Associate, Operations and People (4263U) Center for Effective Global Action #76865

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The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) seeks an committed and resourceful full-time Senior Associate to support the administration of CEGA's broad and diverse portfolio of research and training programs. A critical member of the Operations team, the Senior Associate will work across the Center to set up and manage funded research, enhance financial management and information systems across the center, and improve processes for quality assurance, reporting, and knowledge management.
About CEGA

CEGA is a hub for research, training and innovation headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley. We generate insights that decision-makers can use to improve policies, programs, and people's lives. Our best-in-class academic network includes nearly 200 faculty, 80 scholars from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)-primarily from East and West Africa-and hundreds of graduate students from diverse academic disciplines who produce rigorous evidence about what works to expand education, health, and economic opportunities for people living in poverty. Our business model involves curating policy-relevant research agendas in collaboration with development leaders, overseeing competitive grant-making to answer critical questions, investing in research capacity, and strategically connecting research and ideas to inform decision-making by governments, NGOs, and the private sector.

CEGA values diversity and seeks to include people from under-represented groups on our team. Read our values statement.

The First Review Date for this job is: March 21, 2025

OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Director of Operations, the Associate takes responsibility for developing and implementing CEGA's people and culture function to facilitate recruitment and retention of staff, graduate student researchers, and interns; boost staff morale; and help cultivate a welcoming, fair, and open workplace environment. This position could be a strong fit for someone interested in gaining a big-picture view of the operations work required to run an effective organization.

The role works closely with campus People and Culture to carry out important HR-related activities and ensure CEGA's adherence to campus policies and processes. Additionally, the Associate develops internal process improvements, guidelines and information resources; supports organizational learning; and promotes staff productivity while reinforcing commitments to effective feedback and performance management practices, professional development, and DEI. The Associate also leads general office management activities including coordinating space use and maintenance, ergonomics, IT, software, equipment, and supplies inventory.

People and Culture

• Serve as primary liaison to Berkeley People and Culture (HR) as well as CEGA hiring managers, ensuring timely, effective, high-quality service.
• Coordinate CEGA human resources activities, which are ongoing throughout the year, including appointments, training, classification, and ensuring completion of forms and documents related to HR and Payroll, often in campus systems.
• Coordinate staff recruitment, onboarding/offboarding activities, reappointments, and performance reviews. Create templates, advise colleagues on best practices, and project manage processes.
• Develop systems/tools to improve processes and outcomes, including gathering, analyzing, and preparing reports and monitoring/tracking relevant data to ensure that CEGA is recruiting for excellence/diversity and living our values.
• Coordinate periodic performance reviews, quarterly "ops syncs," CEGA's pre-doctoral fellow program, annual climate survey (including data analysis), and introduce process improvements.
  Serve as HR liaison for Visiting Scholars, graduate student researchers, student interns, and center-wide internship programs, and support appointment setup and payments.
• Research and share staff development opportunities, including trainings, workshops, professional development opportunities, and tools to support and advance our organizational values.

Operations and Office Management

• Implement and oversee center-wide supply/snack/equipment procurement and maintenance, including modest budget management and development of guidance and process improvements for purchasing by other staff.
• Lead center-wide scheduling and calendar management (e.g. weekly staff meeting schedule, team meetings, conference room bookings, interviews, etc.).
• Liaise with campus IT and ergonomic services to ensure that all staff have secure, operational, modern equipment.
• Evaluate space use and propose short/long-term space use strategies and improvements, including activities and investments to promote workplace safety and productivity.
• Actively participate in Center-wide activities, including weekly staff meetings, annual staff retreat, major events, maintenance of standard operating procedures, staff recruitment and onboarding, performance management, and other duties as assigned.

General Responsibilities

• Oversees operational programs in areas such as finance, facilities, HR, IT, and student services.
• Analyzes financial data, develops budgets, and prepares reports on operational activities.
• Serves as a resource for financial discrepancies, vendor concerns, and escalated service issues.
• Develops and updates standard operating procedures and compliance guidelines.
• Advises managers on job descriptions, compensation, benefits, and personnel policies.
• Conducts trend analyses and recommends improvements for efficiency and compliance.

Wellness and Team Building

• Design new processes and provide support to ensure a healthy workplace culture, including planning and implementing safety improvements, promotion of diversity, ergonomic assessments, and other activities that strengthen CEGA's people and culture function.
• Support and occasionally lead staff engagement and team building, for example, roundtables where staff share updates on their work, team lunches, holiday parties, and happy hours, Center-wide retreats, other activities.
  

• Capability to develop internal processes, manage office operations, coordinate IT and facilities needs, and implement strategies that enhance staff productivity, professional development, and DEI efforts.
• Ability to use sound judgment in responding to issues and concerns.
• Solid communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff verbally and in writing.
• Solid organizational skills and ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes.
• Ability to manage recruitment, retention, morale-building, and workplace culture initiatives while ensuring alignment with campus policies and processes.
• Working knowledge of common organization-specific and other computer application programs.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
  

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $33.61 (Step 4) to $43.02 (Step 15).

• This is a 100% full-time (40 hours per week), career position that is eligible for full UC benefits.
• This position is non-exempt and paid bi-weekly.

This position is governed by the terms and conditions in the agreement for the Clerical & Allied Services Unit (CX) between the University of California and Teamsters Local 2010. The current bargaining agreement manual can be found at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/cx/index.html

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative Action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.