Assistant Head, Business & Strategic Planning – Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

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Job Title: Assistant Head, Business & Strategic Planning – Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

Company Name:	University of Illinois
Location:	Urbana, IL
Position Type:	Full Time
Post Date:	03/06/2026
Expire Date:	04/05/2026
Job Categories:	Education, Collegiate Faculty, Staff, Administration, Environmental, Natural Resources

Job Description

Assistant Head, Business & Strategic Planning – Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
<h2 style="text-align: center">Assistant Head, Business & Strategic Planning – Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences</h2><h3 style="text-align: center">College of ACES - Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences</h3> WE TRANSFORM LIVES. Everything we do is designed toimprove the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across thenation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminateknowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of expertsand leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science tohigher levels of understanding and influence. Be a part of our story. The Department of NaturalResources and Environmental Sciences brings together natural and socialsciences to tackle the challenges of conserving, restoring, and managingecosystems to meet the needs of current and future generations. We promotesustainable stewardship of ecosystems from local to global scales. <h4>Job Summary</h4>Provide strategic leadership and planning functions for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences including overseeing fiscal resources, finance functions, and human resource management within the unit. The Department has research, teaching, and Extension/outreach programs.Strategically Lead Administrative Operations: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Oversee all financial, human resource, and administrative operations in the department and ensure that relevant state and federal laws and regulations as well as University policy and procedures are applied.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Oversee the hiring, training, and scheduling of staff in business, administrative, and human resources operations. Provide training related to business, human resource operations, administrative processes, and grants and contracts for faculty and staff.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Manage and supervise the department's business functions maintaining and enhancing the strong service orientation of the office.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Implement departmental policies for the maintenance and management of accounts, expenditure monitoring, budget development, and preparation of diverse types of management information.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Direct and supervise professional and support staff to facilitate effective administration within the department including delegation of responsibilities; prioritizing workloads to ensure deadlines are met and urgent matters are addressed in a timely manner; monitoring productivity; and overseeing progress of short and long-term unit objectives and goals.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Serve as the primary Unit Security Contact (USC) for the department. </li> </ul> Research Administration: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Serve as the primary person overseeing pre-award activities for grants including budget preparation and submission to Sponsored Programs Administration using the myProposals system and adhering to campus deadlines. </li> <li style="color: #000000">Oversee the multi-million dollar post-award management of grants including compliance requests.             </li> <li style="color: #000000">Assist faculty in identifying funding opportunities, preparation of grants and contracts, and financial planning and forecasting. Direct departmental level research operations administration.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Function as primary liaison with Sponsored Programs Administration. </li> <li style="color: #000000">Work closely with Department Head and ACES Office of Research to coordinate the fiscal year budgeting process as well as monitoring expenditures and financial status for federal capacity funds (Hatch, Multistate, McIntire-Stennis, and Smith-Lever).</li> </ul> Strategic Analysis and Budgeting: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Responsible for fiscal management and control of all department funds including federal and state appropriations, grants, contracts, gifts, indirect cost recovery, and self-supporting funds. Serve as primary approver for iBuy purchases and secondary approver for Emburse transactions.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Identify areas of fiscal activity that could benefit from improved processes and initiate the development and implementation of process improvements.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Collaborate closely with the unit’s leadership team, ACES business managers, ACES Human Resources and Office of Budget, Finance and Resource Planning, and University administrative and business offices.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Actively manage various departmental operations such as auxiliary enterprises, special initiatives, and projects as directed. </li> </ul> Human Resource Management: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Manage human resources administration for the department.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Analyze the human resources needs of various departmental activities and advise faculty and staff on such for the recruitment of academic and staff personnel and personnel policies. Includes position establishment, equal opportunity policies, personnel actions of all types, and union and labor relations in conjunction with the College.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Provide oversight and strategy to the Human Resource Office, including but not limited to, policy and systems development, appointment processing, staff performance evaluation, professional development, and hiring processes.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Assist with the annual salary increase assignment process and oversee salary planner for the departmental annual budget. Coordinate completion of annual salary program letters to employees.