Chief Operating Officer, Baskin Engineering

NO VISA SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE FOR THIS POSITION.
Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a Baskin Engineering or affiliate staff position. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff.

HOW TO APPLY

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

Application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring unit for consideration. Materials submitted after the IRD will ONLY be forwarded at the request of the hiring unit. To ensure your application is routed for consideration, submit your materials before 11:59 p.m. on the IRD. Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal. Applications cannot be edited on an applicant's behalf. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, view this link.

The IRD for this job is: 01-09-2025

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Originally founded in 1997, the Baskin School of Engineering is the first professional school at UC Santa Cruz. Over the past 25 years, Baskin Engineering (BE) has become a unique 21st century school of engineering, applied science and technology, characterized by evolutionary growth fueled by on-going research opportunities that open new areas of intellectual inquiry. Baskin Engineering has grown to include six academic departments, a variety of research centers and institutes, and has ambitious plans for further programmatic growth. The focus of Baskin Engineering educational programming is to instill strong basic knowledge for sound practice in ethical engineering for the well-being of society, and its diverse curricula facilitate creative thinking and preparing students for productive and rewarding careers. Baskin Engineering is focused on building collaborative connections and expanding instruction and research activities for faculty and students in Santa Cruz and at the UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley campus in Santa Clara.

We champion new ideas and uphold the UCSC Principles of Community.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Baskin School of Engineering (BE) is a key member of the Dean's Cabinet and senior leadership team who serves as the chief fiscal advisor for the school and oversees facilities, labs and space planning. The COO provides strategic and operational leadership for a wide range of financial, administrative and compliance operations, activities, and services in support of Baskin Engineering's education and research priorities.

The incumbent employs strong written and verbal communication skills, political acumen and project management skills to establish operational objectives and work plans across four teams (finance, research administration, labs and facilities, and space planning) and manages a variety of resources to meet the growing and increasingly complex needs of the BE education and research operations. The COO develops, modifies, and implements policies, practices, systems, and processes to streamline business operations and to develop a customer-service-oriented culture within respective teams. A successful incumbent will require competency and flexibility to navigate a complex and dynamic set of competing demands within existing regulatory and procedural constraints.

The COO works closely with the Dean, Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, faculty and research center/institute directors. They also have regular interactions with senior staff and executives across campus administrative units and serve on campus committees and special task forces to represent Baskin Engineering. They serve as the primary liaison with campus administration on financial matters.

Over the past ten years, Baskin Engineering has experienced tremendous growth in student enrollments and research funding, which is expected to continue into the years ahead. BE currently supports 25% of all undergraduate students and 40% of all graduate students on campus. BE has 130 senate faculty and 180 professional and research staff. Annual expenditures have been growing at a rate of 12% per year. For FY24, expenditures totaled $130M, including institutional and general operating funds of $70M, $60M in extramural grants and contracts, and $3M in gifts and endowments. The current endowment balance is $20M and BE is pursuing revenue growth from gifts to support student success initiatives, research endeavors and capital projects.

BE manages approximately 196,000 assignable square feet (ASF) in seven separate buildings on the main UCSC campus and at the Westside Research Park at 2300 Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz. BE also supports a cohort of faculty, PhD students and master's professional development programs at the UC Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley Campus located on Bowers Avenue in Santa Clara.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $159,650 - $190,500/year. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: 000213 (FINANCIAL ANL MGR 2)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

50% - Divisional Financial Oversight

• Serves as principal budget, financial and operations officer for Baskin Engineering with authority to prepare, program, coordinate, monitor and control an annual permanent operating budget of $70M.
• Through subordinate managers and professional staff, leads Research Administration efforts in support of a $60M sponsored research portfolio, growing at a rate of more than 15% annually, to ensure compliance with sponsor and university policies. Implements policies and processes to manage risk effectively while supporting research growth. Analyzes data and prepares reports for institutional use and for reporting to national surveys.
• Develops short- and long-range financial projections and management strategies to support divisional growth and related funding commitments (i.e. faculty startup funding, capital renovations, academic programmatic investments).
• Develops quarterly financial documents that reflect budget balances and projections for major divisional funds (eg. staffing and operations, instructional support, indirect cost recovery and working capital). Presents these documents to the dean, assistant dean and senior leadership.
• Develops, modifies, and executes appropriate internal controls to protect university resources.
• Serves as the principal liaison with campus Financial Affairs and Budget Analysis and Planning Offices.
• Oversees the analysis and policy development for division-wide funding matters and budget processes, resource allocations and funding models, including for Organized Research Units (ORUs), Focused Research Areas (FRAs), and other institutes and centers.
• Develop budgets for new initiatives such as Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) programs or Self Supporting Programs (SSPs) in conformance with university, state and federal policies.
• Employs strong project management and excellent verbal and written communication skills to work with divisional leadership and senior staff to prepare financial health documents for campus leadership.

20% - Management and Leadership

• Provides leadership and direct and indirect supervision for employees reporting to senior BE leadership. Supervisory duties include recruitment, retention, professional development, performance evaluation, and corrective action. Works closely with the Assistant Dean, Director of Staff Personnel and other senior members of the BE Dean's Office and Staff Human Resources to facilitate any staff personnel actions.
• Instills strong customer service ethics in team operations and implements conflict negotiation and diplomacy skills to ensure smooth operations among team members and relationships with key faculty, staff and principal investigators.
• Applies effective management principles, practices and techniques to assess and adaptively manage effective and efficient workflow systems.
• Sets a high operating standard for a respectful and functional work environment, including supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and ensuring that the UCSC Principles of Community are adhered to.

15% - Labs and Facilities

• Working closely with the Dean and Assistant Dean, provides general direction and high level project management support to the labs and facilities teams to ensure projects are moving forward efficiently and effectively.
• Supervises the Director of Labs and Facilities who manages a team of eleven staff supporting the operations of labs and facilities and general operations across the main campus, the Westside Research Park and Silicon Valley Campus.

15% - Space Planning

• Working closely with the Dean and Assistant Dean, provides general direction to the space planning and management team.
• Supervises the Director of Space Planning who manages two staff that support space planning for research labs and staff and faculty offices across divisionally held spaces.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in related area and/or equivalent experience and/or training.
• Comprehensive knowledge of finance and budget policies, practices and systems; budgeting and reporting techniques; fund accounting; accounting and bookkeeping and financial forecasting.
• Management experience with the demonstrated ability to mentor and motivate staff.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated analytical skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively listen.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across the organization at all levels; ability to interact with diverse populations.
• Excellent negotiation skills and strong political acumen.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Ability to evaluate processes to establish and maintain appropriate accountability structures and strong internal control elements and their impact on protecting university resources.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters in Business Administration.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• The selected candidate will be required to work all scheduled hours on-site.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Ability to travel to multiple work locations on and off campus.
• Ability to maintain appearance and conduct suitable for working in a professional setting.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here.

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination