CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER - Service Systems Architect

Job Classification

  Salaried Full-time (75-100%)

Position summary

The Service Systems Architect is a key partner in the University community for coordinating and facilitating information sharing through use of technology, building systems to create a positive experience for all constituents. In serving as a liaison between multiple service areas, the Service Systems Architect works to understand University needs and facilitates opportunities to improve student, faculty and staff experiences as they support the student from admission to alumni. This role has primary responsibility to build relationships with multiple campus audiences, develop substantial understanding of their unique needs, work with relevant offices to deliver effective solutions, and provide training. 

Qualifications summary

Education and experience

Minimum of a Bachelors degree with a Master’s degree preferred. Two to four years of related knowledge and experience.

Technical Skills

• Strong information architecture skills


• Knowledge of and successful experience with a variety of computer applications and technology

Language and Interpersonal Skills 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills


• Strong interest in building cooperative relationships


• People-centered problem solving


• Experienced, mature, and competent manager

General Skills

• Project management


• Well-honed problem solving and conflict resolution skills

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Duties and responsibilities

• Provides leadership and sets a high standard of professionalism by providing high quality customer service to students, the general public, and university faculty and staff with a focus on care and being solution-oriented.


• Ensures/facilitates information sharing occurs between all front office areas of service offices across campus as well as department chairs and administrative assistants of academic units.


• Ensures service systems and operations support faculty and staff in providing world class service.
  
  
  
  • Crafts and implements strategic initiatives
  
  
  • Gathers data, develops metrics and conducts assessment based on key performance indicators
  
  
  • Recommends changes to policies and processes
  
  
  • Implements improvement plans
  
  
  
  


• Collaborates and advises relevant offices to ensure coordination occurs in the areas of process, communication and training related to virtual concierge systems.
  
  
  
  • Streamlining, automation and improvement of current processes
  
  
  • Advisory to service departments on handling unique scenarios to fit within appropriate frameworks
  
  
  • Accurate publication of shared or overlapping information: University program offerings, course offerings and policies and procedures supporting the student experience from admission to alumni
  
  
  
  

Information Workflow, System Development and Technology

• Defines and implements policy and procedure for day-to-day operational and administrative management of concierge systems and information.


• Ensures current systems and technology used for supporting campus engagement initiatives align with best practices in facilitating information sharing and customer service


• Creates and maintains a knowledgebase to facilitate complex cross-departmental information sharing and coordination


• Develops and manages chatbot content that serves university-wide, connected to departmental chat or text options


• Consults with webpage editors, advising on upgrades to new AU standards


• Consults in integrating phone systems


• Consults in the integration of helpdesk systems


• Stays current with new communication/media technologies and proposes ways in which they can be used to keep our institution at the forefront in the use of technology.

Campus Engagement, Relationship Building and Training

• Develops and facilitates opportunities to engage various University audiences. Collaborate with and leverage existing campus entities, including various committees, to strengthen campus engagement approach. Liaise between audiences and functional areas to identify opportunities for new or enhanced services.
  
  
  
  • As a visionary, propose solutions to problems not yet addressed.
  
  
  • Understands who needs to know what and ensures that level of detail is effectively communicated to employees to best serve students
  
  
  • Combine inter-departmental/division/office communication in an effort to increase potency of communication and pool resources to improve student experience
  
  
  • Create a single location that provides an accurate overview of intended communication to students
  
  
  
  


• Provides training in campus engagement tools such as Calendly, Zoom, texting, chat or chatbot.
  
  
  
  • Work to ensure timely information is being presented.
  
  
  • Collaborate with training developers, stakeholders, and end users to ensure learning objectives are clearly outlined and effectively met.
  
  
  • Identify and rectify information gaps with campus audiences.
  
  
  
  


• Coaches or mentors less experienced team members. Serves in a consultative role regarding proliferation of methodologies and tools within team and across the organization. Promotes cross-team collaboration and communication.


• Establishes a web-based campus resource for customer service standards in conjunction with relevant campus entities

Committees

• Chairs relevant committees and workgroups as assigned.


• Serves on the Student Transitions Committee and related subcommittees.


• Serves on other committees as deemed necessary by the Assistant Provost.

General Functions

• Works with the leadership team in crafting and implementing strategic initiatives including compliance, technology, process improvement and metric development around key performance indicators relevant to service systems and other areas as needed.

• Provides professional direction, guidance and counsel to a wide range of constituencies.

• Supports the Office of the Provost in other duties as needed or requested.

Supervisory responsibilities

• Supervises positions in service areas and student employees as assigned by the Assistant Provost.


• Supervises all or selected aspects of the work of all or selected members of various teams during work-intensive projects that take place periodically during the year.


• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and experience

Minimum of a Bachelors degree with a Master’s degree preferred. Two to four years of related knowledge and experience.

General Skills

• Adherence to integrity: Ability to interpret and execute academic policy; to develop and write procedures that correspond and adhere to policy


• Project management skills: implementation of new initiatives and process; ability to think critically and analyze data; track record of effectiveness in meeting deadlines; ability to remain calm under pressure; accuracy and care for details.


• Well-honed problem solving and conflict resolution skills: ability to analyze, synthesize, and disseminate complex information, identify concerns and alternatives, and formulate feasible and logical solutions


• Demonstrated skills in database management and information reporting


• Basic mathematical skills: Add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Compute rate, ratio, and percent.


• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment


• Strong knowledge of AACRAO and FERPA guidelines preferred but not require

Must be a Seventh-day Adventist in good and regular standing.

Technical competencies

• Strong information architecture skills


• Strong technology skills: Knowledge of and successful experience with a variety of computer applications including spreadsheets/databases, word processing and project management software. Experience with Ellucian Banner Student or an equivalent system.

Interpersonal interactions

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate in a simple, clear manner


• Strong interest in building cooperative relationships


• People-centered problem solving: Commitment to cross-functional problem solving, a people-oriented environment, positive responses to change, and working successfully with a diverse community is expected


• Experienced, mature, and competent manager who is willing and able to create and sustain a collegial, collaborative environment where people are treated fairly, ethically, and professionally

Physical demands

The following physical demands are representative of what an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regularly: Sit, talk, hear and use hands to work with the computer keyboard.


• Occasionally: Walk, reach with hands and arms, and stoop and kneel for filing.


• Occasionally: Lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.


• Vision abilities required: Close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.