(Hybrid) Business and Academic Operations Professional - Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a (Hybrid) Business and Academic Operations Professional.

About the Opportunity

This position provides high-level office management to a complex science unit, reporting directly to the Chair. The major focus for this position is on the business and personnel needs of the department, including fiscal management of State, Research Corporation, Foundation funding and external grants, providing Executive Assistance to the Department Chair, Associate Chair, and unit Directors, coordinating workflow, supervising clerical staff and work-study students, human resources, and payroll.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

Financial Responsibilities

• Oversee financial management and daily business operations of the Department of Psychology.
• Guide departmental success within an incentive-based, all-funds budget model.
• Support the Chair by assessing and monitoring expenditures and revenues across diverse funding sources.
• Monitor internal procedures for compliance with institutional, state, federal, and departmental guidelines.
• Serve as departmental financial administrator across central/State, entrepreneurial, WVU Research Corporation, WVUIC, and WVU Foundation funding.
• Participate on the Chair's leadership and strategic planning committee.
• Represent the Chair in fiscal affairs.
• Optimize departmental resources to assure financial stewardship.
• Develop financial information aligned with annual budget requests.
• Prepare, reconcile, and maintain departmental financial reports.
• Track space, FTE, headcount, and other cost drivers that affect budget and margins.
• Monitor enrollment, course assignments, and teaching loads to project budget impact.
• Review earned revenue to ensure budget targets are met.
• Analyze departmental operations, trends, and commitments.
• Oversee preparation and approval of expenditures, including procurement, contracts, payroll, and special payments.
• Resolve payroll issues through corrective action.
• Post account receivables to ensure accurate University revenue projections.
• Compile statistical data for financial reporting.
• Assist Chair with salary forecasts, retention plans, and merit pay recommendations using market data.
• Prepare faculty incentive salary contracts and verify funding allocations.
• Submit check deposits in compliance with cash handling policies.
• Oversee departmental eCommerce and electronic transfers.
• Document and provide data for institutional financial statements.

External Fund Management

• Pre-Award
  • Develop and modify grant budgets.
  • Coordinate proposal submissions with University and Foundation offices.
  • Share agency and institutional guidelines with faculty.
  • Guide faculty through grant procedures.
• Post-Award
  • Prepare financial reports for grant expenditures.
  • Analyze grant spending and monitor burn rates.
  • Adjust expenditures to meet award terms.
  • Ensure cost-share documentation is accurate.
  • Reconcile salary expenses with actual effort.
  • Review and collect effort reports on schedule.
  • Support faculty with financial reports to agencies.
  • Ensure post-award grant compliance.
  • Advise faculty on financial policies across WVU entities.

Administrative and Operational Responsibilities

• Direct space allocation and prepare annual space audits.
• Complete bi-annual inventory audits per institutional, state, and federal policy.
• Track unrecorded assets for financial statement inclusion.
• Manage inventory control, disposal, and reporting in line with regulations.
• Advise administrators and recommend strategic actions.
• Provide policy-based guidance on personnel, purchasing, and fiscal matters.
• Liaise with College and University budget and operations units.

Main Office Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of the department's business office.
• Ensure all procedures align with fiscal and administrative policies.
• Coordinate staff and student workflow for efficiency.
• Maintain a supportive and productive office environment.
• Assist with applications for travel and internal grant funding.
• Supervise operations involving IT, shipping, and equipment.
• Purchase supplies and services using procurement systems.
• Organize departmental special events.

Executive Assistant to the Chair

• Support the Chair's calendar, email, travel, and communication needs.
• Screen visitors and calls, and schedule meetings with the Chair.
• Draft complex and confidential documents for Chair's signature.
• Create and maintain departmental listservs.
• Organize and maintain records and files.
• Identify and act on urgent issues in Chair's absence.
• Provide general assistance with departmental initiatives.

Support to Associate Chair and Directors

• Assist Associate Chair and program directors across key departmental units.
• Maintain graduate student files and application records.
• Process memos, offer letters, and visa documentation.
• Coordinate on-campus recruitment efforts.
• Ensure onboarding of new graduate students, including payroll and insurance.
• Monitor graduate progress and graduation eligibility.
• Submit tuition waiver requests for faculty, staff, and students.
• Connect students with funding and prepare necessary documents.
• Assist with advising and logistical tasks as needed.

Departmental Spaces and Governance

• Supervise departmental floors and coordinate renovation projects.
• Identify and process surplus items for disposal.
• Manage electronic and physical key distribution.
• Coordinate building maintenance and repair work orders.
• Provide administrative support for key faculty committees.

Faculty Search Committees

• Follow procedures and manage candidate materials.

Faculty Evaluation Committees

• Prepare tenure packets, compile evaluations, and maintain records securely.

Accreditation and Assessment

• Maintain and provide departmental metrics for official reports.
• Coordinate IT purchasing and setup with technical staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise one full-time employee and multiple student workers.
• Maintain accurate job descriptions.
• Oversee support roles including events, social media, and administrative tasks.
• Handle hiring, training, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions.
• Assign and monitor student worker tasks.
• Request job postings for student positions.
• Ensure task completion meets quality and schedule standards.
• Manage time and leave reporting using MyTime.
• Encourage participation in training and professional development.

Other Duties

• Perform additional tasks as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or business field.
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience involving:
  • Accounting experience.
  • Complex administrative support experience.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to create and manage budgets.
• Demonstrated knowledge of payroll and budget regulations and policies which govern them.
• Demonstrated ability to manage an office.
• Ability to understand external grant administration and proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize basic business office software such as the Microsoft Office suite.
• Ability to learn University policies and procedures.
• Ability to manage payroll and grants accounting.
• Ability to supervise.
• Ability to plan and complete both short-range and long-range projects for the supervisor.
• Highly self-directed and self-motivated with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to create and analyze data.
• Demonstrated excellent customer service skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Grant administration experience.
• Supervisory experience.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.