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Administrative Program Manager

University of Wisconsin Madison
paid time off
United States, Wisconsin, Madison
21 North Park Street (Show on map)
Jul 15, 2025
Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Jobs Hub to apply through the internal application process. Job Category:Academic Staff Employment Type:Regular Job Profile:Administrative Manager Job Duties:

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication seeks an Administrative Program Manager to provide professional administrative leadership under supervision of the Director. Responsibilities include personnel management, staff training, research administration, communication with the UW Foundation, dissemination of information, and the interpretation of rules and regulations on staff policies and procedures for university staff, academic staff, faculty, and graduate student positions. These tasks are performed in collaboration with the departmental Leadership Team to ensure compliance with the policies and procedures of the College of Letters & Science and UW-Madison. The Administrative Program Manager oversees the School's budget in collaboration with the Director and Executive Committee, including the administration of foundation, grant, and trust funds.

This is a complex, high-level administrative position. SJMC has an operating budget of more than $4 million. Personnel consists of 22 faculty and instructional staff, 8 non-instructional academic staff, 2 university staff, 20+ grad assistants and student hourly workers. This position supervises the administrative office support staff in the School.

Principal duties:



  • At the direction of the Director and Executive Committee, serve as SJMC's budget and financial officer, providing leadership and operational expertise for the development, coordination, and administration of the annual operational budget and non-state funded accounts. Lead administration and management of all School funds, including operating budget, gifts, grants, and trust funds.

  • Collaborate with College of Letters & Science Administrative Regional Teams on human resources, finance, and research administration.

  • Manage timetable and registration. Oversee development of the SJMC class schedule on a two-year rolling basis in collaboration with Timetable Committee, including advising staff. Manage student registration and monitor enrollment trends, offering suggestions for ideal course offerings. Monitor teaching metrics to ensure sufficient credit hours to justify operating budget and maintain robust curricular experiences and efficient time-to-degree for undergraduate and graduate students.

  • Supervise up to two university staff members, and advise the Director and faculty regarding supervision of their direct reports. Serve as the Onboarding Coordinator for new faculty, staff, and graduate student employees.

  • Engage in program analysis and offer advice and professional-level assistance on administrative matters, internal and external, to the Director and Leadership Team. Act as the liaison with other University departments, the College of Letters & Science, the Graduate School, Office of Human Resources, Research and Sponsored Programs, and the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.

  • Assist departmental committees with information and data needs and execute adopted policies and initiatives. Oversee all departmental records according to the University General Records Schedule.


Key Job Responsibilities:
  • May assist in the development and monitoring of the unit or program budget and approve unit expenditures
  • Contributes to the preparation of proposals for funding and/or funding continuation from outside sponsors
  • Schedules logistics and secures resources for program activities across multiple work units to ensure optimum efficiency and compliance with appropriate policies, procedures, and specifications
  • Identifies workflow needs, contributes to the development of strategic and operational solutions, allocates resources, and implements new or revised unit operational policies and procedures
  • Leads the development and preparation of periodic reports and financial statements, and records progress, status, or other special reports for leadership or external agencies
  • May exercise 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 FTE or equivalent employees
  • Plans, implements, executes, and evaluates existing strategies and objectives for a program and makes recommendations to unit leadership for program or function enhancement
Department:

Letters & Science/School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Compensation:

The typical starting salary for this position is $70,000 - $90,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays and paid time off; competitive insurance and saving accounts; and retirement benefits.

Required Qualifications:

  • At least 3 years of professional administrative experience with progressively increasing responsibilities

  • Experience in fiscal management

  • At least 1 year of supervisory experience

  • Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills

  • Ability to foster and maintain effective working relationships with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and education levels


Preferred Qualifications:

  • 2 or more years of supervision experience

  • Experience in administration in a university or comparable setting

  • Experience leading and supporting strategic initiatives

  • Experience with personnel issues, including change management

  • Experience providing support and guidance on policy, budget forecasting, and decision-making

  • Experience with philanthropy strategy and oversight of gift funds

  • Interest in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's mission and excitement to contribute to it


Skills and Abilities:


  • Organization

  • Leadership

  • Communication and presentation skills

  • Ability to adapt to complex and changing environments

  • Flexibility and creativity in problem solving

  • Commitment to collaboration and transparency


Education:

Bachelor's degree required

How to Apply:

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. You will be asked to upload a resume and cover letter as a part of the application process. Your cover letter and resume should address how your skills, knowledge, and abilities are transferable to this role. Additional materials submitted other than your cover letter and resume will not be considered.

Selected applicants will receive an invitation to participate in virtual interviews 7-10 business days following the application deadline. Those moving on to second round interviews will be invited to an in-person interview at UW-Madison. Once final applicants are identified, they will be asked to provide names and contact information for at least three professional references, including a current/former supervisor. References will not be contacted without advanced notice.

Contact Information:

For questions on the position, contact: Kathleen Bartzen Culver, Director, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, kbculver@wisc.edu.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.

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