Senior Division Administrative Coordinator, Architecture + Design

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design seeks a Senior Division Administrative Coordinator to join its Division of Architecture + Design for a one-year term appointment. The architecture and design disciplines encompass many forms, materials, spaces and interactions with work that ranges from images and objects to experiences and environments.

The Senior Division Administrative Coordinator is a highly-valued resource within the community, acclimating and orienting divisional faculty, staff and students to operational processes and practices and serving as a liaison between the various campus departments, faculty, staff, students, alumni, prospective students and the Division of Architecture + Design. As such, this position maintains confidentiality in all sensitive matters. This role assists and provides administrative and logistical support to the dean and the Division of Architecture + Design– which consists of seven departments, 960+ students, and offers six undergraduate degree programs and 14 graduate degree programs.

The Coordinator oversees the day-to-day administration of a complex divisional office and hires, trains, evaluates and supervises divisional administrative support staff. As well, this position supports the planning and implementation of curricular offerings, faculty teaching loads, faculty contracts and salaries. The position supports the planning and tracking of approximately $15M in operating budgets, $280K in capital budgets, $935K+ in graduate assistantships, $260K in departmental scholarships, and $2.1M in restricted accounts.

We seek a culturally competent candidate who will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

Essential Functions

Administrative Support of Dean:

• On behalf of the dean, act as liaison for the Division of Architecture + Design to provide administrative advice and guidance to seven department heads, 75 full-time faculty, 190 part-time faculty, six graduate program directors, 12 academic support staff members, and 13 technical assistants.
  
  
• With Academic Affairs, orient newly appointed deans to division and existing administrative practices and procedures, as appropriate.
  
  
• With the dean and division staff, serve as the central point of contact for the internal and external community for the Division of Architecture + Design, including visitors, students, parents, and faculty, and other RISD departments.
  
  
• Support division international initiatives and funded/sponsored efforts as directed.
  
  
• Manage and oversee the calendar of the dean and all division-sponsored meetings and events; Make travel arrangements, compile itineraries, prepare agendas, gather documents, and follow-up on items as needed.
  
  
• Oversee processing of all internal and external correspondence for the dean and see that communications are handled properly. Compose correspondence as required. Compile information, conduct research and produce complex reports for dean and academic affairs as requested.
  
  
• Stand in for the dean at meetings and special events and represent division on various school-wide committees as needed.
  
  
• Organize, maintain and oversee the electronic management and storage of all division records.
  
  

Academic/Curricular:

• Support planning and oversight of courses for undergraduate and graduate degrees and more than 765 teaching units. Serve as first line of review to ensure that full-time faculty and part-time faculty teaching unit loads comply with contracts and that all leaves, course releases full-time faculty teaching in other departments, and cost-sharing for courses are verified and documented. Ensure that published curriculum and course tables are received and processed in a timely manner and are audited for compliance to school, division and department norms and with standards of independent accrediting bodies.
  
  
• Assist faculty teaching courses offered through the Division of Architecture + Design with coordination and logistics related to those courses.
  
  
• Review and process forms on behalf of and/or in consultation with the dean. Ensure the accuracy and timely processing of day-to-day transactions, including, but not limited to student, staff and faculty conference and professional development fund applications, exceptions to policy, course cost expenses, course proposals, course revision forms, faculty staffing forms and new hire forms, stipends, and other academic transactions.
  
  
• Assist the dean in complete and accurate submission of soft funded course proposals and other complex processes requiring additional information/documentation and those requiring Curriculum Committee or Wintersession Committee review such as travel courses, graduate student authored courses, curricular changes and new programs. Collaborate with RISD Global Finance, Research, Academic Affairs, and other offices as needed towards these goals.
  
  
• Using enrollment information from Admissions and the Registrar track and analyze statistics related to student contact hour/teaching unit ratios, change of majors, withdrawals, and readmits to assist the dean in determining resource allocations as needed. Using budget, contract and salary table data review New Hire Forms and provide analysis, as requested, for the Dean on rate equity and budget compliance. Analyze internship data provided by RISD Careers.
  
  

Budget:

• Coordinate, assist with developing and analyzing capital budget requests which typically result in approximately $280K in capital budget approvals. Assure that forms are properly completed and supporting documentation provided. Review all requests with the dean in preparation for advocating department needs with Academic Affairs. Review eight capital budget accounts to ensure projects are implemented, equipment is ordered, and funds are appropriately used prior to end of fiscal year.
  
  
• Support planning for and monitoring of approximately $15M in operating budget, consisting of at least 8 operating accounts and $280K in capital budgets. Monitor all departments’ graduate assistantships and restricted accounts for compliance.
  
  
• Advise the dean in managing division’s operating, capital, and restricted accounts. Provide the dean with budget analysis.
  
