Job Category: Academic Staff

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Administrative Assistant Director

Job Summary:
The Assistant Director of Graduate Training Administration provides strategic leadership and centralized operational oversight for graduate program administration within the Interdisciplinary Biological and Health Sciences Consortium (IBHSC). This role is responsible for supervising IBHSC graduate program managers, standardizing administrative processes, and ensuring consistent, equitable support for graduate students across IBHSC-affiliated programs.

Working collaboratively with graduate program leadership, fiscal and HR units, and SMPH stakeholders as relevant, the Assistant Director of Graduate Training Administration streamlines core administrative workflows, improves communication channels, and supports sound fiscal and personnel practices. The position plays a critical role in ensuring operational excellence, compliance, and transparency while supporting the academic mission of the IBHSC and the broader academic and research training mission of the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). The Assistant Director of Graduate Training Administration will unify program administration into a cohesive, collaborative, and high-functioning shared administrative model, while preserving the unique academic identities of individual programs.

• This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.
• Candidates who demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will be given first consideration
  
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and collaboration skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to manage complex operational and administrative processes.
  • Strategic planning and change management skills.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Serves as the primary point of contact and expert resource for the Interdisciplinary Biological Health Sciences Consortium

• Coordinates workshops for students to train them how to write and submit NIH, NSF, and private foundation fellowships

• Supports the academic mission of the Interdisciplinary Biological Health Sciences Consortium by managing centralized graduate program functions

• Helps develop processes and procedures to improve the unit

• Ensures that related policies, procedures, and standards are maintained

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

• Evaluates, designs, and implements operations to align with the strategic direction

• Engages in strategic planning and policies to ensure the strategic direction supports the needs of stakeholders

• Assists with the establishment of goals and priorities for the annual budget for all revenues and expenditures

Department:
School of Medicine and Public Health, Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies supports faculty, trainees, and staff as they launch and grow cutting-edge research programs. Within this office, the Interdisciplinary Biological and Health Sciences Consortium (IBHSC) offers a rich, lively and supportive scientific community centered around collaborative learning and research in nine dynamic programs.

Compensation:
The starting salary for the position is $85,000 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026

Required Qualifications:

• 3 years of professional experience in higher education administration, including oversight of graduate student services, academic program operations, or related administrative functions.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and/or developing students or staff.
• Demonstrated experience leading process improvement or standardization initiatives, including developing administrative workflows, documentation, and operational best practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting graduate education or graduate program administration
• Experience with administrative processes related to graduate student appointments and funding
• Experience collaborating effectively across faculty, administrative, HR, fiscal, and academic leadership groups
• Experience with fiscal oversight and budget management

Education:
Bachelor's Degree required

How to Apply:
For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser.

To apply for this position, select either "I am a current employee" or "I am not a current employee" under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area. Failure to submit the required documents will result in no longer being considered for the position.

• Cover letter preferred
• Resume required

Your cover letter should address how your training and experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas.The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility.If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.

Contact Information:
Kelly Rose, [email protected], 608-265-8069

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.