Department Manager, Environmental Studies

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled. All application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration. NOTE: Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team. Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal. Applications cannot be edited on an applicant's behalf. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, view this link .

The IRD for this job is: 11-16-2026

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Department of Environmental Studies is a dynamic group engaged in world-class research and committed to providing outstanding education and mentoring to graduate and undergraduate students. A crucial feature of the department's success rests on collegiality, shared decision-making, and collaborative leadership between faculty and staff. With an annual operating budget of nearly $SM, the department consists of 21 permanent faculty and approximately 40 researchers and administrative and technical support staff who teach and do research in both the social and natural sciences. Research facilities in our building include wet labs for biological research and computer labs for analytical work, as well as roof-top research greenhouses, which are administered by the UCSC Greenhouses. The department offers the Ph.D. degree, four undergraduate majors, and four undergraduate concentrations. We also have a robust internship program (634 completed in 2018-19), and field study opportunities (654 openings in field study courses in 2019-120). There are currently 50 graduate students and approximately 750 proposed and declared majors in the program. The department annually offers 170 lecture, seminar, lab and secondary sections designed for enrollment of 4,500 graduate and undergraduate students.

Active centers within the department are the Center for Integrated Spatial Research (CISR) and the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History (NCNH). We have a close affiliation with the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) and with the UCSC Greenhouses, and we work closely with staff in the UC Natural Reserve System, whose offices are in space assigned to our department.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general direction of the department chair, the department manager is responsible for department planning and program support, curriculum management, financial management, equipment, facilities and space coordination and security, staff and academic human resources, development and public information, and oversight of the graduate and undergraduate programs.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $105,000.00 - $120,000.00 / Annually. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: 007375 (ADMIN SUPV 2) - Grade 23

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

60% -

• Manages, plans, and administers a full range of administrative operations to support the academic department, Administrative operations include budget and fiscal activities, staff and academic personnel, student services, space, facilities and equipment, and program and curricular implementation.
• Provides expert advice and support to the chair in the development of long-range and strategic plans for the operations listed above.
• Using advanced knowledge, prepares short and long range planning for administrative services operations and improvements to processes,
• Performs administrative operations activities as predominant focus of position, with accountability for operational and budget processes, staff FTE, finance, human resources and space planning.
• Represents the department on business issues to the institution community and serves on committees.

20% -

• Facilitates delivery of instruction for the department, working closely with the department chair, curriculum committee chair, graduate director, undergraduate program coordinator and graduate program coordinator; analyzes resource Implications and establishes funding priorities based on analysis of data.
• Serves as contact for department in curricular matters, ensures curricular coordination between various divisional departments and other academic departments as appropriate and assists in resolving issues and conflicts.
• Monitors enrollment levels and recommends changes in course offerings, instructor assignments and resource needs.
• Oversees the hiring of TAs and readers for each quarter, Oversees the implementation of graduate and undergraduate program policies, including graduate admissions.
• Oversees the editing and updating of the department's information in various publications including web presence and other program publications.

20% -

• Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel to ensure the effective and efficient operation of departmental functions.
• Manages daily activities of administrative staff, sets priorities and deadlines for completion of tasks, establishes internal procedures and effective utilization of resources.
• Serves as a resource for faculty and researchers who hire staff and non-academic student employees.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Extensive related administrative and management experience, including training, supervising and motivating staff.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with ability to effectively manage change and resolve complex problems independently.
• Experience with personal computing applications and computerized information systems with the willingness and ability to learn new systems in a highly technical environment.
• Financial and budgetary experience.
• Excellent organizational, planning and analytical skills with ability to prioritize workloads, anticipate needs, oversee and participate In projects, and function Independently to meet deadlines, often with frequent interruptions.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to communicate complex material in written and oral forms.
• Political acumen to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse constituents,
• Ability to promote administrative innovation, quality customer service, teamwork, open channels of communication, and a safe work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to assimilate; interpret and apply administrative policies and procedures and to exercise confidentiality, flexibility and good judgment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of UC academic and staff personnel policies and procedures,
• Experience working in an academic setting with knowledge of university programs, policies and procedures related to budget, personnel, students and curriculum.
• Experience and/or training in UC administrative systems (for example, AIS, Cognos, Banner, InfoView, Business Objects) and FileMaker Pro as well as other web-based business systems (UC recruit, Div Data etc).

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to successfully complete a pre-employement criminal history background check and a pre-hire credentialing check.
• Selected candidate must pass the employment misconduct disclosure process.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Ability to maintain appearance and conduct suitable for working in a professional setting..