Assistant Director of Operations, Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Davis AI)

Job description

*Job DescriptionDepartment:*Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence*Pay Rate Type:*Salary*Employee Type:*Job Summary:The Assistant Director of Operations plays a central role in ensuring the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence operates effectively and efficiently in pursuit of its mission to advance human-centered, interdisciplinary AI learning and research.

Working closely with the Director, this position provides operational leadership, manages budgets and resources, coordinates cross-campus initiatives, and supports programs, partnerships, and communications.

The Assistant Director of Operations ensures smooth day-to-day functioning of the institute, enabling students, faculty, and staff to engage meaningfully in AI-related scholarship and innovation.*Essential Functions* To perform successfully in this position, an individual must be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily as well as possess education/experience, employ the knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed in representative fashion.

Colby College actively supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

This listing of essential duties is not all-inclusive, but representative; other duties may be assigned.

*Operations and Administration (35%)* * Lead and oversee day-to-day operational processes for the Institute, including office management, budgeting, purchasing, and reporting.

* Manage institute-affiliated hiring, contracts, and onboarding with coordination with Human Resources.

* Coordinate logistics for programs, events, and meetings, including scheduling, facilities, catering, and vendor management.

* Develop and maintain project management systems to track initiatives, deadlines, and outcomes.

* Assist in policy and procedural development to enhance the institute efficiency and compliance.

*Strategic and Programs Support(20%)* * Partner with the Director to implement and monitor the Institute’s strategic and operational plans.

* Support the execution of interdisciplinary AI programs, workshops, seminars, and events across academic departments.

* Contribute to data collection, assessment, and reporting of Institute activities and strategic progress.

* Provide administrative support for faculty and student led research initiatives.

* Support efforts to ensure alignment of Institute programs with emerging trends in AI education and applications.

*Communication and Partnerships (15%)* * Serve as primary contact for inquiries related to the Institute, ensuring timely and professional communication.

* Collaborate with campus partners, external institutions, and industry contacts to advance the Institute’s mission.

* Support internal and external communications, including event promotion, newsletters, digital content, and social media presence.

* Represent Davis AI at campus and community events to increase awareness and engagement.

*Student and Faculty Engagement (15%)* * Supervise and mentor student employees, providing guidance on professional and academic growth.

* Coordinate with faculty and staff to schedule and support institute-affiliated teaching and research activities.

* Facilitate connections between students, faculty and external partners engaged in AI initiatives.

* Promote student involvement through workshops, collaborative research, and campus events.

*Research and Grant Support (15%)* * Assist with identifying, coordinating, and supporting grant proposals and funding opportunities.

* Help maintain records of funded projects, reporting requirements, and compliance documentation.

*Position Qualifications * *Education and/or experience:* * Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Public Policy, Business Administration); Master’s degree preferred.

* 5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, nonprofit, or related operational roles.

* Demonstrated experience in operations management, event and program coordination, or project leadership.

* Proven record of managing budgets, coordinating logistics, and facilitating complex initiatives.

* Experience collaborating in interdisciplinary or academic environments is preferred.

*Competencies:* * *Operational Excellence:* Strong organizational, planning, and project management abilities.

* *Communication:* Exceptional written and oral communication skills; able to interact professionally with diverse stakeholders.

* *Collaboration:* Skilled at fostering cooperation and teamwork across departments and disciplines.

* *Adaptability:* Comfortable managing multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

* *Innovation:* Proactive in developing and improving systems, processes, and workflows.

*Physical/Mental Demands* The physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

* To successfully perform the essential functions of this position, an employee must be able to maintain appropriate confidentiality with regard to employee data, documents, issues, etc., and respect privacy needs of employees and past employees with regard to the same.

* The ability to comply with highly inflexible deadlines is required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position; there will be multiple occurrences of sudden, urgent task completion required.

* There may be occurrences of employees, past employees, members of the general public, and others who express opinions, may exhibit strong emotions, which will require the employee to interact professionally, diplomatically, and appropriately in such situations.

* While performing the essential duties of this position, an employee would frequently be required to move around the office space as well as within hallways, meeting rooms, and other parts of the campus facilities.

* There may be multiple/daily instances of prolonged personal computer use which would include keyboard and/or mouse usage as well as viewing a computer monitor.

* An employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds to perform essential position functions.

* Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.

* The overall work environment requires the mental ability to shift focus quickly due to interruptions; an employee must be able to mentally track multiple projects and tasks as well.

* The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however, there may be unexpected instances of somewhat loud sounds.

*To Apply:* Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the “Apply Now” button on the Colby College website.

Please upload a cover letter and resume to your application.

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