This position coordinates and implements the operational obligations, communications, and outreach activities for the Office of the Head for the Department of Microbiology and Immunology (DMI) and the Director of the UMN Institute on Infectious Diseases (UMIID). DMI is an established basic research department in the Medical School offering both graduate and undergraduate degrees. UMIID is a new collaborative research institute in the Medical School that will be growing quickly in the coming months and years. The Headâ™s office is proud to serve a diverse population of not only faculty, students, and staff, but also interacts with a wide and varied group of internal and external constituents. The successful candidate will need to work well across these diverse communities. The person in this role will need to work in person the majority of the time, with flexibility for hybrid work determined by the Director of Operations and Department Head.
Job Responsibilities: Research Operations (25%) ⢠Provide administration support to the Headâ™s research operation, including technical staff, graduate students, undergraduates, postdocs and research associates. ⢠Work with and coordinates investigators to develop and implement research designs, documentation (including reports), presentations, and outreach strategies. ⢠Responsible for secure building access in the Microbiology Research Facility, keys and keycards, lab safety training, and facilities issues; in order to ensure compliance with University regulations in a research environment, and resolving any problems or issues with facilities. ⢠Prepare and submit research protocols, including responses to IACUC/IBC stipulations. ⢠Assist with writing and submitting manuscripts, reviews, and grants. ⢠Supports pre-award sponsored project preparation and submission activities in conjunction with department accounting and research administrative staff. ⢠Collaborates with department accounting and research administration to oversee grant awards. ⢠Coordinate the movement of labs, personnel and/or equipment as necessary. ⢠Represent the lab on building facilities committees.
Daily Operations (25%) ⢠Provide direct staff support to the Head, employing exceptional discretion, professionalism, independent action, and appropriate judgment. ⢠Develops and implements new administrative initiatives, processes, and workflows to align with the collegeâ™s policy and procedure. ⢠Coordinates meetings and establish priorities. Meetings and events can be high profile and with participants including University Presidents, Vice Presidents, Deans, other Heads and senior executives, donors, etc. ⢠Research various types of information to prepare for meetings, conferences, and events. Interpret complex and (at times) conflicting instructions to facilitate a smooth and well-coordinated operation. ⢠Manages overall office facilities and leads projects to implement space and equipment changes. ⢠Anticipate/identify conflicts and recommend potential solutions to the Head. ⢠Manage the planning and timely dissemination of program communications to stakeholders.
⃠Special Projects (20%) ⢠Support special projects for the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the UMN Institute on Infectious Diseases, including large interdisciplinary projects, grant submissions, and biannual metrics surveys (data collection and analysis). Serve as liaison between participating units and ensure that the project timeline is adhered to. ⢠Stay current with software updates used for the preparation of complex presentations and materials for publication and presentation. ⢠Assess status of projects including but not limited to accuracy, timeliness, quality, budgets and purpose and make/guide adjustments as necessary. ⢠Manage the planning and timely dissemination of project outcomes and communications, including research reports, to stakeholders. ⢠Draft/edit correspondence on behalf of the Department Head and the Director of Operations, reports, and other pertinent materials, keeping confidential information secure. ⢠Serve as liaison to various university departments, committees, and the community regarding requests for information and problem resolution.
Communications (15%) ⢠Participate in the Medical School Communicators Forum ⢠Maintain the websites for UMIID and DMI including posting news updates ⢠Together with the Director of Operations and the Medical School Department of Communications develop and implement comprehensive communication plans for DMI and UMIID including web, newsletters, social media, and alumni relations ⢠Collaborate with faculty to promote research successes, awards, and recognitions
Supervisory Duties (10%) ⢠Facilitate a collaborative work environment that fosters a team environment with respect, inclusion and opportunity and ensure all employees are treated professionally and fairly. ⢠Assist direct reports with attaining individual goals on an annual basis, conduct performance evaluations and meet regularly with staff to monitor progress; approve any absence and time requests. ⢠Treat all personnel matters in confidence, with professionalism, sensitivity and in a timely manner. ⢠Develop, conduct and manage training and professional development for direct reports to Department Head. ⢠Forge and maintain excellent working relationships with internal team and key staff, including delegating and gaining collaboration on projects and tasks as needed. ⢠Lead and manage a work environment that maximizes the talents of each person, and ensure that all direct reports understand performance expectations and hold self and others accountable for results. ⢠Ensure cross training with other departmental staff to provide adequate office coverage.
Additional Duties (5%) ⢠Manage administrative affairs including travel, scheduling and reimbursements. ⢠Provide additional administrative support to faculty members in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
All required qualifications must be included in the application materials
Required Qualifications: ⢠Bachelorâ™s degree and a minimum of 2 years of relevant management experience including supervision and budgetary responsibility, or a combination of education and experience to total at least 6 years. ⢠Experience supporting a senior level position in a complex organization or extensive administrative experience in higher education. ⢠Demonstrated ability to make complex decisions, problem solve, practice hands-on management. ⢠Previous experience in a high-level environment determining priorities and handling confidential materials. ⢠Expert level skills in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite applications. ⢠Must work effectively in high-stress situations with multiple and changing deadlines. ⢠Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders. ⢠Must have acute attention to detail. ⢠Must have technical skills to prepare complex materials for presentations, scientific manuscripts & reviews, and grant applications. ⢠Ability to be self-directed and work autonomously on a daily basis with capability to manage multiple projects and collaborate with a diverse group of internal and external constituents. ⢠Commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence. Preferred Qualifications: ⢠Advanced degree and/or experience in biological sciences or clinical sciences. ⢠Management experience in an academic or similar setting, ideally working directly with executive-leaders. ⢠Experience working under tight deadlines in a fast-paced office. ⢠Experience working with multiple and varied internal and external constituencies. ⢠Strong problem-solving capabilities and ability to see issues from a variety of perspectives. ⢠Demonstrated time management skills and ability to prioritize. ⢠Experience working with and applying University policies/procedures.
The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.