Director of Operations

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Chair of Humanities and Sciences, the Director of Operations assists with the department’s primary administrative and operational functions. This role serves as a key liaison for students, faculty, academic advisors, and internal/external stakeholders across the SVA community. The Director of Operations oversees day-to-day office logistics, payment processing, course scheduling changes, website and bulletin communications, and classroom/conference space maintenance. Additionally, this position provides administrative and curricular support to the Chair of English as a Second Language (ESL) and collaborates with the Chair on long-term initiatives, accreditation reviews, and departmental projects.

Humanities and Sciences is the largest department at the School of Visual Arts, serving nearly every undergraduate student. We offer more than 200 courses, taught by instructors who are writers, historians, filmmakers, musicians, lawyers, archaeologists, psychologists, sociologists, philosophers, social activists, scientists, artists, poets, and journalists—busy makers and heavy thinkers. For more information, visit the department’s website.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the primary point of contact and liaison for general inquiries from students, faculty, academic advisors, SVA community members, and external partners.
• Process payments and financial forms for field trips, guest lectures, substitute instructors, and staff reimbursements; manage ordering for office supplies, service calls, and departmental events.
• Submit Faculty Forms to process instructor updates and course schedule changes; assist newly employed instructors with departmental onboarding.
• Update and maintain faculty contact and biographical information across department channels and College websites (including faculty bios on sva.edu).
• Maintain and update the SVA Humanities & Sciences website and publish the monthly H&S Bulletin.
• Provide administrative and curricular support to the Chair of English as a Second Language (ESL), acting as a liaison with the Registrar’s Office to monitor and update course offerings for the English and the Visual Arts (EVA) Program.
• Assist the Chair with the development and implementation of short- and long-term plans, including curriculum development, faculty professional development, student programming, and college-wide initiatives.
• Assist with departmental research, record keeping, and data compilation for daily operations, special projects, and accreditation reviews.
• Manage logistics for the H&S floor classrooms and Faculty Conference Room; assist with classroom setup and facility needs.
• Support faculty-to-student communications (e.g., class cancellation announcements) and pull student information from Colleague as required.
• Handle general administrative duties, including sorting incoming/outgoing mail, maintaining physical/digital records, and performing other job-related duties as assigned.
• Occasional events geared toward faculty and students.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (BA / BS / BFA) required.
• Experience: 3–5 years of administrative experience working in an academic department in higher education, directly supporting faculty and students.
• Technical Skills: PC/Mac proficiency using Google Workspace, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and Learning Management Systems (LMS).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience teaching and/or maintaining an active scholarly, research, or creative practice.
• Familiarity with website management and social media content creation.
• Experience with organizing, coordinating, and facilitating student programming.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Comprehensive understanding of academic department operations, faculty governance structures, and student service workflows in a higher education setting.
• Familiarity with course scheduling, registrar protocols, and academic record-keeping for program reviews and accreditation.
• Knowledge of basic academic accounting procedures, payment processing for adjuncts/guest speakers, travel/field trip reimbursements, and procurement policies.
• Knowledge of student Information Systems (Colleague), LMS platforms, Google Workspace, and MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and written/verbal communication skills with a team-oriented mindset.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines, adapt to shifting operational demands, and maintain high accuracy in a fast-paced academic environment.
• Communicate professionally and maintain strict confidentiality with students, faculty, and external partners.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (OR WORKING CONDITIONS)

• Location: 310 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010, 8th Floor
• Schedule: Standard work schedule is Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, onsite. Schedule may change based on departmental needs or approval.
• Flexibility: Occasional evening or weekend availability may be required to support departmental events and peak operational deadlines.
• Remote Work Policy: This is an on-site role; remote work accommodations are rare and permitted only on an occasional, pre-approved basis, requiring adherence to all standard department communication protocols and methods. Employees will be required to maintain the same standard work schedule and hours as they would in the office.
• Physical Demands and Work Environment:
  • Work is performed primarily in an office with frequent interaction with students, faculty, and staff.
  • Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and move throughout the office for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Ability to regularly lift, carry, and move equipment weighing up to 20 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Ability to travel across the SVA campus.

About SVA

For more than seven decades, the School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers, and creative professionals. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum, and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. With more than 7,000 students at its Manhattan campus and over 41,000 alumni across 128 countries, SVA represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For more information about the College's 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu/academics.

Click here to learn what it's like to work at SVA.

The School of Visual Arts is an equal opportunity employer. Diversity and inclusion are core principles of the College. SVA's community includes a significant number of people from historically underrepresented communities, ethnic and religious backgrounds, gender identities, and countries of origin, as well as individuals of diverse abilities — and all are encouraged to apply.