Senior Administrative Officer at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN

Job description

Position Summary : The Administrative Officer is the lead administrative officer for the Peabody College Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University and is a key financial manager responsible for providing excellent leadership in the areas of budget, grants, payroll/personnel, and business operations for the department. The Administrative Officer serves as Financial Unit Manager (FUM) for the department. Reporting operationally to the department chair and administratively to the Director of Finance and Administration, the Administrative Officer works with a broad spectrum of constituents, including the Dean’s Office, faculty, department administrators, program directors, staff, central administrative offices, consultants, and vendors. About the Work Unit : With a genealogy dating to a one-room Nashville schoolhouse in 1785, Peabody College today is a world-class college of education and human development. Our mission is to enhance the human condition, with a particular focus on children’s learning and development. We do this as we always have, through the preparation of teachers and leaders; through cycles of research, implementation, and refinement; through service to families, schools, and communities; and through external engagement with professionals, leaders, and policy-makers . Peabody’s focus on learning differences has helped to define the college, as has a reputation for empirical rigor in educational neuroscience; child, family, and community development; special education; the learning sciences; and educational leadership and policy. Peabody is devoted to creating opportunity in an increasingly diverse society and to solving large societal problems. The mission of the Department of Special Education is to improve the lives of children and youth with disabilities by preparing exceptionally competent teachers and researchers, conducting research that informs and improves educational programs and behavioral interventions, and leading professional associations and advocacy for persons with disabilities. The department is committed to equipping students with diverse backgrounds and experiences to provide exceptional services and support to people with disabilities and their families. A U.S. News & World Report top-ranked Special Education Program in the nation for more than a decade, the department has long been the vanguard both in research and in practice. It ranks first in scholarly production and leads in equipping special educators to deliver high-quality education for students with disabilities. Key Functions and Expected Performance: Financial Unit Manager: Reviews and approves a high volume of purchases, payment requests, and employee expense reports. (Approximately $7MM of non-payroll expenses annually.) Oversees a grant portfolio totaling approximately $18MM of expenditures per year, including numerous training grants and a vibrant, growing research enterprise. Rejects inappropriate, incomplete, or erroneous payment requests, seeking additional information or clarification where needed. Provides consulting and guidance to employees on Oracle, the payment process, and University policies and procedures. Sometimes requires tactful, delicate interaction with faculty members and/or coaching/mentoring of administrative staff. Reviews contracts, invoices, and other legal and financial documents for appropriateness, accuracy, and completeness. Personnel: Oversees faculty, staff, and student payroll and personnel matters for a departmental workforce of approximately 360 faculty, staff, and students. Provides consulting and guidance to department administrators on payroll, employee, and position management issues. Financial and Operational Analysis: Performs monthly budget vs. actual financial review, as needed. Analyzes financial data, reconciles, and projects revenue and expenditures for department, grant, gift, endowment, and other project budgets. Shepherds certain contracts and consulting agreements th