  
• Facilitate meeting of deadlines pertinent to the dean, department heads and graduate program directors.
  
  
• Alert dean and departments of issues of concern; work with Academic Affairs to reconcile financial matters.
  
  
• Ensure the accuracy, compliance, timely processing, documentation, and reporting of divisional financial transactions.
  
  
• On behalf of and/or in consultation with the dean, review and approve department and division operating and capital procurement.
  
  
• On an as-needed basis, support and coordinate facilities, space and resources acquisitions; this includes working with Information Technology Services, Academic Affairs and departments to identify and accommodate the computer needs of full-time faculty, staff, departments, and computer labs.
  
  

Staffing and Staff Development:

• Support dean and division department heads with staffing issues. In collaboration with Human Resources, manage and participate in the hiring of division and department staff.
  
  
• Serve as primary supervisor for one division office staff member.
  
  
• Support oversight of department staff, temporary office staff and divisional work-study students as needed. Serve as timecard supervisor delegate for all department staff.
  
  
• In collaboration with Academic Affairs and Human Resources, coordinate, train, and assist academic support staff in onboarding, professional development, and implementation of new systems as necessary.
  
  
• Meet regularly with department coordinators for teambuilding and sharing best practices.
  
  
• Remain current and familiar with RISD policies and procedures, as well as pertinent union contracts, to help recognize, analyze and communicate issues and help facilitate division and department compliance or resolution.
  
  

CFA and Faculty Evaluation:

• Support and monitor the division and department workflow concerning full-time faculty evaluations, scheduling of required meetings between faculty members and dean, forwarding of completed evaluation packages to Academic Affairs in a timely way. Monitor the progress of preparation for faculty being reviewed for promotion and reappointment. Serve as a resource for faculty, deans, department heads, and department and division staff as to contractual requirements, published deadlines, process and procedures.
  
  

Division Events and Communications:

• Responsible for overseeing the communication of and logistical arrangements (travel, catering, media resources, facilities, public safety, etc.) for regular division meetings and special events.
  
  
• Organize and oversee visits at the divisional level. May assist with departmental and multi-departmental visits as needed.
  
  
• Serve as the representative for the Architecture + Design Division Commencement ceremonies and collaborate with Alumni Relations and the Commencement Committee as needed.
  
  
• Oversee the compilation and dissemination of news about the division, its departments, faculty, students and alumni accordingly.
  
  
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs Recruiting Coordinator on faculty searches; serve as primary contact and coordinator of division and department recruiting events (planning, logistics, and promotion) for finalists’ on-campus visits.
  
  

Student Issues:

• Provide advice, information, and assistance to students where judgment, knowledge, and interpretation of college policies and programs are necessary such as the grade appeal process, academic standing, and proper completion of various forms. Maintain absolute confidentiality relative to sensitive student issues.
  
  

Scholarship Management:

• Coordinate with Institutional Engagement pertaining to awards and scholarship processes for the Division of Architecture + Design and its seven departments, including verification of student eligibility and award conveyance.
  
  
• In collaboration with Institutional Engagement and Student Financial Services, manage materials pertaining to year-end division scholarships and awards; distribute documents to respective departments. Collect recipient data by deadline and review on the dean’s behalf.
  
  

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. At least five to seven years administrative support experience with at least three years providing administrative support to senior management level, preferably in an academic environment. Previous experience leading, guiding and/or supervising others necessary. Must be able to work independently (i.e. with minimal supervision) as well as on a team. Ability to interpret and prioritize requests for information and follow up as needed. Previous experience managing and maintaining electronic calendars and filtering requests for senior manager’s time. Requires aplomb and the ability to always act in best interest of dean/college. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and analytical skills. Ability to articulate and demonstrate the employment of diversity, inclusion, and equity in systems, policies, procedures, and services. Experience managing budgets and logistical arrangements necessary. Knowledge and skill in using Mac and PC computer software including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and Google applications. Ability to learn and adapt to new systems, processes, and software is required, including developing proficiency with various Enterprise Resource Planning, space and student systems (i.e. Colleague, Workday, 25Live) for accessing financial transactions; performance modules; budget, course and student information and reports. Demonstrated ability to work in a complex and fast-paced environment and to interact with multiple diverse populations of varying needs.

Union:

No



Work Schedule:

35 hours/week; One-year term

Employment Status:

Non-Exempt/Full-Time Regular



Grade:

02/CT



Documents Needed to Apply:

Resume (required)

Cover Letter (required)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

For certain positions, RISD is currently supporting remote work arrangements due to the pandemic. When work resumes in person, employees are expected to perform work on campus.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

For internal use only - Job Family:

Administrative Support Services