Head of Operations

**Head of Operations, Madrid Center**

**Reports to**:IES Abroad Madrid Center Director

**Direct reports**:IES Abroad Madrid Center Director

**Scope of Duties**

The Head of Operations is responsible for working in close collaboration with the Center Director, the Assistant Director for Accounting and Finance, and the Assistant Director and Dean of Faculty in support of the IES mission in Madrid. The primary role is to provide leadership and support for strategic planning and operations. Specifically, the Head of Operations maintains line management responsibility for the following operational areas of the Center: Center Facilities, Student Discoveries, and Information Technology. The Head of Operations is an integral part of the IES Madrid team and is expected to be a member of the local crisis management team.

The Head of Operations reports to the Center Director, but s/he will often work closely with the Assistant Director for Accounting and Finance, and the _Assistant _Director and Dean of Faculty on projects. In these cases, the Center Director will also be included in the process and will be consulted before final decisions have been made.

**Responsibilities**

• **Leadership and Institutional Relations**_
• Oversee center operations with the Associate Director and Dean of Faculty when the IES Center Director is absent
• Participate in strategic planning
• Collaborate in the Center budget, under the general direction of the Center Director and the Assistant Director for Accounting and Finance.
• Collaborate with the Center Director and other center staff members to resolve crises and emergency situations
• Assist the Center Director in staff training and professional development
• **Student Services**_
• Make hiring, termination decisions and approve the hiring of other Student Services personnel in collaboration with the Head of Student Services
• Strategic leadership of excellence in student services as defined by the IES MAP©
• Work closely with all departments to ensure that information about student welfare is shared in a timely fashion
• Participate in the advising and orientation of students to Madrid life and culture
• Develop a budget for Student Services in close collaboration with the Head of Student Services
• Develop policies for and oversee the planning of orientation and extra-curricular activities
• Develop relationships with an array of housing providers for an optimal experience.
• **Administration, Finance, and Human Resources**_
• Make hiring, promotion, and termination decisions in the areas of Student Services, IT, and Administration with the approval of the Center Director
• Serve as liaison with IES Chicago Human Resources, developing and overseeing the implementation of clear policy guidelines that uphold IES philosophy, local Spanish laws, and IES standards
• Supervise accuracy of payroll information which is implemented by payroll company
• Assist the Center Director and other department managers in the recruiting and selection of new staff who directly report to them
• Responsible for management and implementation of performance review procedures in close collaboration with the Center Director, Assistant Director, and Dean of Faculty.
• Together with the Assistant Director for Accounting and Finance: Develop budgeting procedures and supervise other department heads in the creation of their budgets. Create an overall Center budget and report to the Center Director for final approval
• Collaborate with other department heads to ensure proper oversight and approval of all expenses and provide regular expense reports to the Center Director
• Supervising purchasing, vendor selection, and payroll functions, including any and all full-time employees, contract employees, or outsourced providers in these areas
• Review and supervise staff contract matter with the Center Director
• Manage center cash flow and report to the Center Director and Assistant Director for Finance and Accounting
• Approve payments, contracts, and bank transfers
• **Communication, Facilitation, and Training**_
• Provide Center Director with information about the program and its development on a regular basis including, but not limited to, financial reports, contracts, Spanish work regulations, student services reports, emergency and crisis situations, general student welfare
• Organize and prepare all-staff meetings on a monthly basis under the general supervision of the Center Director
• Facilitate inter-departmental collaboration on projects and new initiatives as determined in collaboration with the Center Director
• Meeting with other departments regularly on all matters, specifically to supervise the management of the budget, program goals, and center objectives and report to the Center Director on the same
• Collaborate with other IES staff in Chicago, fellow IES colleagues and other stakeholders on joint projects and new initiatives as defined by the Center Director
• Design team-building activitie