Operations Specialist

Who we are:

The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame is a research center dedicated to reducing poverty and improving lives in the United States through evidence-based programs and policies. We are dedicated to…

• Partnership – We thoughtfully engage with partners and commit to a collaborative process on this road to creating and using evidence. We believe the best solutions lie with those closest to the problem, and that our partners are the ones that know best the needs of the communities they serve. We embed that belief into every step of the evidence-to-impact journey.
• Rigor – We believe service, philanthropy, and public policy must be aligned with what actually helps people the most. Our partisanship is to those in poverty. We produce rigorous research because we believe an accurate answer, whether inspiring or challenging, makes us all better.
• Dignity – We prioritize the dignity of every person with a preferential option for those struggling in poverty and with awareness of the additional struggles facing marginalized communities. We approach our work with respect to those participating in research and structure our work in service to those individuals. Our research serves people, not the other way around.
• Hope – The complexities of poverty can be overwhelming, but we don’t respond by believing that solving poverty is a hopeless endeavor. We respond by building evidence to uncover solutions that reflect an environment of opportunity for all people. We diligently pursue what works to reduce poverty with a hopeful confidence that evidence enlightening action will alter the path ahead.

Who we need:

We are looking for someone who wants to change the face of poverty in our country and believes that impacting poverty is possible. The Operations Specialist’s top priorities will be:

• Personnel–Developing and implementing all processes related to the employee lifecycle, including relationship building, position development and posting, selection, onboarding, separation, and workforce planning.
• Training and Evaluation–Developing, coordinating, implementing, and assessing need for training programs, speaker series, and workshops designed to enhance employee skills and knowledge, with a particular focus on staying current with university practices, improving job-specific skills, and imparting knowledge regarding LEO research and methodologies. Project managing the university’s annual goal setting and performance evaluation process across LEO.
• Organizational Engagement–Fostering a positive and inclusive work environment by promoting employee engagement initiatives and activities within LEO and supporting engagement with the College of Arts & Letters and the university.
• Business Operations–Overseeing business operations and administrative processes within LEO. Developing and implementing policies and procedures to enhance operational efficiency. Ensuring LEO operations adhere to institutional policies, regulations, and requirements. Working collaboratively with leadership to ensure successful implementation of LEO’s entrepreneurial operating system.
• Office and Space Management–Working closely with the College of Arts & Letters to oversee the efficient allocation, utilization, and management of LEO office space. Overseeing the daily management of office space and managing space-related projects, including renovations and relocations.
• Special Programs–Providing support for LEO predoctoral research associates, postdoctoral research associates, and graduate students from developing and organizing programming to establishing hiring plans. Facilitating LEO’s academic year student intern program from communications and recruiting to hiring and workflow.

Please note: This is a five-year, limited-term position. Contingent on funding, the position may be extended.

About LEO:

Founded as a research center in the Department of Economics at the University of Notre Dame just over ten years ago, LEO has quickly risen to prominence as a leader in evidence-based interventions against poverty. Since our founding in 2012, LEO has:

• Attracted over $50 million in endowed gifts in support of our mission.
• Secured $16.8 million in research funding and support from private foundations and government sources.
• Launched over 90 active and completed research projects, with dozens more in the project pipeline.
• Published in leading peer-reviewed journals.
• Grown to over 30 full-time faculty and staff.
• Forged partnerships with innovative providers of services to people living in poverty across the country.
• Developed an extensive nationwide network of faculty affiliates.
  
   

In the next few years, we plan to grow significantly: increasing our project portfolio and continuing to strengthen LEO’s reputation as the gold standard of research in this area.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications:

The Operations Specialist owns the achievement of LEO’s administrative goals. The ideal candidate will have personnel and operations skills as well as excellent project management, communications, and interpersonal skills.

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Three to four years of relevant work experience, including a working knowledge of personnel and operations management.
• A deep commitment to the mission of both LEO and the University
• Highly collaborative with an adept ability to create strong relationships
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to proactively built relationships with top talent
• Experience working to improve and increase efficiency within standardized systems
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent project management skills; capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously with follow through and efficient execution
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a university setting
• Experience working within an entrepreneurial operating system (EOS).
• Experience with change management
• Creative thinking to suggest improvements in operations and workflow processes