Executive Director of Auxiliary Services

Harris-Stowe State University is a historically Black institution (HBCU) located in the heart of vibrant mid-town St. Louis, Missouri. Harris-Stowe’s beautiful campus is minutes from the renown Gateway Arch, St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art and History Museums, Forest Park and other cultural and educational institutions. Harris-Stowe’s diverse faculty and staff provide a wide range of academic programs to one of the most culturally diverse student bodies in the St. Louis region.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Auxiliary Services provides leadership, direction, and oversight of a diverse group of revenue-generating auxiliary units that support student life and academic activities, emphasizing excellent customer service while optimizing revenue and operating margin contributions. This position provides day-to day leadership, guidance, direction, and oversight of crucial Auxiliary Service functions supporting the University’s mission and strategic plan. The Executive Director represents Harris-Stowe State University in regular interactions and communications with parents, students, student advisory boards, vendor/suppliers, interdepartmental units, and external parties. The Executive Director seeks to maximize service opportunities that improve student retention, increase graduation rates, and student success by providing students, faculty, and staff with variety in offerings, convenience, and quality while maintaining the common gathering spaces, which are essential aspects of retention and community. This position reports to the VP of Financial Affairs & CFO.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for the strategic implementation and oversight of day-to-day activities of the Auxiliary Services departments and programs: campus dinning, parking and transportation services, book store services, student center operations, retail operations and other areas as deemed fit by the VPFA/CFO.
• Promotes Auxiliary Services to the Campus Community.
• Responsible for coordinating budget development and monitoring revenue/expense activity, dashboard reporting, mail services, policy development/implantation, business planning, capital investment planning, project management, and process improvement efforts.
• Responsible for managing, identifying, evaluating and recommending sustainable revenue-generating opportunities that enhance services to the University.
• Provides robust financial analysis and recommendations to improve revenue and operating margins for various existing business and proposed initiatives.
• Directs complex sourcing/procurement projects and strategies, negotiates and manages binding contractual agreements and improves efficiency and cost containment/reduction efforts.
• The Executive Director acts as project manager for all design and construction projects, ensuring on-time and on-budget completion.
• Develops and refines sustainable purchasing policies in collaboration with students and faculty as appropriate.
• Provides financial information for other departments and agencies.
• Communicate financial information in an understandable form for non-technical people using both written and verbal skills.
• Maintain records according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Work in partnership with the CFO and management team, providing strategic advice, mentoring, and advocacy.
• Perform other duties and assigned by the Chief Financial Officer.
  
  

Minimum Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred coursework in Business or a related field preferred.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Five to ten years of experience directly managing complex, high-volume enterprises with demonstrated successful outcomes is required.
• Experience with higher education environments is preferred.
• Experience consulting and advising senior-level executives.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational ability and the ability to meet deadlines;
• Must be proficient with computer skills with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite and have the ability to communicate effectively; both orally and in writing, with varied constituencies including students, alumni, faculty and staff.
• Must be a self-starter who works well in fast-paced, dynamic, term-oriented and culturally diverse environment.
• Possess strong ability to learn and assume additional responsibilities.
• Possess a strong orientation for getting results and be a team player.
• Ability to self-initiate follow up, work independently, and adhere to deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to impacting and leading diversity and organizational change initiatives.
• Consistently comply with all agency policies and procedures.
• Possess and ability to build social capital and develop critical relationships throughout the University.
• Maintain a competitive outlook, constantly scanning for trends and evolving preferences that impact auxiliary operations on campus.
• Possess knowledge of organizational dynamics to work through the complex and sometimes political landscape of a major research institution.
• Demonstrate knowledge of facilities management, including maintenance/custodial services, capital planning, and renovations.
• Ability to empower staff to reach personal and professional goals through a supportive work environment, positive staff development, and calculated risk-taking.
• Strong negotiation, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of governance and administrative processes used in publicly-supported higher education institutions.
• Ability to make good, consistent and fair decisions (based on fact and data).
• Ability to work with cross-functional terms and to foster teamwork.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees, clients and customers.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and recommend effective solutions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram from the deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibility

• Yes
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle.
• Must have a valid driver license.
• Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
• Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a signification degree.
  
  

Working Conditions and Environment

• Work is routinely performed in a typical interior/office environment.
• Very limited or no exposure to physical risk.
  
  

"Please No Phone Calls"

Due to the large number of applications submitted and the high volume of applicant inquiries we receive regarding the status of applications, we are unable to accept phone calls or walk-in inquiries regarding applicant status. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

EOE Statement

Harris-Stowe State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and assigned for this position. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it limited to all duties and responsibilities associated with the position. HSSU management reserves the right to amend and change the responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.