Administrative Director

Administrative Director

The Leinweber Institute for Theoretical Physics (LITP) is a cross-disciplinary institute for theoretical physics. The Enrico Fermi Institute (EFI) is a multi-disciplinary institute at the University of Chicago that is engaged in research in particle physics, astrophysics, geophysics and accelerator physics. Both institutes are part of the Physical Sciences Division (PSD).

The Administrative Director will serve as the senior administrative leader of the LITP and EFI, reporting to the faculty directors and supervising administrative staff to advance the intellectual mission, strategic priorities, and effective operation of both Institutes. The Administrative Director will support the development and execution of research initiatives, scientific programs and events planning, funding opportunities, external partnerships, and donor-facing activities in coordination with faculty, and University development staff. The Administrative Director will also oversee core administrative functions including financial planning, academic and postdoctoral recruitment and appointment processes, events, reporting, communications, and administrative support for institute activities and faculty. The role supervises administrative staff supporting LITP and EFI and serves as a senior problem-solver and primary administrative point of contact for internal and external constituencies.

Responsibilities include:

• Serving as the most senior staff leader for the LITP and the EFI, reporting to the institute Directors and working closely with each faculty Director to set administrative and operational goals for the institutes and implement strategic plans.
• Overseeing and managing the daily operations of each Institute.
• Acting as primary department liaison with Division on matters of budget, space, facilities, human resources, and advancement.
• Overseeing each institute's internal and external communications, ensuring websites are maintained and communications are drafted when needed.
• Supervising departmental staff who ensure that that department's HR needs are met including oversight of training, reviews, performance management, and termination of staff.
• Ensuring that purchasing, reimbursements, travel, and other administrative processes are efficiently executed by the institute staff.
• Supervising and coordinating administrative staff supporting LITP and EFI, including workload planning, cross-training, and coverage.
• Overseeing and directing the appointment/reappointment, onboarding/offboarding, and visa-process support for LITP/EFI affiliated faculty, visitors, and postdoctoral fellows.
• Directing the work of departmental staff to ensure that the appointment of postdocs and visiting scholars works smoothly and efficiently.
• Working with the faculty to identify and prioritize opportunities to expand the intellectual impact and visibility of the LITP and EFI.
• Collaborating with the faculty to develop and execute a strategic vision for the LITP and EFI.
• Overseeing LITP/EFI administration including scientific programs and events planning, academic appointments, funding opportunities, external partnerships, and donor-facing activities.
• Developing standard operating procedures to streamline workflows and ensure the efficient operations of activities across both institutes including but not limited to comprehensive planning of events across the academic calendar, summer program planning and oversight, seminars, meetings, recruitment activities in collaboration with academic departments and other key initiatives.
• Working to streamline and improve administrative processes through staff training and development, working collaboratively with Dean's office and university partners.
• Collaborating with staff in the Division's Local Business Center to support research program development and grant stewardship.
• Providing advanced administrative, operational, and strategic support to the LITP/EFI Faculty Directors.
• Serving as the primary administrative representative of the Institutes to internal and external constituencies including the PSD Dean's office, Advancement team, and the Leinweber Foundation.
• Serving as the primary contact/on-site manager for all LITP/EFI scientific meetings and special functions. Directing an LITP/EFI administrator in the practical execution of such meetings.
• Ensuring the LITP and EFI are compliant with all university policies and communicates information about new policies to relevant stakeholders.
• Troubleshooting a range of complex problems for the department in collaboration with central offices.
• Managing employees by establishing annual performance goals, allocating resources, assessing annual performance, and determining individual merit, incentive and/or promotional increases.
• Managing program operations and administrative functions which may include planning and scheduling, program evaluation, policy implementation, personnel administration, budget, marketing, fundraising and proposal development.
• Performing other related work as needed.

Minimum qualifications include a college or university degree in a related field and 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline. Preferred qualifications include familiarity with university research environments, supervisory experience, and experience supporting research centers, institutes, academic departments, laboratories, or complex faculty-led programs.

Preferred competencies include the ability to cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with academic researchers, funding agencies, and external partners and donors, understanding of higher education and/or non-profit organizations and grant funding structures, effective project management skills, ability to manage multiple projects effectively with minimal oversight, expert problem solving and analytical skills, excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, excellent verbal and written communication skills, proficiency with standard office, financial, project-management, and communications tools, willingness to learn new processes and procedures and explain them to other staff and faculty, and ability to work with a high degree of discretion and confidentiality.

Working conditions include the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends when needed to support institute events and activities.

Application documents required include a resume, cover letter, and references.

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job family: Administration & Management

Role impact: People Manager

Scheduled weekly hours: 37.5

Pay range: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00

Benefits eligible: Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting statement: The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

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