Associate Director

Overview Who We Are: For 140 years, National Louis University has been driven by one core belief: education changes lives. Since our founding, we've stayed grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity, and we've never wavered from the idea that education is the greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community built on continuous improvement and a genuine commitment to serving those we teach. Through education, we empower change and build stronger, healthier communities. Our hard-working team runs on collaboration and mutual respect, for one another and for every student we serve. What You Will Do: The Associate Director of Faculty Contract Operations offers an opportunity to shape how the University manages faculty contracts, instructional costs, faculty workload data, and academic operations. This strategic leader will supervise contract staff; drive automation, process improvement, and systems integration; and partner with IT, HR, Finance, Payroll, the colleges, and the Business Intelligence Group to develop innovative tools, including electronic faculty load tracking and the University’s faculty dashboard. The Associate Director will also lead training, promote equitable and transparent instructional expense management, advise on scheduling and faculty credentials, support compliance with applicable requirements, and lead cross-functional initiatives that advance the University’s academic and operational priorities. Essential Responsibilities Provide final review and approval of instructional and non-instructional contracts for adjunct faculty, full-time faculty overload assignments, and staff. Supervise, mentor, and support the professional development of the contract specialist team. Oversee the accurate and timely distribution of contract-related reports and data to institutional stakeholders. Lead end-to-end process mapping, evaluation, and improvement initiatives for faculty contract processing and related operations. Serve as the primary Provost Office liaison to IT team to identify, evaluate, and implement technology and business-process enhancements including leading the development and implementation of electronic systems for tracking, monitoring, and reporting faculty load data. Develop and deliver training for full-time faculty and college administrators on new contract and faculty load systems, and provide ongoing support to improve system usability and functionality. Collaborate with Human Resources, Finance, Payroll, IT, and the colleges to standardize and accurately classify contract types to support effective reporting, analytics, and decision-making. Serve as a member of the Academic Operations Group by providing thought leadership, operational updates, and recommendations related to faculty contracts and academic operations. Partner with the University Scheduling Center to promote integrated, consistent, and efficient processes. Lead cross-functional teams and institutional projects that advance the strategic priorities of the University and the Provost Office. Serve as the business owner for the University’s faculty dashboard, coordinating enhancements, data needs, governance, and stakeholder engagement. Build capacity within the colleges to strengthen budget management related to instructional expenses. Partner with college leaders to promote consistent, equitable, and transparent approaches to managing instructional costs across the institution. Provide strategic oversight of business processes related to centralized scheduling, faculty teaching credentials, adjunct hours, and compliance with applicable state and federal requirements. Partner with Provost Office leadership and the Business Intelligence Group to identify, prioritize, and implement system functionality and reporting capabilities aligned with institutional goals. Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in business, analytics, organizational leadership, higher education administration, or related field, required Minimum of 3 years of closely related work experience preferably within Higher Education Proven ability to manage multiple projects, processes and priories simultaneously while adhering to deadlines including working with cross-functional teams/departments Prior experience managing a team of direct reports (training, developing, performance evaluation, etc.), including experience assessing and communicating progress on work goals as well as the level of morale on the team, preferred Demonstrated experience in change management and process improvement and takes a proactive approach to anticipating and solving problems Prior experience with budget management, preferred Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel NLU Inclusion Statement: National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture. Compensation and Benefits At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full‑time staff benefits can be found here. The salary range of the grade for this position is $58,202 to $84,393 annually. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job‑related knowledge/skills, experience, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity. #J-18808-Ljbffr