job Classification: Administrative Analyst/Specialist

Classification Salary Range: $4,693 - $8,489 per month

Anticipated Hiring Amount: $5,750 - $6,250 per month

Work Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Recruitment Closing Date: Open Until Filled

First Review: Monday November 28, 2022

THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Strategic Communications (StratComm), in the Office of the President, is Cal Poly Pomona’s central communications office responsible for driving clear, consistent, and coordinated brand storytelling. StratComm’s team informs, engages, and inspires internal and external audiences to join Cal Poly Pomona in transforming lives through student success. StratComm’s portfolio of responsibilities includes media relations, reputation management, crisis communications, branding, marketing, digital and social media, visual and written storytelling across multiple platforms, executive and internal communications, advancement communications, and graphic design and standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Budget and Finance:

• The Senior Operations Lead is responsible for financial planning, budget development, cost control, account management and reporting.
• Provide strategic analysis of the department’s budget across various funding sources and assist in the preparation of multi-year budget requests.
• Prepare, analyze, and interpret budget reports, make budget projections, and examine documents for conformance to established policies and procedures. Prepare regular budget reports, as well as ad hoc reports as requested.
• Assess and evaluate the impact of university policies and other requirements on the department from a strategic and operational perspective. Provide recommendations on solutions, tactics, best practices or approaches to meet the department’s administrative operational goals and objectives.
• Initiate, track and review purchase orders, payments, change orders, freelance agreements, vendor contracts, and requisitions to ensure accuracy in ordering, reimbursing and account management.
• Maintain and reconcile accounts, including credit card statements for department and designated individuals. Submit reports by the monthly deadline. Delegate reconciliation responsibilities to staff as needed and approved by the Executive Director.
• Provide step-by-step instructions to staff related to purchasing, reconciliation, budget tracking, travel, and reimbursements.
• Lead in coordinating university travel for individuals and the team, including providing step-by-step instructions and support. Responsible for administration and oversight of the department's travel credit card to include monthly reconciliation. Includes submitting Concur requests and reports, coordinating travel, lodging, and dining arrangements, preparing, and submitting documentation for reimbursement. Delegate travel responsibilities to staff as needed and approved by the Executive Director.
• Evaluate current administrative practices and processes to develop creative and innovative approaches to digitize and improve administrative functions. Analyze, evaluate, and review processes on an ongoing basis to provide continuous improvement of administrative functions.

Office Operations:

• Lead the department’s day-to-day administrative operations, including providing lead work direction to the department’s administrative assistant. Delegate responsibilities to staff as needed and approved by the Executive Director.
• Coordinate assignments and projects related to office operations, making independent determination of approaches to the projects and priorities. Use expert judgment, ingenuity, and innovation to develop and implement a plan to complete the project.
• Communicate on behalf of the department and/or select individuals when appropriate, including drafting and sending correspondence on their behalf. Manage and strengthen relationships with external key stakeholders and entities that may involve confidential and/or sensitive information and situations.
• Maintain a complex appointment calendar for the Chief Communications Officer and Executive Director. Make independent decisions based on the knowledge of individual and departmental priorities.
• Serve as the primary contact to the President’s Office (division) on budget, finance, human resources, and other administrative areas. Provide input, feedback, and updates on behalf of, and to, the department.
• Serve as the primary contact to the CPP Foundation (landlord) regarding the physical office environment at CTTI, including billing, parking, cleaning and maintenance, security and key access, HVAC, signage, and other facilities concerns. Provide input, feedback, recommendations, and updates on behalf of the department, and also provide input, feedback, recommendations, and updates to the department.
• Serve as the primary contact for IT issues, including phone and Internet connectivity, computer inventory, and IT support. Provide support and step-by-step instructions to staff on IT ticket submissions and support.
• Coordinate the process of permanent and temporary recruitments with the President's Office and onboarding of new employees and student assistants. Solicit, provide, and implement feedback and recommendations. Develop and implement a framework for the department’s recruitment and onboarding efforts and coordinate with the President’s Office and EODA as needed.
• Maintain, order, and monitor inventory supplies and department equipment.
• Serve as a key contact for visitors, faculty, staff, students, and administrators. Receive and deliver information that may be complex, sensitive and/or confidential.
• Attend in-person and remote conferences, seminars, and meetings to learn best practices for operations, especially in a marketing communications environment. Research other institutions that have successful operations and deploy elements of these models for efficient operations.

