Executive Director – Strategic Planning & Business Operations (Finance)

Special Instructions to Applicants : In PDF form, applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Facilities & Capital Planning and the Rice Real Estate Company President, the Executive Director of Strategic Planning & Business Operations will collaborate with the senior leadership teams of Facilities & Capital Planning (F&CP) and Rice Real Estate Company (RRE). This role focuses on deploying organizational strategy and developing a center of excellence for business operations.

This position provides strategic leadership and direction for business operations, continuous improvement, human resources, and communications. These units serve as the F&CP/RRE center of excellence for over 300 employees. The Executive Director handles confidential matters and ensures that critical assignments are completed efficiently. They are responsible for developing and delivering long-term programs that support the university's academic mission through the F&CP/RRE strategic plan.

The Executive Director leads departmental strategic initiatives, ensures effective project management, enhances operational efficiencies, optimizes asset management, and supports the university's mission through leadership and resource stewardship.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and analytical leader with expertise in organizational strategy, business operations, and continuous improvement. They have a proven track record of optimizing strategic project management, human resources, and communications functions to enhance efficiency and drive long-term success.

This individual is a trusted advisor who handles confidential matters with discretion and ensures that critical initiatives are executed effectively. They are a skilled collaborator and problem solver who drives progress on key priorities in partnership with senior leadership, including the Vice President for Facilities & Capital Planning and the Real Estate Company (F&CP/RRE).

Above all, they are passionate about fostering an engaged and motivated workforce through data-driven decision-making, innovation, and the development of a high-performing center of excellence in support of the F&CP/RRE teams.

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Real Estate, Management, Human Resource Development, or a related field.
• 7 years of senior leadership experience in human capital management, consulting, or strategic communications within a complex organization, preferably in higher education, nonprofit, real estate, or facilities management.

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, team leadership, and project management.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including a board of directors, policymakers, and business leaders.
• Proficiency in strategic planning and execution, aligning operational activities with organizational goals.
• Ability to maintain professional behavior and composure in a dynamic, service-driven environment.
• Commitment to a strong service delivery culture that enhances the campus experience for faculty, staff, and students.
• Ability to work effectively in a culturally diverse and inclusive environment while valuing different perspectives.
• Extensive experience in people development, coaching, mentoring, team building, conflict resolution, and personnel management.
• Experience using performance indicators, metrics, and service level agreements to assess and improve organizational performance.
• Expertise in developing strategic plans, implementing strategies, and process improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing large organizational or enterprise-wide change.
• Experience in vendor and contract management.

Preferences

• 10+ years of experience
• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, real estate, or facilities management
• Knowledge of the Greater Houston area and Rice University
• Understanding of facilities and real estate management within an academic or similar institutional context, or the ability to ramp up quickly
• Experience navigating complex environments and influencing critical outcomes
• Expertise in strategy development and implementation
• Certifications in change management, business process management, or PMP
• Experience in human resources, particularly in learning and talent development
• Experience working with and developing business analytics

Essential Functions

Strategic Planning:

• Set, communicate, and track progress on long-term goals, strategies, and performance targets to advance departmental objectives and F&CP/RRE strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with department directors and leads to set overarching goals and align division objectives with the university's mission.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to drive organizational success.
• Evaluate and refine strategic plans based on performance data, stakeholder feedback, and evolving institutional priorities.
• Oversee the development of guidelines and standards for performance evaluation, setting benchmarks for excellence in execution.
• Design and lead annual strategic planning and operational performance management activities.

Business Operations Leadership:

• Provide strategic direction for key operational domains, including business operations, HR, and communications.
• Streamline and enhance administrative processes to improve efficiency and service delivery.
• Optimize workflow, implement best practices, and integrate technology solutions to modernize systems.
• Continuously assess operational procedures to identify bottlenecks and implement timely solutions.
• Use data-driven decision-making to optimize efficiency and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee HR strategy in collaboration with the Sr. People and Strategy Business Partner.
• Ensure the HR strategy aligns with the university's values and fosters an inclusive culture that supports professional growth.
• Provide leadership in developing a departmental communications program.
• Design and implement communication plans that support strategic initiatives and enhance stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborate with Rice University's Office of Public Affairs to manage crisis communications.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
• Represent the organization in university committees and external groups.

People Development and Culture Building:

• Direct, mentor, and coach staff to deliver services in a collaborative environment focused on best practices and performance goals.
• Provide individualized coaching and mentorship to employees.
• Develop career pathways that align with employee aspirations and workforce needs.
• Offer training, cross-functional experiences, and certifications to support career growth.
• Foster a culture of excellence by promoting teamwork, innovation, and a shared commitment to service excellence.
• Uphold university and F&CP policies.
• Model and reinforce university core values.

Additional Functions

• Manage external vendors and consultants, including an external PR firm.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.