Administrative Director
$110,000–$130,000 year
On-siteChicago, Illinois, United States
Job Summary
Lead the senior administrative leadership for the Leinweber Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Enrico Fermi Institute, reporting to faculty directors and supervising administrative staff. Oversee daily operations, including financial planning, academic and postdoctoral recruitment, events, and communications. Manage internal and external partnerships, donor activities, and scientific program development while serving as the primary liaison with the Division on budget, space, and facilities. Direct staff on performance management, training, and hiring processes, ensuring efficient execution of purchasing, reimbursements, and travel. Coordinate complex workflows for event planning, grant stewardship, and faculty appointments, while troubleshooting operational challenges and maintaining compliance with university policies.
Required Qualifications
- college or university degree in related field
- knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends when needed to support institute events and activities
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with university research environments, either through a background in academic research or related work experience
- Supervisory experience
- Experience supporting research centers, institutes, academic departments, laboratories, or complex faculty-led programs
- 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, including managing complex workflows, successfully working across teams, budgeting, and attention to operational and research details
- 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, with ability to learn University-specific systems
- Willingness to learn new processes and procedures and explain them to other staff and faculty
- Ability to work with a high degree of discretion and confidentiality
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