Special Assistant to the Dean
University of Chicago
Department
About the Department
Job Summary
The ideal candidate must be comfortable working on cross-functional priorities at a strategic and operational level, and thrive in an intellectually engaging role that demands an elite level of excellence. The Special Assistant to the Dean engages with administrators, faculty, and alumni of the Law School as well as key stakeholders from the broader University community, and will need exceptional interpersonal skills for navigating and influencing within a complex environment with varying demands and considerations.
Responsibilities
- Leads Dean’s office projects and initiatives that advance the Law School’s academic and administrative effectiveness, engaging the right resources, implementing change management, holding parties accountable for deadlines, and providing regular updates to the Dean.
- Executes and directs special projects related to the business of the organizational unit.
- Works closely with the Dean of the Law School to identify Law School operational goals and oversees allocation of resources to meet priorities.
- Uses professional discretion to respond to inquiries, requests, and issues on behalf of the Dean with thoughtful correspondence, engaging other leadership members as needed for resolution.
- Partners with the Dean’s Executive and Administrative Assistant to ensure proper management and time allocation of the Dean’s calendar and general support for day-to-day operations.
- Collaborates with other University offices and leaders to ensure the Law School’s Dean’s Office administrative functions are in alignment with the University’s policies and practices, and to ensure the Law School’s needs are understood centrally.
- Leads on continuous improvement of processes and workflows.
- Ensures compliance of staff and faculty with organizational, University and other relevant policies and guidelines.
- Supervises Dean’s Office administrative staff.
- Coordinates input from senior leaders to facilitate the integration of departmental plans with the Law School’s strategic plan.
- Connects strategy with business operations, drawing from disciplines such as strategy development, business analysis, process management, operations and systems analysis.
- May conduct or facilitate periodic reviews of achievements and performance vs. strategic plans.
- Solves complex problems; takes a broad perspective to identify solutions.
- Guides others in resolving complex issues in own specialized area and solves complex problems with implications on cross-functional business processes and outcomes.
- Serves as an advisor and applies knowledge of strategies that can be deployed within own function and discipline.
- Acts as a lead researcher and planner for a wide array of efforts led by the department/division.
- Establishes and maintains a database of peer and competitor profiles. Helps develop and maintain a database of faculty (international) research topics and international inter-institutional collaborations.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.---
Work Experience:
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Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Advanced degree preferred.
J.D. preferred.
Experience:
Experience in higher education strongly preferred.
Experience in legal settings preferred.
Progressive administrative experience.
Preferred Competencies
Proven leadership in managing projects in higher education, public institution, or non-profit settings.
Skills in project/program management, change management, and/or process improvement.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively across teams and units.
Ability to operate at a high level of decision-making, priority-setting, and leadership.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Expertise in translating complex issues and ideas to general audiences in written and verbal communication.
Working Conditions
Ability to work evening and weekend hours as needed.
Application Documents
Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter (required)
Writing Sample (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
Role Impact
FLSA Status
Pay Frequency
Scheduled Weekly Hours
Benefits Eligible
Drug Test Required
Health Screen Required
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
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.
Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.
All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.
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