Manager Research Operations

Manages confidential administrative tasks, oversees critical projects, and manages office functions for an executive officer. Manages financial operations, strategy implementation, data analysis, and executive reporting. Interacts with university stakeholders on research funding and oversees business operations for a complex department or division.

• Acts as the principal adviser and office manager to the executive officer. Manages the calendar, schedules appointments, and coordinates travel for leadership and staff. Manages confidential information related to staff, research misconduct cases, and payroll for the department.
• Creates and monitors the department’s budget, utilizing projection analysis and statistical methods, while preparing financial performance reports and conducting quarterly reviews.
• Conducts daily financial activities, including general ledger research and analysis of actual, budget, and forecast data, while managing month-end and year-end closing to ensure accurate and consistent financial operations.
• Coordinates HR functions for hiring staff and manages confidential information, including generating necessary change forms for department.
• Produces quarterly and annual executive-level reports and dashboards on external funding research data, including submissions, awards, and expenditures, and prepares additional research-related reports as requested by leadership.
• Manages office operations and departmental functions, including ordering supplies, coordinating repairs, overseeing office equipment, and managing the budget for office enhancements and repairs.
• Enters and approves departmental payroll and independent contractor forms and vouchers.
• Builds complex ad-hoc spreadsheets for research and financial analysis, develops and executes short and long-term planning models, and creates visual data representations for presentations.
• Distributes Facilities and Administrative Revenue to colleges, departments, and Principal Investigators. Provides quarterly tracking and reporting to stakeholders.

Minimum qualifications based upon job documentation and industry best practices. Any current employees not meeting these qualifications will be grandfathered until they move to a different job.

• Bachelor's degree in related field from an accredited institution.

• Three years' relevant experience.
• Working knowledge of operations, purchasing and staffing.
• Budget management experience.
• Proficiency in office software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in office management.

• Knowledge of Western Michigan University Policies and procedures.

Office or other indoor work with minimal physical demands such as occasionally lifting or moving materials less than 25 pounds.

Work is generally performed in a well-lit, temperature-controlled indoor environment with occasional exposure to the outdoors or any number of elements.

Revised: 2024-09-23