How to Apply A cover letter addressing your specific interest in the position and outlining your skills and experience that directly relate to this position is required. Attach the cover letter to your resume.
What You'll Do FINANCIAL RESOURCES RESPONSIBILITIES Provide budgeting and expense projections; establish controls to maintain budget oversight; review business transactions for compliance with relevant policies and regulations and provide departmental authorization for these transactions; manage and oversee all research (including external grant funding), operating (general fund), discretionary, designated, recharge and endowment funds including the implementation of fiscal policies and procedures; monitor and maintain budget policies set forth by the College of LSA and Department leadership; advise the Chair regarding optimal uses of financial resources for planning and management discussions; and working with the LSA services areas (LSA Finance Team), prepare special budget and financial reports with statistical analysis where required.
STUDENT ADMINISTRATION RESPONSIBILITIES Provide leadership in the units' academic services areas for undergraduate and graduate students and staff; work directly with the Chair, Directors of Graduate and Undergraduate studies to create student retention and success models; lead initiatives to assess the impact of student support and programing; lead the Student Services team to create, disseminate and maintain resources, policies and procedures for the departments and college; provide guidance and develop best practices.
HUMAN RESOURCES RESPONSIBILITIES Facilitate the successful performance and continuous development of staff. Coordinate the work of staff, providing leadership in a collaborative, team-oriented environment with support for professional development; approve job descriptions for non-academic positions; review positions for appropriate classification and compensation level; provide oversight for procedures related to faculty recruitment, appointment, review, retention and promotion. Work collaboratively with LSA Human Resources Team to develop job descriptions, review positions for appropriate classifications and rates. Assist and provide guidance to the Chairs for UMOR research track hires if applicable, sabbatical and other leaves, and emeritus status. Create and update Memorandums of Understanding to specify research, teaching, and service commitments for faculty with split appointments. Oversee the the lifecycle of lecturers from recruitment through retirement. Maintain departmental lecturer review guidelines and ensure consistency with the LEO contract.
Analyze and evaluate the administrative staffing needs of the department.
FACILITIES Partner with the Chair on long-range planning of facilities and space utilization, administrative space, and instructional space. Partner with the LSA Facilities Team to optimize space utilization.
DEPARTMENT, SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY RESPONSIBILITIES Be familiar with UM policies and procedures and ensure awareness and compliance among faculty, staff, and students. Routinely monitor departmental activities to ensure variance is within an acceptable range and proactively address issues. Interpret and provide information related to University, School, and Departmental policies and business procedures to all faculty, students, and staff. Approve the annual unit's space surveys. Represent the Department to other University units and administrators and outside units with authority to make financial and operational commitments. Resolve operating problems, employee complaints and grievances. Serve on University, School and Department committees.
Partner with the Department Chair on long-range planning and strategic operations. Assist in developing policies and procedures, interpret University and College policies and procedures for the faculty, staff, and students. Oversee all aspects of and provide leadership in student services areas, including: GSI appointments, fellowships, graduate student recruiting, graduate student services, and undergraduate student services. Oversee development activities including alumni relations, donor stewardship, and fundraising; manage, plan, and coordinate facilities use and renovation. Actively participate in the LSA's Chief Administrators groups; serve as a liaison for administrative matters to the College of LSA.
Mission Statement The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
Who We Are The Department of American Culture (AC) in the college of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) at the University of Michigan is seeking a high-level Chief Administrator who is an experienced and dynamic leader who can partner with the Chair, Dean's office, and colleagues to create an effective and robust administrative structure to support and promote optimal departmental functioning.
The Department of American Culture traces its origins back to 1935, has been one of the top American Studies hubs in the country, and is recognized internationally. The Department houses four formally constituted ethnic studies programs: Arab and Muslim American Studies, Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies, Latina/o Studies, and Native American Studies. The department has 36 tenure-track faculty and 7 lecturers. The department has 37 PhD students, 37 undergraduate majors and 54 minors. The department is committed to interdisciplinary scholarship in the multivalent field of humanities and humanistic social sciences and to undergraduate and graduate education that fosters understanding of complex histories, struggles, and various creative productions and expressions that reflect the many complex cultures of the United States and the Americas in a global context. The groundbreaking understandings, interpretations, and critiques of department members probe intersections of transnational, national, and diasporic identities and their socially constructed aspects such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, disability, indigeneity, religion, and region.
The Chief Administrator supervises 5.5 staff in American Culture. This position reports to the Senior Manager of LSA units in the college.
Key skills and attributes required by all members of the Chief Administrator community include:
- An individual that embraces the mission, vision, and values of LSA and the Department, and the Chief Administrator's community leadership values
- High-level administrative experience in an academic setting
- Excellent change management skills to guide administrative and personnel transitions
- Commitment to improving administrative processes and building efficiencies within and across departments and the College
- Ability to engage in strategic planning to set and reach both short- and long-term goals
- Commitment to establishing and maintaining a positive and engaging environment for faculty, students, and staff
- Experience with financial management, budgeting, and expenditure projection
- Experience in research budgeting and oversight
- Experience and demonstrated success in leading and managing administrative, technical, and research staff.
- A commitment to collaboration and partnership
- Strong communication skills, with excellent people skills and experience building and leading teams
- Experience with grants management, HR policies and procedures, and processes related to student funding and support.
Required Qualifications* Bachelor's degree or equivalent required. Three or more years of administrative work in an academic environment; Three or more years' experience supervising, mentoring and professionally developing a variety of staff; strong financial management skills in budgeting and expense reporting; strong experience developing a highly interactive and collaborative team environments; leadership through change, and working within a complex and collaborative administrative structure; excellent verbal and written communication skills; excellent interpersonal and leadership skills; strong organizational skills; demonstrated ability to manage various aspects of a complex organization. Experience with management of externally funded sponsored research, experience with undergraduate and graduate student programs. Experience in a research environment in conjunction with grant/contract proposal preparation. Ability to work proactively in a fast-paced, dynamic unit and the ability to work independently and interactively as part of a team. Excellent communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills are necessary. Strong organizational skills and competency, and experience using technical and administrative tools to effectively manage a unit's business practices
Desired Qualifications* Master's degree preferred.
Knowledge of UM policies and procedures is strongly preferred
Modes of Work Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .
Additional Information As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision, and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision .
Background Screening The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Job Detail Job Opening ID Working Title Chief Administrator for LSA American Culture
Job Title Business Administrator Inter
Work Location Ann Arbor Campus
Ann Arbor, MI
Modes of Work Hybrid
Full/Part Time Full-Time
Regular/Temporary Regular
FLSA Status Exempt
Organizational Group College Of Lsa
Department LSA American Culture
Posting Begin/End Date 10/10/2025 - 10/23/2025
Salary $90,000.00 - $107,120.00
Career Interest Administration
