Director of Operations, LEC

Department: Antonin Scalia Law School

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Arlington, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The mission of the Law & Economics Center (LEC) is to serve as a nexus for research and education focused on economic analysis of the legal and public policy issues confronting policymakers. Since its inception in 1974, the LEC has recognized the importance of timely, relevant research on public policy matters, as well as the need to communicate research findings to those who shape policy decisions. The LEC is committed to developing original, high-quality law and economics research and education programs that enhance economic understanding and provide a consistent, rational voice that bolsters today's policy discussions.

About the Position:

The Director of Operations position involves strategic planning, executive functions, project management, program management, constituent relations, donor relations, oversight and personnel management, and organizational tasks, as well as ongoing collaboration with, and oversight of, the Center's leaders for its 6 divisions.

This position oversees the operational effectiveness of the LEC and will provide practical and technical solutions.

Responsibilities:

Executive Administration of Operations and Strategic Planning

• Serves as Liaison with GMU Foundation, Scalia Law School, and LEC leadership team on all financial and logistical matters requiring coordination;
• Collaborates in development and implementation of operating plan, measuring progress against strategic benchmarks;
• Coordinates activities, sets agendas, and summarizes deliverables for operations and events;
• Conducts management audits of internal operations and presents results and provides recommendations to leadership;
• Leads the LEC’s regular strategic planning efforts;
• Facilitates an annual strategic planning session for leadership team;
• Assists in writing and editing the LEC’s strategic plan;
• Works with each division of the LEC to translate annual, broad strategic goals into measurable objectives and action plans;
• Implements the LEC budget, assessment and fulfillment of LEC staffing needs, human resources management, and management of executive committee, office allocation, coordination of all LEC activities and programs, and strategic planning for the Center;
• Organizes the Center's operations and serves as Coordinating Manager for its division leaders;
• Demonstrates clear instincts for prioritization and determining what situations should be elevated to the leadership team. Proactively and consistently spots opportunities that add value to both the LEC and more efficiently benefit Chairman and ED’s time;
• Provides sound advice to leadership team, provides insights and analyses on LEC’s operations, key decisions, and other business areas;
• Supports leadership in development of LEC annual planning and goals, including supporting and coordinating with leadership team on their respective division plans;
• Tracks progress goals throughout the year;
• Oversees and is part of the development team monitoring over progress-frontline of the tasks;
• Supports fundraising objectives and activities. Additionally, oversees the LEC's provision of development functions to law school centers, divisions, and clinics, as determined by the dean;
• Disseminates information and communicates ideas on behalf of leadership;
• Responds on behalf of leadership to issues that arise, both internally and externally;
• Oversees communication by working with team members to engage in reputation-enhancing communication through social media and other outlets, assists in getting information to the law school and the University to include LEC successes in their communications, and audits the website and ensures it remains current and is adapted to the communications strategy. This will also include LEC's letters and correspondence in LEC's program recruiting and explanatory materials;
• Oversees management by Director of External Relations of FOIA and Public Records Requests;
• Prepares leadership team for internal and external meetings (briefing memos or verbal prep sessions);
• Represents leadership as appropriate, at select internal/external meetings;
• Travels as necessary for programs and outreach; and
• Provides regular updates to leadership on all the above.

Project Leadership

• Designs, organizes, and conducts comprehensive management of projects. Drives all projects to completion, holding teams and divisions accountable and ensuring deadlines are met;
• Drives implementation of high priority projects alongside functional teams;
• Develops and maintains an inventory of projects. This includes both internal and external projects, as well as manages communications and lead meetings in service of moving projects toward completion;
• Works with LEC leadership staff to ensure project goals are conveyed, progress is completed in a timely way, and any status variations from schedule or scope are agreed upon;
• Scopes, plans, and executes multiple projects. Presents ideas for special projects that might facilitate the leadership objectives;
• Works with appropriate stakeholders, including outside parties, to undertake analysis of projects and goals;
• Presents findings to leadership, as appropriate; and
• Oversees transfer of projects to other stakeholders (if necessary) within the organization.

Financial, Budget, and Contract Management

• Oversees financial planning, in consultation with senior leadership, and tracks budgets for operational programs and events;
• Provides analytical and decision support to senior leadership with regard to annual budget and financial objectives; and
• Reviews and approves contracts for operations and events.

Internal Management and Human Resources Functions

• Manages the 30 days, 60 days, and 9-month performance reviews of probationary employees to ensure fairness, accuracy and appropriate documentation;
• Manages annual review process for employees in conjunction with the set rules and standards of the organization and creates individual development plans as a follow up to performance reviews as necessary;
• Updates the organizational chart when changes occur;
• Manages the student Research Assistant programs within the LEC, particularly for GAI but also for other divisions and LEC faculty;
• Develops and maintains agenda and supporting items for LEC leadership team meetings; and
• Proposes schedule for calendar staff meetings when necessary. As well as prepares agendas for the same.

LEC Programming – General

• Assists with developing new programs in coordination with leadership;
• Assists with curricular design which involves identifying authors and speakers for the Center's education programs that are provided to judges, attorneys general, academics, and others;
• Assists in the production of the Center's annual report, donor reports, newsletters, and other communications with internal and external stakeholders;
• Assists in the editing and production of the Center's policy papers;
• Assists leadership staff with fundraising activities;
• Oversees events co-sponsored between LEC and the Law School;
• Manages relationships with judges and assists with recruiting efforts; and
• Serves as the on-site manager, MC, and face of the LEC at programs and events as needed.

Other duties related to the position as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Some budgeting experience;
• Significant experience serving in a leadership position situated in a hierarchy where directly supervised by a department head, dean, University President, or CEO of an organization;
• Significant experience designing and launching innovative programs with a university center or department or non-profit organization to improve operations or outputs;
• Extensive experience in planning and executing complex operational projects and budgets;
• Extensive experience managing staff and teams;
• Extensive experience working in a team environment, building consensus, and problem solving;
• Understanding of the legal and public policy environment and community and law and economics issues;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite programs, Teams, Adobe Acrobat, and physical and digital file/document management;
• Strong project management skills;
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills, including editing and proofreading;
• Self-motivation and exemplary organizational skills;
• Ability to identify new initiatives and Center reforms or innovation that helps the LEC continue to grow;
• Ability to develop, implement, and manage budgets;
• Ability to perform duties with a high level of professionalism (enthusiasm, flexibility, discretion, judgment, diplomacy, and tact);
• Ability to respond with a sense of urgency and to manage multiple deadlines;
• Ability and desire to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team;
• Ability to deepen understanding of law and economics across the tenure of the position to increasingly take on substance-specific tasks; and
• Detail-oriented approach to tasks with an ability to communicate professionally and effectively with multiple constituencies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field;
• Prior experience practicing law in both the private and public sectors;
• Demonstrated experience working in operations at an organization that executes a large number of programs in an academic/policy context;
• Prior experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations;
• Demonstrated experience with an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising;
• Understanding of the law school and legal education environment;
• Knowledge of multiple state legal systems;
• Knowledge and understanding of the powers and duties of judges, state attorney's general, Congressional staff, and academics in not only the legal, but also the public policy process;
• Working knowledge of the role of academic research has in influencing the public policy process;
• Some knowledge of the nationwide law school community to help facilitate LEC's programs for academics;
• Some knowledge of the nationwide network of economics scholars to help facilitate LEC's programs for academics; and
• Management consulting skills.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Director of Operations, LEC at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: July 22, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: August 5, 2024

Open Until Filled?: Yes

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