Senior Operations Manager

Job Posting Title: Senior Operations Manager

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Hiring Department:

Special Education

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Nov 03, 2026

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Sep 30, 2027

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Location:

Texas

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Job Details:

Purpose

The purpose of this position is to lead and strengthen NDC’s internal operations so that teams, projects, and administrative systems remain coordinated, efficient, responsive, and aligned with center priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead center-wide operational planning and continuous improvement by developing, refining, and implementing workflows, protocols, systems, and decision-making processes; identify opportunities to improve efficiency through appropriate use of technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools while supporting consistent, accessible, and responsible practices across NDC.
• Lead high-level project management across center priorities, including maintaining and improving project management systems, tracking milestones and timelines, coordinating dependencies and follow-up, identifying risks, and escalating operational challenges to the Director and Leadership Team. Evaluate and integrate AI-enabled tools and workflows where they can strengthen planning, documentation, knowledge sharing, coordination, and follow-through.
• Support the Director and Leadership Team with center-wide coordination and implementation, including internal communications, cross-team information flow, staff meeting systems, staff retreats, professional development, and follow-through on organizational priorities.
• Supervise the Operations Manager and Access Coordinator, including setting priorities, clarifying responsibilities, supporting performance and professional growth, and ensuring effective coordination across office operations, access, events, travel support, and related operational functions.
• Coordinate hiring, contracting, and onboarding processes for staff, student employees, interns, consultants, and other project personnel by managing timelines, documentation, logistics, communications, and cross-unit follow-up; support consistent onboarding systems that help new team members integrate effectively into NDC.
• Serve as a key operational liaison with MCPER and other UT units by coordinating administrative processes, clarifying institutional requirements, resolving operational issues, and ensuring timely follow-through across systems and partners.
• Provide high-level coordination for major center-wide operational activities and team infrastructure, including meetings, retreats, events, travel-intensive work, and other shared operational needs; ensure that responsibilities, timelines, access needs, logistics, and follow-through are clearly assigned and integrated.
• Contribute to a collaborative organizational culture by supporting transparent communication, shared accountability, effective team processes, and a strong sense of community and belonging.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, organizational leadership, project management, education, public administration, or a related field.
• Five or more years of experience in operations, project management, program administration, or a related role.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating, implementing, or improving technology-supported workflows, project management systems, or organizational processes.
• Ability to learn and apply emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, in ways that improve efficiency while maintaining appropriate attention to data protection, accessibility, quality, and human oversight.
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple timelines, priorities, dependencies, and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and supporting team performance.
• Strong organizational, project management, problem-solving, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and coordinate effectively across teams and organizational units.
• Beginner proficiency in American Sign Language or willingness to learn.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Seven or more years of experience in operations, project management, program administration, or organizational leadership.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior leadership and coordinating organization-wide initiatives.
• Experience with portfolio management, strategic implementation, change management, or continuous improvement.
• Experience implementing AI-enabled workflows, automation, shared knowledge systems, or other emerging technologies within an organizational setting.
• Experience working within a university, nonprofit, research center, or grant-funded environment.
• Experience coordinating across institutional administrative systems and external partners.
• Intermediate or greater proficiency in American Sign Language.

Salary Range

$65,000 - $80,000

Working Conditions

• Typical office environment

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.