Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Faculty Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Faculty Manager is the central administrative leader for the faculty/department, acting as a strategic partner to the Dean or Department Head. This role is responsible for the comprehensive management of all operational, financial, and human resources functions related to academic staff. You will serve as the primary liaison between faculty members and university administration, ensuring compliance with policies, optimizing resource allocation, and driving initiatives that support faculty success and academic excellence. Your leadership will be crucial in fostering a productive, inclusive, and high-functioning academic unit.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Administrative Coordinator
Academic Program Manager
HR Business Partner (in academia)

Advancement To:

Director of Academic Affairs
Assistant/Associate Dean for Administration
Director of Administration and Finance

Lateral Moves:

Grants and Contracts Manager
Director of Strategic Initiatives

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee the entire faculty recruitment lifecycle, from position approval and drafting job descriptions to coordinating search committees, managing candidate pipelines, and facilitating the offer and hiring process.
Manage the comprehensive faculty appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure processes, ensuring all documentation is prepared accurately and submitted in accordance with university timelines and policies.
Administer all aspects of faculty compensation, including processing salary changes, managing stipends for administrative roles, and ensuring equitable and transparent pay practices in collaboration with HR and academic leadership.
Develop, implement, and manage a structured onboarding and orientation program for new full-time and part-time faculty to ensure a smooth transition into the university's culture, policies, and systems.
Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for all faculty-related inquiries, providing expert guidance on policies, procedures, benefits, and available resources.
Manage the faculty workload and course assignment process in collaboration with the Department Head, ensuring equitable distribution of teaching, research, and service responsibilities.
Oversee the departmental or faculty budget, including budget development, financial forecasting, expense monitoring, and preparing detailed financial reports for leadership.
Act as the key liaison between the faculty and central university offices such as Human Resources, the Provost's Office, Finance, and Legal Counsel to resolve complex administrative and personnel issues.
Manage and process all faculty leave requests, including sabbatical, parental, medical, and personal leaves, ensuring compliance with institutional and federal regulations.
Provide high-level administrative support to the Dean or Department Head, including preparing reports, managing strategic projects, and assisting with long-range planning for the academic unit.
Supervise, train, and mentor administrative staff who support the faculty, fostering a collaborative and efficient team environment and conducting regular performance evaluations.
Maintain and ensure the integrity of all faculty records, including personnel files, visa and immigration documentation, and appointment histories, upholding strict confidentiality.
Support the curriculum development and review process by providing administrative assistance to curriculum committees and managing the course catalog and scheduling systems.
Coordinate and manage the logistics for faculty meetings, retreats, and special events, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and tracking action items.
Interpret, implement, and communicate university policies and procedures to faculty and staff, ensuring consistent application and compliance across the department.
Manage the allocation of physical resources for faculty, including office space, lab space, and equipment, in coordination with facilities management.
Develop and analyze key faculty-related metrics and data to support strategic decision-making, accreditation reporting, and institutional research requests.
Provide confidential support and initial guidance on sensitive faculty personnel matters, including performance issues and grievances, escalating to appropriate university offices as needed.
Administer the faculty evaluation process, including annual performance reviews, student course evaluations, and peer teaching observations, by collecting and synthesizing data for leadership review.
Facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty by promoting workshops, grant opportunities, and other resources that support their teaching and research endeavors.
Oversee all visa and immigration processes for international faculty and scholars, working closely with the international student and scholar services office to ensure timely and compliant sponsorship.
Manage the administrative aspects of academic program reviews and accreditation visits, compiling necessary documentation and data related to faculty qualifications and activities.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to inform strategic faculty planning.
Contribute to the organization's broader data strategy and roadmap, particularly as it pertains to faculty information.
Collaborate with other university business units to translate cross-functional data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the broader administrative and IT teams to improve systems and processes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) such as Workday, PeopleSoft, or Banner.
Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for budget management and data analysis.
Experience with academic information systems for course scheduling and catalog management (e.g., Banner, Colleague).
Strong budget and financial management skills, including forecasting, reporting, and financial analysis.
Deep knowledge of higher education policies, academic personnel procedures, and shared governance principles.
Familiarity with federal and state employment laws, as well as visa and immigration regulations (H-1B, J-1, etc.).
Data analysis and reporting capabilities, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable insights.

Soft Skills

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
Proven leadership and team management abilities, with experience in supervising and developing administrative staff.
Superior organizational and project management skills, capable of managing multiple complex projects simultaneously with meticulous attention to detail.
High degree of professionalism, discretion, and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with integrity.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, with a proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.
Strategic thinking and the ability to align operational activities with the broader academic mission of the institution.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, dynamic academic environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration, Business Administration (MBA), Human Resources, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Higher Education Administration
Business Administration
Human Resources Management
Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-7 years of progressive experience in academic administration, faculty affairs, or a related administrative management role within a university or college setting.

Preferred:

Experience directly managing faculty-related processes (e.g., recruitment, promotion and tenure), supervising staff, and managing departmental budgets is highly preferred. Familiarity with a unionized faculty environment is a plus.