Associate Vice President for Service Operations

Georgia Southern University is the state's largest and most comprehensive center of higher education south of Atlanta. With nearly 150 degree programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels, Georgia Southern has been designated a Carnegie Doctoral/R2 "high research" university and serves more than 29,500 students from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and more than 100 countries.

With four vibrant campuses - the Statesboro Campus, the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, the Liberty Campus in Hinesville, and the East Georgia Campus in Swainsboro - Georgia Southern offers a dynamic environment that encourages learning, discovery and personal growth. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has earned specialized accreditation from numerous professional and academic associations that set standards in their respective fields.

Georgia Southern is an influencer and intellectual catalyst in southeast Georgia, a rapidly expanding region that is home to international companies such as Hyundai, Gulfstream and JCB, as well as the Port of Savannah and Georgia Ports Authority. With a focus on hands-on learning, Georgia Southern is supporting the demand for highly skilled workers by providing academic excellence and creative innovation in a supportive, student-centered environment that empowers the next generation of leaders to succeed.

Beyond an ideal location, there is a place for you to work in an exciting environment abounding with opportunities for personal and professional growth. Named one of the Best U.S. Colleges by The Wall Street Journal, Georgia Southern is nationally recognized for the caliber of its academic programs and student experience. Georgia Southern University has also been recognized by Forbes as one of "America's Best-In-State Employers" for 2025.

Statesboro Campus - Statesboro, GA

Office of the VP of Finance & Operations

The Associate Vice President of Service Operations (AVP) serves as a key member of the Business and Finance leadership team, providing strategic direction and operational oversight for a broad portfolio of administrative and service functions that support the university's mission and daily operations. Reporting to the Vice President for Business and Finance, the AVP leads efforts to enhance efficiency, customer service, and operational excellence across multiple service areas including facilities, human resources, information technology, engagement and communications, finance, university police and auxiliary services.

Central to this role is building and sustaining a service culture across the division -- one in which every unit understands who its customers are, what excellent service looks like, and how its performance is measured. The AVP establishes the metrics and scorecards that make service performance visible, partners with leadership to turn those results into action, and applies technology and artificial intelligence where it measurably improves the customer experience. Above all, the AVP models a mindset of "getting better at getting better" -- continuously improving how the division learns, measures, and improves so that it gains compound over time.

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for service operations units, ensuring alignment with the universitys mission and strategic goals
• Oversee the planning, management, and reporting performance of key operational areas such as facilities, auxiliary services, procurement, campus safety, and other designated service units
• Build a service culture within the divisions: define and communicate shared service standards, expectations, and behaviors; recognize and reward service excellence; and hold units accountable for delivering a consistent, customer-first experience
• Establish key metrics, service level standards, and scorecards to measure the performance of service operations; publish results on a regular cadence and make performance transparent to units, customers, and university leadership
• Work with leadership to interpret scorecard results, identify gaps between current and target performance, and drive specific actions, resourcing decisions, and follow-through that improve outcomes
• Leverage artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging technology where it makes the customer experience better faster response times, meaningful self-service, fewer handoffs, and more time for staff to spend on high-value work while exercising sound judgment on data privacy, accuracy, accessibility, and the appropriate human touch
• Cultivate a mindset of getting better at getting better: continuously strengthen the divisions capacity to learn, experiment, measure results, and improve, so that improvement itself compounds year over year
• Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, and service standards to promote efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction
• Partner with and lead initiatives focused on process improvement, organizational effectiveness, and data-informed decision-making across service operations
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within all service units
• Partner with campus leadership, academic units, and administrative divisions to enhance cross-functional collaboration and service delivery
• Communicate effectively with stakeholder groups, ensuring transparency, responsiveness, and shared understanding of operational priorities
• Solicit, analyze, and act on customer feedback surveys, service requests, and direct engagement to close the loop with the campus community and improve service delivery  

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree

Required Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of related experience in the service industry

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Customer relationship management in a higher education environment

Preferred Educational Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration or other related field

Preferred Experience

• Seven (7) or more years of leadership and management experience
• Experience building or leading a service culture change effort in a large, decentralized organization
• Experience designing performance metrics, scorecards, or service level agreements and using them to drive measurable improvement
• Experience applying artificial intelligence, automation, or self-service technology to improve customer experience
• Experience in vendor relationship, resource and project management, and financial and budget planning

$160,103 - $224,165

This is an exempt position paid on a monthly basis.

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Two (2) Professional References

ABILITIES

• Consistently exhibit engaging customer service  
• Ability to support various constituencies served by the University
• Proven proficiency with computers including Microsoft Office, Google, and/or applications as required for specific position  
• Ability to build and sustain a service culture -- setting standards, modeling the behaviors, and bringing large teams along
• Data fluency: able to define meaningful metrics, build clear scorecards, and translate results into specific actions
• Commitment to continuous improvement -- a "getting better at getting better" mindset that treats improvement as a discipline, not an initiative  
• Ability to lead a large team, fostering growth and focus on service  
• Able to lead large projects that require strong partnerships and close coordination with stakeholders and business leaders  
• Able to anticipate problems and proactively develop appropriate solutions  
• Able to diagnose and resolve complex problems  
• Able to develop and execute service strategy  
• Able to maximize value by balancing risks against potential organizational gain

KNOWLEDGE

• Adhere to University policies and procedures to meet Institutional goals and support University's mission for student success
• Working knowledge of artificial intelligence and automation, and sound judgment about where they improve the customer experience and where they do not  
• Must be well versed in current and emerging trends in service and the higher education landscape

SKILLS

• Effective communication (verbal and written), organizational and human relations skills  
• Strong leadership skills, attention to detail, and follow-up skills

August 20, 2026

Application review may begin as early as August 20, 2026.

For more information or questions about a job posting, please contact the Department of Human Resources by phone at (912) 478-6947 or by email at hrservice@georgiasouthern.edu.

For technical support, please call the USG Service Desk at (877) 251.2644, or email support@usg.edu.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of background investigation including a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with Georgia Southern University, as determined by Georgia Southern University in its sole discretion, confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. Applicants may be subject to a pre-employment drug test.

Offers are made expressly subject to the applicable federal and state laws, to the statutes, rules and regulations of this institution and to the Bylaws and Policies of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia (USG), which are available for your inspection upon request.

Legally authorized to work in the United States for the duration of employment without assistance from the University.

Must be able to perform duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation.

Georgia Southern University is a Tobacco and Smoke-Free Community

Proof of valid driver's license upon and throughout employment.

Georgia Southern University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. Individuals in need of reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in the search process should notify Human Resources: (912) 478-6947.

• Must be able to perform duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Work generally performed in an office environment.
• Workweek may occasionally extend beyond 40 hours.
• Travel may be required.

• Position of Trust + Education & Credit