Director of Operations

Department

UL Crime Ed Lab Administration

In cities across the country, people face high rates of gun violence, under-resourced schools, and social harms associated with the criminal justice system -- all of which disproportionately impact people of color. These inequalities have profound consequences on public safety and opportunity. As a society we have failed to address these challenges, in part, because of our lack of understanding of the most effective and cost‑effective solutions that can have a real impact on people’s lives.

We believe that rigorous research can help.

Our team works in close partnership with cities and communities to create impact at scale for residents of America’s cities, especially for those facing the most severe implications of inequality and racism. We conduct research to meet the highest standards of quality and rigor, and we share our results broadly to generate measurable social good in communities.

Our mission is to combine world‑class data science and research, in partnership with government agencies, to substantially improve the effectiveness of the public sector and achieve impact at scale.

The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab is seeking a Director of Operations to provide management and responsibility for the labs’ daily operational needs. This person will oversee operational teams including finance, human resources, office management, and information technology. The Director of Operations will report to the Leadership Team and work collaboratively with the leadership team to execute on the mission, goals, and objectives of the Crime Lab and Education Lab.

The job manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff responsible for the administration of academic, research, clinical or administrative programs of the University.

• Oversees and is responsible for day‑to‑day operations of the Crime Lab and Education Lab, through the management of the functional support teams. Provides strategic direction to these teams and serves as the final decision‑maker when necessary.
• Provides direct oversight to the Finance team. This includes direct supervision; stewardship of the annual budget process; oversight of consultant contracting and external vendor relationships; and providing strategic direction for collaboration with other labs and related University offices.
• Provides direct oversight to the HR team. This includes direct supervision; providing strategic direction for recruiting and hiring, staff development and coordination with related University offices; serving as the decision‑maker in personnel and staffing decisions.
• Provides direct oversight to the IT team. This includes direct supervision; ensuring all data privacy and security protocols are maintained; providing strategic direction for coordination between labs and with related University offices.
• Establishes collaborative working relationships across campus and with other partner organizations to help achieve the goals of the organization;
  Serves as a liaison to administrative units of the University.
• Works closely with the Faculty Director, Executive Director, Managing Director, and other leadership‑level roles on budget planning to ensure resources are aligned with strategic priorities, and retains authority of the central operations budget.
• Promotes an organizational culture that fosters passion for the mission, service to the communities where the organization seeks to have impact, cooperation, open and frequent communication, and teamwork. Identifies and evaluates risks to the organization, staff, partners, finances, goodwill, and image; implement measures to control risks.
• Supports staff planning and organizational design efforts, including the development, implementation, and refinement of organization charts to ensure clear roles, effective reporting structures, and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Manages the implementation of organization‑wide goals and strategic priorities by coordinating across research and operations teams, prioritizing effective resource allocation and high‑quality execution.
• As necessary,…