Department Manager

Department Manager

Position Announcement

Proposed Start Date - 08/03/2026

Classification Title - Administrative Support

Rank - N - No Rank

Working Title - Department Manager

Department - 220700 - ECN Economics

Position Number - D93453

Representation - AU - AAUP

Renewable - Renewable

Position FTE - 1.0

Tenure Status - N - not applicable

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept - Portland State University is Oregon's most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America's most dynamic cities. Our mission to "let knowledge serve the city" reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands-on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners. For information about the Department of Economics, please visit

Position Summary - The Department Manager position is the lead administrator position in the academic unit responsible for operations, budget management, HR, marketing and student success initiatives, and supervising department administrative support staff. This position provides oversight for all administrative components within the department by utilizing specialized skills and independent judgement to ensure continuous operations and policy compliance within a complex and dynamic university environment. Under minimal supervision, the Department Manager has primary responsibility for developing solutions to the financial and operational challenges that arise on a regular basis. This 1.0FTE, 12-month appointment reports directly to the Department Chair, as well as works closely with Assistant Dean for Finance & Administration, staff in the Dean's Office, other Department Managers within CUPA, and staff across campus.

Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree plus 2+ years minimum work-related experience. Minimum 1 years successfully demonstrated ability to supervise, train, and manage support staff and/or student employees. Demonstrated ability of program management/project coordination skills. Ability to successfully problem-solve and collaborate with colleagues at all levels within a large organization. Self-starter, able to work independently as well as participate effectively with teams and/or committees. Effective oral and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service to internal team members and external partner and community members. Demonstrated ability to effectively plan and organize activity within a unit to meet deadlines and follow-through on commitments. Demonstrated ability to perform very detailed work with a high level of accuracy. Experience with performing appropriate data analysis, working with complex databases, reporting tools/techniques, and producing reports and/or recommendations. Successful completion of a background check.

Preferred Qualifications - 4+ years of experience working in higher education. Experience managing budgets. Experience working with Banner, Datamaster/Cognos or similar enterprise systems. Experience with graphic design software and webCMS. Intermediate level (or higher) expertise with Excel.

Key Cultural Competencies - Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences. Function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds. Seek opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement. Adhere to all of PSU's policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship - Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Work Days/Hours - Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week, schedule to be determined

Total Compensation Range & Benefits Statement - Salary is dependent on several factors, and new employees will typically start around the Q1 level to allow for later growth within the salary band. PSU has a structured process for determining starting compensation, taking into account years of related experience, applicable skills, knowledge and abilities, market parity, and internal equity. The starting annual salary for this position will be between $58,956 and $62,000, but may be negotiated above this range, dependent upon the factors above, the budget of the hiring department, and approval from HR. An excellent benefits package includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools. Please visit our total compensation calculator to see the full value of our benefits package.

Application Instructions

Additional Information - This position works on campus for five days per week. Upon successful completion of the six months trial service, up to one day of remote work may be approved by the supervisor.

Additional Application Instructions (deadlines, etc.) - Please provide names and contact information of three professional references. References will be contacted only if you are selected as a finalist for the position.

Does this position require the employee to drive a motor vehicle? - No

Background Check Required - Yes

If you have questions - Please contact forrest.williams@pdx.edu or esokol@pdx.edu