Department Operations Manager (Finance)

Salary Range: $60,000 - $67,500

Organizational Summary:

The Department of Chemistry represents one of the cornerstones of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the University as a whole. The Department of Chemistry is well-positioned in its centrality, demand, quality and sustainability to significantly contribute to the University vision of serving as a pre-eminent research university with state, national and global impact. The Department of Chemistry is dedicated to developing globally competitive undergraduate, graduate and professional programs as well as expanding its world-class interdisciplinary research ranging from drug discovery to materials science.

Position Summary:

The Office Manager/Department Operations Manager oversees the administrative and academic services within the school/department, providing support to the Chair, faculty, staff, and students. Functioning as a liaison, this role ensures the effective management of budget, office operations, purchasing, facilities, and overall operational requirements. Furthermore, it includes the supervision of office staff and Federal Work-Study (FWS) students in the school or departmental environment.Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires a High School diploma or equivalent with four years of customer service related experience including at least one year of supervisory experience.

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Contact the USF ADA Lead ( hr-ADA-Request@usf.edu ) to coordinate your accommodation request.

FLSB1310 Equivalency:
4 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted for bachelor's degree.
6 years of directly relevant experience may be substituted for master's degree.Working at USF
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With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
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About USF
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The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .
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Compliance and Federal Notices
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This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
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Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :
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Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
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Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.Payroll:

• Serves a preparer of payroll for over 200+ personnel.
• Submits payroll forms as needed, PCAF, Pay Distributions, RETs etc.
• Serves as the primary liaison between the payroll office and all questions and concerns about discrepancies in pay.

Faculty Affairs:

• Serve as department liaison for faculty affairs procedures.
• Coordinate recruitment, credentialing and on-boarding for faculty and adjunct instructors by posting ads, supporting search activities, and facilitating interviews.
• Provide administrative support for mid-tenure, post-tenure, and tenure and promotion applications.
• Assist with faculty awards, annual evaluations, faculty assignments and workload procedures.
• Provide support for annual awards reception, lecture series, guest speakers, meetings, etc.
• Serve as department liaison for visa processes. Helps faculty troubleshoot and solve any issues that may arise with the appropriate office.

Department Operations:

• Oversee daily operations of the department, ensuring office coverage from 8:00am - 5pm Monday through Friday.
• Serve as primary contact for faculty, staff, and students on matters related to administration and operation.
• Problem solve issues and coordinate with Dean's Office and Central Administrative departments such as purchasing, IT, and Facilities management.
• Primary contact for setting up phone lines, maintaining outlook distribution list and updating directory.
• Oversee department/school compliance with CAS and USF policies/procedures and maintain department websites and calendars.
• Manage and oversee supervision of department employees and FWS students; work allocation, training, problem resolution, and enforcement of internal procedures.
• Provide cross-departmental training to staff to support day-to-day operations of department.
• Evaluate performance of department employees.
• Manage the financial administration of E & G, carry forward, foundation, auxiliary, faculty research accounts and external and internal grants. Monitors budget, prepare budget reports and projections.
• Assist the Department Chair with preparation of annual budget requests.

Embedded Services:

• Serves as the primary point of contact, facilitating communication between the academic department and HR/Financial Embedded Services.
• Coordinates all travel arrangements for the Seminar Series, ensuring adherence to USF policies and procedures.
• Processes contracts, invoices, and other transactions for payments.
• Maintains up-to-date and accurate profiles, posts FWS/OPS positions, and submits student, adjunct, faculty, and staff requests to HR Embedded Services for processing.

Building Manager:

• Manage department space utilization/planning and asset management.
• Chemistry has space over 6 different buildings and this position will oversee the needs of all those spaces.
• Gives/Removes all key and card access to all allowable spaces.
• Asset Management includes but is not limited to equipment decommission, lab moves, set up and cleanup, overseeing delivery crews for multi-building transfers.