</li> </ul> Facilities Management: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Serve as departmental contact with various College and Campus Offices and Divisions including facilities management, space utilization, and other administrative functions.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Oversee department’s inventory control.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Serve as departmental contact for annual space surveys (either for campus or Government Costing) and online Building Emergency Action Plan (BEAP).</li> </ul> Other Duties: <ul type="disc" style="margin-top: 0"> <li style="color: #000000">Serve as the Department Head’s designee in a variety of administrative matters and as the liaison to the unit, College, and Campus committees.</li> <li style="color: #000000">Serve on departmental, campus, and/or University committees. Prepare reports and analyses relating to budgets, grants and contracts, and human resources.</li> <li style="color: #000000">In the department head's absence, represent the department regarding financial strategic planning matters.</li> </ul><h4>Minimum Qualifications</h4><ul><li>Bachelor's degree. </li><li>Three years of experience involving administration, fiscal, personnel, and/or general organizational responsibilities within a large and complex organization with a high volume and time-sensitive workload. </li></ul><h4> Preferred Qualifications</h4><ul><li>MBA, MPA, or relevant advanced degree.</li><li>Direct experience and knowledge of University of Illinois business and accounting systems, as well as business processes, including HR, procurement, payables, receivables, and policies and procedures.</li><li>Knowledge of and experience working with multiple sources of funds, including federal, state, gift, self-supporting, and ICR.</li><li>Illinois Certified Research Administrator certification.</li></ul><h4>Knowledge, Skills and Abilities</h4><ul><li>Commitment to shared decision-making and working collaboratively in a team environment. </li><li>Exercise initiative, confidentiality, and independent judgment in carrying out the functions of this position.</li><li>Knowledge of, or the ability to learn federal, state and funding agencies policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and codes applicable to the administration of grants and contracts. </li><li>Knowledge of, or the ability to learn, University policies and procedures.</li><li>Knowledge of principles and processes involved in contractual and grant monitoring procedures.</li><li>Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, and database management.</li><li>Ability to negotiate and reconcile differences. </li><li> Ability to communicate effectively.</li><li>Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a community; strong interpersonal and communication skills.</li><li>Ability to provide technical advice and information to faculty and staff in their area of expertise.</li><li>Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects.</li><li>Ability to motivate, develop, and direct people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.</li><li>Ability to analyze data and formulate conclusions.</li><li>Ability to function in a high stress environment to meet deadlines.</li></ul><h4>Appointment Information</h4>This is afull-time 100% Academic Professional appointment, appointed on a 12-month basis. The proposed startis as soon as possible after the closing date. This position is not eligiblefor any type of sponsorship for work authorization. Salary is competitive andcommensurate with qualifications and experience, while also consideringinternal equity. Thebudgeted salary range for this position is $90,000 - $120,000. <h4>Application Procedures & Deadline Information</h4>Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on March 23, 2026. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through <a href="https://jobs.illinois.edu">https://jobs.illinois.edu</a> will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact phodson@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — the state’s flagship public university and one of the world’s leading research institutions — every staff member helps shape what’s next. Founded in 1867, Illinois is home to a vibrant community of 59,000 students from all 50 states and 129 countries, supported by 15 colleges and instructional units, more than 20 research institutes, and one of the most comprehensive student service ecosystems in the nation. Whether you’re empowering first-generation students, fueling breakthrough innovation, or strengthening communities across Illinois and beyond, your work here has a far-reaching and deeply meaningful impact. The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and financial security. Join a top 10 public university that has launched over 330 startups and continues to redefine excellence — where the Illinois Value Proposition ensures that your contributions are recognized, your potential is nurtured, and your career can thrive.<a href="https://makeitcu.com/" title="https://makeitcu.com/">Champaign-Urbana</a>Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.This position is intended to be <a href="https://go.illinois.edu/workatillinois">eligible for benefits</a>. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.<hr>The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit <a href="https://go.uillinois.edu/noticesandposters" target="_blank">Required Employment Notices and Posters</a> to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through <a href="https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf" target="_blank">E-Verify</a>.Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the <a href="http://go.illinois.edu/accommodationportal" title="http://go.illinois.edu/accommodationportal">reasonable accommodation portal</a>, or by contacting the Office for Access & Equity at 217-333-0885, option #1, or <a title="mailto:accessibility@illinois.edu">accessibility@illinois.edu</a>.<hr>Requisition ID: 1035286 Job Category: Professional and Administrative Apply at: <a href="https://jobs.illinois.edu">https://jobs.illinois.edu</a><a name="HEJobs" type="hidden" value="No"></a><a name="Billing_Name" type="hidden" value=""></a><a name="Billing_Email" type="hidden" value=""></a>

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University of Illinois

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https://illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/16354?c=illinois

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