Absence/Time Management and Payroll:

• Implement a system for time/absence management and payroll for staff, student assistants and contract employees (as needed).
• Serve as the department timekeeper; analyze, review, and implement timesheet policies and procedures, recommend improvements for department payroll processing, and provide staff training when necessary. Serve as the primary contact to Payroll Services/ Administrative Affairs, attending training sessions and updates when offered.
• Track, process and monitor attendance, including hybrid schedules, sick leave, vacation leave, and other forms of leave for staff and student assistants.
• Monitor employee leave credits on a quarterly basis and inform employees, leads, and HEERA managers of excess or insufficient leave credits.
• Oversee student payroll, timesheet policies and procedures, with the support of the department’s administrative assistant. Recommend improvements and provide staff training when necessary.

Lead Operations Squad and Team Members:

• Working with the Executive Director, lead the Operations Squad, manage the meeting agenda and priorities, and provide regular updates to department and Leadership Team.
• Oversee the squad’s day-to-day operations, provide lead work direction to team members, with accountability for the results.
• Serve as the lead for the administrative assistant in StratComm. Provide lead work direction; coordinate work assignments and projects; set and track deadlines; coordinate and oversee daily operations of the office; provide training as needed; monitor work and provide daily feedback. Meet on a regular basis with the administrative assistant. Provide input to the HEERA manager on performance reviews, as well as issues and concerns regarding performance.
• Work closely with StratComm Leadership Team to foster a strong team culture that supports the department vision, mission, and strategy; diversity and inclusion; respectful communications; and continuous professional growth.
• Establish and maintain files and documentation related to department operations and processes, as well as confidential employee files, for the department. Work with the department Leadership Team to maintain a system for periodically reviewing divisional position descriptions, professional development plans, temporary remote work agreements, alternate work schedules and similar documents to ensure they are current and updated on a consistent basis.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree AND/OR the equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
• Minimum of four years of administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.

Thorough knowledge of and ability to apply extensive expertise to complex programs and/or administrative specialties, including pertinent laws, policies, and regulations. Demonstrated expertise in and advanced knowledge of the principles, problems, and methods of business administration, operational and fiscal management. Expertise in administrative survey techniques, operations and systems analysis, statistical and research methods, and the ability to interpret and evaluate results to develop sound conclusions and recommend new or revised policies, procedures, and approaches. Ability to understand problems from a broad, interactive perspective and discern applicable underlying principles to conceive of and develop strategic solutions. Ability to work with representatives from public and private entities and to handle potentially sensitive situations. Demonstrated consultative skills in working with internal and external constituent groups. Ability to effectively present ideas and concepts in written or presentation format and use consultative and facilitation skills to gain consensus. Ability to train others on new skills and procedures and provide lead work direction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Six years of progressively responsible professional experience in an administrative role with duties relating to finance, budget planning, purchasing, travel, and/or payroll.
• Four years of experience in managing and/or leading staff.
• Knowledge of or ability to quickly learn the financial structure and financial procedures of the CSU.
• Demonstrated strong service orientation and the ability to manage a high volume of work.
• Knowledge of the marketing, communications, and media field.
• Ability to take initiative and independently plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in various situations where numerous and diverse demands are involved with multiple priorities.
• Expertise in investigating and analyzing problems with broad administrative impact and implications.
• Ability to anticipate problems and address them proactively.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to use a computer and software applications.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop and maintain relationships within the university and community, including strong listening and interpretive skills.

COVID-19 Vaccination

CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who physically access campus facilities or programs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which includes obtaining a COVID-19 booster dose, or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement.

Out of State Work

The California State University (CSU) system is a network of twenty-three public universities providing access to a quality education through the support of California taxpayers. Part of CSU’s mission is to prepare educated, responsible individuals to contribute to California’s schools, economy, culture, and future. As an agency of the State of California, the CSU’s business operations almost exclusively reside within California. The CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California.

Background Check

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. Cal Poly Pomona will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current Cal Poly Pomona employee who was conditionally offered the position.

I-9: Employment Verification

Cal Poly Pomona hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. See Form I-9 Acceptable Documents at

Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Smoking

Cal Poly Pomona is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

Clery Act

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal Poly Pomona Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at:

Reasonable Accommodation

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu. More information is available at:

EEO

Cal Poly Pomona is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. The university subscribes to the pay transparency nondiscrimination provision and all state and federal regulations that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and covered veteran status. More information is available at: