Career Opportunities

Applications are now being accepted for the Senior Assistant Director for Course Materials position for Illini Union at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

As the community center of the University, the Illini Union draws together all members of the University with approximately 16,000 visits of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests on a daily basis. We are seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds who can help create and foster communities that strive toward this vision.  This includes supporting the academic mission of the University by developing environments conducive to student learning and academic success, respecting, appreciating, and advocating for the diversity of our student population, and supporting the holistic development of all our students.

Job Summary
Direct the overall operation of the Illini Union Bookstore Course Materials operation to meet a multi-million-dollar budget and service objectives. Make available, on a timely basis, all required and recommended course materials (textbooks and course packs) in proper quantities and formats (new, used, rental, digital, print-on-demand) to fill the needs of the students and faculty, direct the return of overstock and defective books and effectively manage inventory and personnel within the department to help achieve these goals. Also, plans and manages the sales and inventory of classroom technology and digital content delivery via various sales channels.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Course Material Acquisition
• Present business case to faculty and staff to secure course materials buying decisions and respond to campus course materials needs.
• Responsible for the collection, editing and processing of orders to ensure accurate and timely availability of course materials in multiple formats (new, used, rental, digital, print-on-demand, etc.).
• Plan and develop course materials department work calendar and ensures adherence to related policies and procedures.
• Interact and influence constituents through daily interactions, outreach efforts and formal sales presentations on course materials opportunities and other product offerings .
• Build and strengthen strong relationships departments, faculty, administration, and staff
• Technology-Course Material
• Identify the use of course material formats, digital content platform, learning management systems, smart device integrations, technology in higher education and other evolving course material formats.
• Develop a digital course materials strategy for retail.
• Responsible for establishing relationships with educational and technology departments to ensure inclusion in conversations about course material content and formats and establish the IU Bookstore as the campus expert.
• Financial and Inventory
• Subject matter expert for course materials at the store.
• Make appropriate course materials buying decisions based on interactions with campus administration and knowledge of past inventory activities.
• Responsible for the Course Materials budget(preparation and evaluation); closely track sales figures and expenses records to meet business goals.
• Responsible for researching, utilizing, and communicating industry analytics that benefit the operation to all stakeholders.
• Track and report course materials savings for the campus and individual courses to stakeholders throughout campus as well as meet Higher Education Opportunity Act Guidelines.
• Leadership
• Supervise the Course Materials department, including assigned staff, and manage the course materials process from adoption through purchasing, receiving, department set-up, sales, buy backs, returns and inventory.
• Serve as liaison to faculty, staff, students and vendors on academic and course related issues. Regularly interacts with publishers, faculty, staff and other service partners to handle issues related to adoptions, selection, and buyback focused on significantly complex issues and to ensure customers are provided with full range of products and services.
• Serve as a member of the store leadership team and through analysis of business trends, historical and current data points, collaborate with management team to institute programs, initiatives, and best practices to increase market share.
• Hire, train, develop and manage staff to ensure that a qualified staff exist to meet group objectives.
• Manage assigned staff to ensure store operational standards are achieved through daily activities.
• Other
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position. Five (5) years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience with college course materials. Demonstrated experience with the college Bookstore industry including publishers and digital book providers. Demonstrated experience with purchasing, pricing, discounts, and inventory control.

Preferred Qualifications
5+ years of inventory management systems such as PRISM/WINPRISM, TextAid, RATEX, JDA, NetSuite etc.) is preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent analytic, organizational, leadership, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work with diverse faculty, staff and students.
• Excellent written and communications skills, and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with diverse audiences

Appointment Information
This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5010 - Business/Administrative Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 10/7/2022. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information
Applications must be received by October 7, 2022. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Illini Union Shared Human Resources & Admin Services at iustaffdevelopment@mx.uillinois.edu or 217-333-3660. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

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 Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

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. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1011722
Job Category: Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu