Operations Manager

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

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The IRD for this job is: 11-30-2023

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Colleges, Housing and Educational Services (CHES) is a multi-funded organization within the division of Student Affairs and Success, (DSAS) at the University of California (UC) Santa Cruz. CHES provides leadership in the areas of college student life and residential services, housing services, facilities, capital planning, dining services, conference services, early education services, and business and financial analysis for these areas. Through these units, educational and developmental programs and services are offered to all members of the campus community including students, faculty, staff, children and external constituents.

Conference Services (CS), an auxiliary enterprise and self-supporting unit of CHES, reporting to Housing Services. CS provides housing, dining, meeting space and coordinates all other support requirements for conferences on UCSC’s campus. The ten-week summer conference season generates a gross income of over $4 million. During the main conference season, CS manages the utilization of space in approximately 7,500 beds, over 100 classrooms and meeting rooms, and meal services in dining halls across campus. The income generated by CS contributes to Residence Operations budget, helping to reduce the cost of student housing during the academic year.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general supervision of the Associate Director, Conference Services, the incumbent is part of the CS Management Team and will be responsible for managing the allocation of campus facilities for summer conference clients, academic year campus events and major maintenance projects for Conference Services. 

Conference Services also coordinates campus-wide events year round; manages the event facilities located at each college and provides registration services to UC academic/administrative departments and non-UC clients for events occurring both on and off campus, including the role of logistical lead on the University's 13 commencement ceremonies and celebrations. 

The Operations Manager has direct responsibility for coordinating the placement of conference housing, dining and meeting spaces that are operational 7 days a week during the summer quarter, as well as providing support for academic year events. In addition, the incumbent supervises student staff and serves on campus planning committees.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $99,650 / annually
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 Scotts Valley Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: EVENTS SPEC 4 (006293)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

40% - Operations Management

• Initiate weekly meetings with coordination staff to plan for all programs and events, overseeing placement for housing, dining, meeting and other arrangements for each group or event that achieves maximum operating efficiency and best support program.
• Oversee conference and event database information. Implement and oversee processes for Coordinators to consistently update and communicate conference information. Provide database access and reports to campus service providers and constituents on a regular basis prior to and during summer.
• Assume responsibility for all housing keys and meeting room keys during the summer. Collaborate with the Facilities Building Access Coordinator for all timely and accurate turn over and the return of housing keys to the summer conference programs. Oversee all areas of key and access card management during summer: turnover, accuracy of inventory, security and check out/in of master keys/cards, security and check out/in of classroom keys, lost key/card recording, key inventory and accuracy of return, with CS staff and in campus Conference Offices. Update database with current key information. Oversee CCURE card encoding.
• Assume full responsibility for planning and oversight of all conferences and events as it pertains to facilities usage. Analyze service needs, determine improvements and implement ideas to more effectively provide customer service to clients and guests. Administer immediate remedies to emergency situations that may occur.
• Manage inventory of equipment and supplies for conferences and events. Oversee the removal, setup and return of equipment, supplies and linen. Replenish as needed and maintain accurate inventory. Oversee the cleaning and distribution of linen, purchase of additional stock as needed, contract with the laundry service vendor and approving charges. Serve as the primary contact for various campus units, such as Facilities, Physical Plant, Custodial, Lock Shop, and Sign Shop, for contracting and delivering services.
• Coordinate with CS staff on the setup/break down of on-campus Conference Offices. Initiate planning meetings between CS and the Colleges to discuss all summer placements within the colleges. Coordinate agendas for bi-weekly staff meetings.

Long Range Planning and Information Analysis

• Participate in long and short range planning activities in conjunction with CHES and campus constituents. Compile history of facilities usage and provide analysis and reports to assist in planning future usage. Attend campus-wide meetings relating to the long and short range planning for facilities. Serve as CS representative on various campus-wide space planning committees, (i.e. Classroom Sub Committee). Participate in the annual inspection of all residential space as scheduled by CHES. Participate in the Registrar’s tour of all classroom space each Fall.
• Coordinate and collaborate with CHES and appropriate Physical Plant architects, project engineers, buildings and grounds staff for the maintenance, repairs, construction of college housing buildings and grounds on a yearly basis. Recommend the most optimal time for scheduling major projects based on summer usage and completion time. Maintain direct contact with managers of all projects that impact the summer quarter, monitoring progress and schedule changes.

Ticket Office

• Assist campus producers in the planning of ticket office operations in support of campus or student performances at campus theaters, including Arts Division venues, and other on-campus locations. Coordinate with campus producers, as requested, to provide ticketing support on a recharge basis. Assist with performance updates to the University Tickets website and provide initial ticketing training, as needed.

35% - Facilities Coordination

Housing Placements

• Responsible for the coordination of all conference housing during the summer
  quarter. Working with CS Staff, schedule appropriate housing for
  conference/programs based on other groups in the area, single, double, and triple
  room requirements, required housekeeping services, meeting requirements,
  prerequisite of other campus departments, and proposed maintenance/construction
  projects.
• Manage the database schedule of all college housing bed-spaces. Consult Facilities
  Asset Coordinators for each campus zone and college maintenance supervisors for all
  college maintenance projects. Ensure that the conference housing database includes all
  major/minor projects, assigned conference/program placement and any other usage
  affecting the schedule. Coordinate and negotiate with CHES Facilities to ensure
  adequate space available for conferences. Distribute housing placements information
  to colleges, Communications Police, Fire Department, Physical Plant departments, and
  other appropriate campus units. Maintain, update, and adjust schedules with changes
  or additions.
• Maintain Apartment and Resident Hall configuration information, consulting with
  Student Housing Services and college staff to determine accurate and current
  information and updating information in Conference Services database. Compile
  current floor plans and housing rosters to be sent to conference clients pre-summer for
  housing placements.
• Work with the Conference Coordinators on Athletics space requests and coordinate with Athletics and Recreation to ensure reservations of facilities needed, including but not limited to equipment rentals, parking, field lining and space planning.
• Oversee the work order process for ordering services and renting equipment from the campus.

Classroom, Meeting Room and Event Space Placements

• Responsible for the management and the daily reservation of over 150 state-funded classrooms, college meeting spaces, and other miscellaneous University spaces. Coordinate classroom space usage with Summer Session classroom scheduler. Working with conference coordination staff, determine usage for Campus Orientation programs, UNEX, SAA/EOP, Admissions, faculty, and summer conferences based on other groups in the area, media services requirements, priority of other campus departments, proposed maintenance/construction projects or policies governing use. Collaborate with the Associate Director and appropriate units to develop use fees and policies.
• Coordinate with appropriate Physical Plant personnel, maintenance supervisors and media services for the scheduling of on-going maintenance, repairs, cleaning, and construction projects for classrooms and meeting spaces on a yearly basis. Recommend the optimum time for scheduling projects based summer usage, agree upon duties and schedule time for projects.
• Provide weekly Meeting Room Reports detailing classroom and meeting room usage. Determine need for unlocking and locking and cleaning of these areas. Verify report and distribute weekly to Colleges, Facilities, Community Safety, Police, Fire Department, Physical Plant and other appropriate campus units.
• Interface with clients/coordinators on a regular basis to ensure the needs of cleanliness and access are being met in their meeting space. Participate in weekly campus partner meetings including Maintenance, Physical Plant, Dining, Custodians, TAPS, and college meetings during the summer season. In pre-summer planning sessions with Physical Plant, set standards and expectations for level of service to meeting spaces. Update all manuals and written procedures.
• In coordination with Conference Services Events Manager, manage reservations for campus-wide use of college event spaces during the academic year. Manage all Conference Services and Ticketing room keys, including security measures, training, and distribution. Arrange for client group key access, including access to media and lighting if necessary. Schedule facilities staff and supervise set-up/strike of each event.

20% - Student Supervision

• Supervise student staff with Conference Coordinators during conference season and during the academic year for event set-up and support. Duties include student hiring, training, and scheduling. Work with the Associate Director and Conference Coordinators to update student job descriptions and revise training documents as necessary.
   

5% - Staff Support to the Associate Director

• 
  Provide administrative and analytical support to the Associate Director.
• Participate in the development and formulation of policy and procedures with the Associate Director. Research and analyze a wide variety of issues within areas of responsibility, including information gathering from campus units as well as other organizations. Recommend policy and operational changes. Provide assistance in the planning and development of new programs. Take on special assignments as requested.
• Represent CS as a liaison with faculty, staff and other campus departments. Represent the Associate Director in meetings as required. Set up team meeting agendas and conduct meetings as assigned.
• Assume responsibilities of a disaster coordinator at one or more Conference offices in event of disaster or emergency during the summer. Follow procedures as assigned in Campus Disaster/Emergency Plan.
• Other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience in the areas of space allocation, meeting room, event management, housing and/or maintenance scheduling for accommodation of programs and/or conferences.
• Excellent communications and collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse groups or constituencies, including multi-cultural populations of students, staff, faculty, the community and conference clients.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills and the ability to gather and synthesize information into a usable format for planning purposes.
• Skill in working as part of a team and collaborating closely with co-workers.
• Demonstrated ability to work in coordination with various partners and campus units to provide successful outcomes for stakeholders and customers.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to formulate creative solutions to problems and make independent decisions.
• Demonstrated computer skills and general knowledge of email, databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation programs.
• Experience recruiting, hiring and training of staff with a focus on development of skills.
• Political acumen skills with the ability to understand the business and/or cultural climate; to exercise good judgment and diplomacy as individual situations warrant.
• Ability to work independently with minimal direction.
• Ability to assimilate complex information and explain University and departmental policies and procedures as necessary.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• General knowledge of building security hardware, including keys, locks, and door access cards.
• Related experience in college or university environment.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Must possess a valid license to drive in the state of California.
• The regular schedule is 40 hours per week. Evenings and weekends will be required principally during June through August during conference season. 
• Ability to conduct on-site inspections of facilities, involving walking, standing, climbing stairs and ladders, stooping and bending. Ability to lift and move up to 30 pounds safely and to perform repetitive physical tasks, with or without accommodation.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here .

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees.