Operations Manager

Job Description

Operations Manager | The George Washington University

The Tone:
This is a full-time hybrid role at The George Washington University, located in Washington, D.C. The Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH) is a top-ranked institution dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of communities locally, nationally, and globally. This role is vital for ensuring the efficient day-to-day functioning of the school, leading operational excellence, and providing strategic guidance on critical areas like space, safety, and technology. The Operations Manager plays a key part in supporting the school’s mission by translating university policies into practical, school-specific procedures.

The TL;DR
• Role: Full Time
• Type: Full-Time
• Location: Hybrid, Washington, DC
• Pay: $65252–$94508 yearly
• Team: Reports to the Sr Assoc Dean, Academic, Student, Faculty Affairs
• Mission: This person solves operational challenges, ensures compliance, and optimizes resources to support the school’s mission effectively.
• Tech Stack: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom, standard ticketing or service management platforms

What You’ll Actually Do
• Operations Leadership: Lead day-to-day administrative functions for GWSPH spaces, including strategic space planning, building access governance, and coordination of office moves with university partners.
• Safety & Compliance: Serve as the school’s senior point of contact for safety management, emergency preparedness, incident response, and business continuity in coordination with central university divisions.
• Contract Management: Negotiate, review, and track operational contracts, vendor agreements, and service-level agreements through appropriate university channels, maintaining a central repository and renewal calendar.
• Technology Governance: Partner with central GW Information Technology (GW IT) on technology deployment, refresh cycles, software licensing, and infrastructure upgrades, representing school interests and ensuring local requirements are met.
• Policy & Training: Lead GWSPH technology policy compliance, including guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, data handling, and information security, and design and deliver comprehensive technology training programs for employees.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant professional experience, in operations, facilities, or administrative management.
• Experience: At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience (or 4 years with a Master’s degree) in operations, facilities, or administrative management, with demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives, preferably in a higher education or research environment.
• Skills: Contract negotiation and review processes, vendor management, university procurement workflows, technology deployment and compliance, design and delivery of end-user technology training programs.
• Bonus: Substantive familiarity with current and emerging policy frameworks for the responsible use of artificial intelligence, data privacy, and information security; experience supervising staff or leading project teams in a matrixed environment.