Administrative Director, ERC

Department: MCC Mechanical Engineering
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Target hiring range for this position will be between $87,899-$123,608 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Job Summary:

The National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity (HAND) seeks a full-time Administrative Director (AD). The AD will serve the entire ERC as the steward of resources, policies, and myriad detail. Working closely with the Director, they must consistently maintain a "big picture" perspective. The Director and the AD must consider the needs of all stakeholders (NSF; member companies; universities; other funding agencies, including foundations, state or other government agencies; center faculty; students; and other staff). The AD usually provides the "glue" that holds the various administrative functions of the center together. The AD is apt to wear many hats.

The AD usually:

• assists the Center Director in the overall management of the ERC;
• serves on the Executive Committee, participating in key decision-making;
• acts as guardian of rules, regulations, and policies;
• serves as the information "gatekeeper" and resource for all members of the center; and
• is the center's financial and personnel manager.

*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.

Specific Responsibilities:

Financial Management

• The AD serves as central fiscal/operations administrator for the Center, acting within the policies and procedures of the University and the National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement to achieve Center goals.

Annual Report

• The annual reporting is an extremely complex process that involves an average of three months of work, culling data from hundreds of participants and ensuring that all ongoing projects are appropriately aligned with research thrusts, clusters and testbeds. The AD is responsible for creating/implementing a system to track/compile the complex data and produce the annual report with all necessary elements for the annual site visit.

Personnel Management

• The AD is responsible for hiring, supervision, recruitment and development of center administrative personnel and management of human resource policies for academic, research and student appointments in compliance with university personnel regulations.

University/Sponsors/Partners Liaison

• The AD serves a key role as liaison between the Director, Executive Committee, center personnel and partner institutions to assure the goals of the research and educational projects are met and that they meet expectations of NSF and advisory committees. The AD is responsible for coordination of issues between the Center, sponsor agencies, and University offices.

NSF-related Duties

• The AD must navigate the sometimes competing demands of both the ERC and University policies and procedures. The AD participates in in the annual ERC meeting in Washington, DC., and may serve the broader ERC program by giving talks or moderating panels, as well as by training and/or evaluating other ERCs.

Events/Operations/Facilities

• The AD will administratively manage the operations of three major research thrusts and six testbeds involving over 100 faculty and graduate students, and, with the Industrial Liaison Officer, a growing industrial member program with 30+ members participating at varying levels.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as business, accounting or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 8+ years of administrative experience including budgets, finance, grants, facilities; or other relevant experience, preferably in engineering or related fields. Or equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired.
• Demonstrated experience managing operations as a hands-on individual contributor
• Ability to independently execute complex administrative work while maintaining operational oversight
• Strong prioritization skills in resource-constrained environments

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.