About Oakton College :
Educate. Empower. Transform
At Oakton College, we know education changes lives - and that starts with the people who make it happen. For more than 50 years, we've built a welcoming and inclusive community where students from all backgrounds and experiences thrive.
We're looking for passionate educators, professionals and leaders to join our team. Whether in the classroom, student support, or behind the scenes, your talents and expertise will make a difference and shape the future.
We provide dynamic learning environments that empower students and employees alike with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie and a Health Careers Education Center in Evanston.
As a proud institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Oakton is more than a college - it's a place where innovation, equity and lifelong learning drive everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and embrace new ideas and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and student-centered culture.
Explore career opportunities at Oakton College.
Job Description:
Basic Function and Responsibility:
The Assistant Vice President for Operations is a key member of the college's senior administrative leadership team, responsible for providing strategic and operational oversight across multiple administrative functions including Procurement, Payroll, Auxiliary Services, Facilities Management, and Capital Improvement Projects. This role is central to ensuring that operational processes and services align with the mission, values, and long-term goals of the college. The AVP brings a collaborative, student-centered approach to operational excellence, managing resources effectively and driving improvements across administrative units.
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Provide vision and leadership in developing and executing operational strategies.
- Serve as a thought partner to College leadership in planning and decision-making related to campus operations, capital planning, and resource optimization.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, customer service, and accountability across all reporting units.
Procurement Services
- Direct the college's procurement function to ensure ethical, efficient, and cost-effective purchasing in compliance with federal, state, and College policies.
- Implement procurement strategies that support sustainability, supplier diversity, and institutional cost savings.
Payroll Administration
- Oversee the college's payroll operations to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant processing for faculty, staff, and student workers.
- Collaborate with Human Resources and Finance to streamline payroll processes and enhance system integrations (e.g., ERP platforms such as Banner or Workday).
Auxiliary Services
- Provide oversight of auxiliary enterprises, including dining services, bookstore, shipping and receiving, and other campus services.
- Ensure auxiliary units operate with fiscal responsibility while supporting the student experience and institutional mission.
Facilities Management & Capital Improvements
- Lead facilities planning, operations, and maintenance to support a safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing campus environment.
- Oversee the planning and execution of capital projects, including new construction, renovations, and deferred maintenance?ensuring regulatory compliance, budget adherence, and alignment with the campus master plan.
- Serve as liaison with external architects, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
Financial & Administrative Oversight
- Develop and manage budgets for assigned departments, ensuring resource stewardship and financial transparency.
- Use data analytics and operational KPIs to inform decisions, improve efficiency, and report outcomes.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Supervise a team of directors and managers across operational departments, promoting professional development, collaboration, and innovation.
- Foster strong partnerships with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and other administrative units to ensure integrated service delivery.
Supervision Received:
Direct administrative supervision is received from the Vice President for Administrative Affairs.
Supervision Exercised:
Administrative supervision is exercised over staff in two locations, and student employees.
Requirements:
Qualifications and Working Conditions:
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Facilities Management, or a related field required; Master's degree strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education or a similarly complex, mission-driven organization. Administrator experience in higher education preferred.
- Experience in managing cross-functional teams and large-scale administrative or capital projects in a higher education setting is highly desirable.
Skills & Competencies
- Deep understanding of higher education operations, or a similarly complex, mission-driven organization, governance structures, and funding models.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through change and manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, complex environment.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and team-building skills.
- Experience with enterprise systems such as Ellucian Banner, Workday, or Oracle.
- Ability to interact professionally and respectfully with people of different levels of education, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences.
Work Environment & Conditions
- Mobility to move from building to building on-campus with periodic visits to campus sites and facilities. Work is performed in a general office environment and is sedentary in nature. Little or no exposure to adverse working conditions.
- Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required to support campus events or project milestones.
Additional Information:
Salary Range: $155,000-$165,000
A comprehensive benefit package is available which includes medical, vision, and dental insurance; flexible spending; term life insurance; tuition waivers and reimbursement; retirement; paid holidays; sick days.
Appointment to a Administrator position is contingent upon approval by the College's Board of Trustees
Oakton College is an equal opportunity employer and has a strong commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we seek a broad spectrum of candidates, including minorities, veterans, women and people with disabilities. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V
Oakton is committed to maintaining an environment free from harassment and discrimination for all and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex (gender), sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, and reprisal or any other protected status. Further, Oakton does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational, employment, or extracurricular activity.
Out-of-State Employment Defined:
Oakton College's primary location of operation is in the state of Illinois. An "out-of-state employee" is defined as an employee of Oakton College whose primary work location is outside of the state of Illinois. State taxes, employment tax, and worker's compensation provisions vary from state to state and require payroll compliance with these various rules.
Allowable States for Out-of-State Employment:
All employees must maintain their primary residence in Illinois, Indiana, or a reciprocal state with Illinois. Reciprocal states include Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Illinois has tax agreements with these reciprocal states. Employees may have their primary residence in Indiana since Indiana is adjacent to Illinois.
Application Instructions:
To become an applicant, interested individuals must complete the online application linked from the posting found on the Oakton website. Electronic copies of a cover letter, resume/cv, list of three (3) references with contact information and transcripts must be submitted by the applicant via uploading to the Oakton employment website. Please indicate the position code (AVPO-25) on the cover letter. Uploaded documents need to be under 2 MB in size and in either .doc, .txt, or .pdf format. A total of 8 separate documents may be uploaded to an application file that has been successfully submitted to the College.
TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED:
An UNOFFICIAL copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application by the applicant.
***Official transcripts for all degrees earned are only required prior to appointment. *** Official transcripts or a placement/credential file should be e-mailed to adminsearch@oakton.edu.
Official transcripts or placement/credential files sent by postal mail should be sent to:
Oakton College
Assistant VP for Operations (AVPO-25)
c/o Human Resources Department
1600 East Golf Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Interviewees will be reimbursed for expenses associated with travel in excess of 50 miles to the interviews.
For further details, visit our website at www.oakton.edu and select the Employment link to view Employment Opportunities.
Oakton College conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Convictions are not a bar to employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with state and federal law and in accordance with the Illinois Department of Human Rights Conviction Record Protection Act of March 2021.
Posted positions may be removed from the Oakton website without notice when it is determined that no additional applicants are required.
Oakton College does not utilize E-Verify for employment eligibility verification.