Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is seeking an Administrative Director for Academic Affairs who is eager to contribute to its Lasallian Catholic mission of awakening, nurturing, and empowering learners to ethical lives of service and leadership. We invite individuals to help transform lives through education, inspired by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition’s quest to understand the human experience through faith and reason and its embrace of all who are dedicated to learning from one another through authentic conversations in search of the truth. We are especially interested in and give preference to candidates who demonstrate a vision to create and nurture initiatives that will advance our mission within the scope of their duties and who will foster a culture of dialogue that, with respect for all people, supports the search for meaning and purpose in pursuit of excellence.
The Administrative Director for Academic Affairs (ADAA) provides leadership and management for strategic project functions for academic affairs at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The ADAA serves as the IRB administrative manager, providing overall coordination, strategy, and support for its functioning. This position also provides project management to the dean of academic affairs for university-wide academic functions and initiatives, including ranking and qualifying faculty; coordinating the structure and operation of SGPP faculty committees, issuing course-contracted faculty letters of appointment; academic orientation and onboarding; oversight of the academic calendar, course observations, and commencement; and other initiatives from the office of academic affairs.
Serves as IRB administrative director:
- Ensures IRB compliance with institutional policies and all applicable regulations for the protection of human research subjects;
- Maintains policies and standard operating procedures of the IRB, IRB support staff, institutional official, and institution;
- Provides guidance to researchers and research advisors on IRB topics;
- Maintains knowledge of local and national regulations and laws regarding the IRB;
- Provides consultation and guidance to the IRB and institution on IRB policies;
- Identifies when IRB authorization agreements, operating agreements, or memoranda of understanding are required for cross-institutional research;
- Maintains the IRB’s registration with the Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP);
- Responds to questions and concerns from the public;
- Verifies that IRB members, PIs/Researchers, and student research advisors have completed CITI training;
- Logs IRB protocols; records meeting minutes; maintains IRB files;
- Answers IRB email and fields initial questions;
- Develops the agenda for monthly meetings; facilitates reporting, trainings, and quality improvement;
- Provides an initial review of all applications to ensure accuracy and completeness;
- Determines if protocol meets the qualifications for exemption; and
- Assigns reviewers.
Oversees administrative direction for the Dean of Academic Affairs:
- Manages the faculty qualification and ranking process
- Collects documents and transcripts from program directors;
- Compiles documents and distributes ranking requests for signatures from appropriate parties;
- Generates official ranking and qualification memos, notifying faculty members and appropriate departments upon ranking;
- Manages data collected in the ranking and qualification process, enters data into faculty database, and stores collected materials in faculty files;
- Supports program directors and prospective faculty members during the hiring process; and
- Performs a data “clean up” of all annual and course-contracted faculty information in the database (once a semester)
- Issues course-contracted faculty letters of appointment
- Monitors contract email inbox, troubleshoots problems with pay and rank;
- Communicates with deans and program directors about low-enrolled courses, planned low-enrolled courses, independent studies, split contracts, adjusted pay contracts, dual instructor courses, and faculty overloads to ensure letters of appointment are assigned accurately; and
- Manages approval of adjunct course contracts each semester
- Operationalizes SGPP Faculty Committees
- Works with the Dean of Academic Affairs in the identification, vetting, selection and seating of SGPP faculty members on faculty committees
- Creates and distributes appointment letters
- Acts as the liaison between the Dean of Academic Affairs and the faculty chairs of SGPP faculty committees
- Directly coordinates the SGPP faculty development committee
- Works with the faculty chair of the SGPP faculty development committee to coordinate meetings and programs
- Sends invitations for new faculty orientation;
- Sends certificates of completion to event attendees;
- Directly coordinates the SGPP Rank and Promotion committee
- Works with the faculty chair of the SGPP Rank and Promotion committee to coordinate meetings and committee work
- Organize promotion requests and portfolios
- Coordinate the promotion process, from committee interviews to final promotion letter
- Updates faculty rank in Student Information System and internal records
- Coordinates faculty participation at Commencement
- Works with the Dean of Academic Affairs and Registrar’s Office in coordinating commencement ceremonies
- Provides research and coordination for academic affairs’ initiatives
- Collects and organizes information regarding doctoral faculty’s scholarship;
- Helps edit, format, and maintain drafts of the revised faculty handbook, constitution, and bylaws; and
- Coordinates meetings and strategy for project initiatives within academic affairs
- Works with the Dean of Academic Affairs in developing unit plan updates and provost report updates
Essential Functions and Skills:
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills;
- Project management skills;
- Highly refined organizational skills;
- Experience with and knowledge of human subjects research ethics and oversight;
- Experience with database utilization and technology-driven solutions, including Google Suite and MS Office;
- A willingness and ability to learn new technology; and
- An ability to maintain confidentiality of data and decisions.
Education and Experience:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Experience managing complex administrative systems and projects.
Preferred:
- Master’s degree.
- Experience in a higher education setting.
- Experience with human subjects research ethics and oversight.
Apply online at https://hive.smumn.edu/about/offices/human-resources/employment-opportunities and please include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota believes inclusion and human dignity contributes to a robust academic and work environment and is critical to achieving the University's mission in an increasingly diverse society. Individuals with expertise and diverse skills from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The successful candidate must support, respect, and advance the mission of Saint Mary's University as a Lasallian Catholic institution.
Saint Mary’s offers a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, flexible spending, retirement pension plan, and both undergraduate and graduate tuition remission plans.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.