Sr Director of Operations & Strategy

Sr. Director of Operations & Strategy page is loaded Sr. Director of Operations & Strategy Apply locations Chicago, IL time type Full time posted on Posted 3 Days Ago job requisition id JR26111 Department

BSD SUR - OHNS: Thirty Million Words
About the Department

The TMW Center researches and develops cutting-edge tools and technology that strengthen parent and caregiver engagement around language development. TMW has developed two scalable smart technologies that measure and enhance the key ingredients for children's future success: adult knowledge of early brain development, and children's exposure to nurturing adult-child interactions. It is capable of generating population-level data as well as individualized data, feedback, and support. We aim to embed these new technologies within key early childhood systems in order to achieve widespread impact at scale. By providing a lens into the unparalleled power of nurturing, adult-child interactions, these innovations herald new frontiers in scientific understanding and provide a gold standard for guiding parents, educators, researchers, and policymakers toward a common goal: helping every child thrive.
Job Summary

The Sr. Director of Operations & Strategy of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health at the University of Chicago (TMW) is a key leadership role responsible for cultivating a culture of innovation and collaboration and overseeing the operational, strategic, and people management aspects of the center. This position reports directly to the Co-Director/Principal Investigator (PI) and collaborates closely with senior leadership to shape the center's operational infrastructure in service of its larger vision. The ideal candidate will exhibit strong leadership qualities, strategic thinking abilities, and a dedication to advancing positive social change through cutting-edge research and evidence-based programs that enhance child outcomes and achieve impact at scale. Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Center Management:

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the TMW Center, including research initiatives, programs, and partnerships, under the direction of the Co-Director/PI.
• Develop and implement operating systems, policies, and structures to support organizational goals and sustainability.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to establish priorities and set long term vision.
• Monitor key performance indicators and metrics to assess the center's performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and accountability among center staff, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment conducive to innovation and collaboration.
• Planning and leading Center staff convenings (strategic annual, mid-year and quarterly meeting.
• Develop a comprehensive strategy to efficiently expand Center technology, focusing on scaling operations.
• In partnership with other teams, help establish robust systems and streamline processes to enhance manufacturing, supply chain management, customer service, data collection, and security.
• In partnership with other teams, help develop strategy for effectively scaling Center technology; build systems and operationalize processes for efficient manufacturing streams, supply management, customer service, and data collection/security.

People and Performance Management:

• Lead goal-planning, setting, and implementation across teams, ensuring individual and team alignment with organizational priorities.
• Forecast staffing needs, develop hiring plans, and oversee candidate selection in coordination with the PI.
• Design the Performance Management/Review Process for all staff, establishing performance expectations and metrics.
• Analyze performance data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement to make informed decisions about resource allocation, talent development, and organizational strategy.
• Meet regularly with tech team leaders for high-level support, performance management and ongoing alignment with Center goals.
• Collaborate regularly with PI, Director of Finance and other Center leadership for strategic alignment of resources and operations.
• Provide leadership and support to managers and staff on employee relations issues; consulting with University Human Resources as needed.

Strategic Partnerships:

• Collaborate with the PI to advance multi-year partnerships and strategic collaborations aligned with center priorities. Cultivate success by serving as high-end relationship manager.
• Formalize partnerships, define project goals, roles, and responsibilities, and oversee teams to monitor progress and ensure success.
• Manage new and existing multi-year partnership projects, ensuring alignment with center priorities.
• Assist with submissions to funders and ensure fulfillment of grant and contract deliverables

Other Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership for a Center with senior management and serves as a liaison to academic departments, professional organizations and administrative units of the University.
• Manages related teams. Establishes department priorities, may be responsible for the management of the center budget, allocates resources and executes strategic plans.
• Works closely with faculty, students and other leaders across campus to foster experimentation and multi-disciplinary inquiry and teaching by coordinating and developing Center programming. This may include workshops. Conferences, colloquia, training programs, community outreach, etc.
• Oversees a communication strategy and marketing efforts aimed at increasing the visibility of the Center. Collaborates with others to make the center a valuable resource to all students and contributes to the broad goals of creating a stronger campus community.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Certifications:



Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• Experience in organizational leadership, business management, or human resources.
• Experience working collaboratively with teams, including partners internal and external to an organization.
• Robust professional experience, including demonstrated leadership skills and/or management experience.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong oral and written communication skills, with exceptional ability to distill complex and nuanced topics into clear and compelling messages.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to create productive and healthy relationships with a diverse range of individuals, organizations, communities, and cultures.
• High comfort level working in a diverse, fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Exhibits outstanding problem-solving skills, with an ability to embrace challenges, ask questions and identify solutions in complex situations.
• A growth mindset and flexibility in adapting to dynamic work.
• Desire for positive social change and commitment to TMW's overarching mission.
• Solid grasp of data analysis and performance metrics and comfort with new and emerging technologies.
• Success in roles requiring execution of multiple tasks while responding to multiple priorities.
• Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues.
• Knowledge of tech infrastructure, IT systems and advanced business planning.
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable and innovative approach to organizational leadership and planning.
• Strategic thinking, with ability to translate strategy into actionable steps for growth.
• Superior organizational skills, including strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize effectively.
• A working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, and Google Documents.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

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
FLSA Status

Exempt
Pay Frequency

Monthly
Scheduled Weekly Hours

40
Benefits Eligible

Yes
Drug Test Required

No
Health Screen Required

No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No
Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, 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.
. click apply for full job details