Announcing the Launch of a Multi-Year Yale University Operations Strategy

July 21, 2022

To: All Operations staff
Cc: University Cabinet, Operations Leadership Forum

Summary

  • Yale University Operations has launched a multi-year strategy supporting Yale’s mission.
  • The strategy consists of three strategic pillars: reinforce and resource Yale’s mission, build a more effective and efficient operating model, and advance our reputation as a workplace of choice.
  • Multi-year initiatives are in place to accelerate progress on the strategy: OneFinance, Recruiting, and Learning.
  • Executive sponsors will share more information in the coming weeks.

Dear University Operations Colleagues

Our success in enabling the university’s mission relies on the work each of you do every day. On behalf of the Operations Leadership Team, I am pleased to announce the launch of a collaborative, multi-year Operations strategy that will improve our ability to help the university deliver its mission. The strategy impacts centralized staff units, partnering with Academic Business Operations and the Yale School of Medicine, and advances three strategic pillars:

  • Reinforce and resource Yale’s mission
  • Build a more effective and efficient operating model
  • Advance our reputation as a workplace of choice

Over time, Operations units will increasingly align their goals with these pillars to establish new ways of working across the University, including simplifying core work processes, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement and learning. To accelerate progress, cross-functional teams led by Executive Sponsors are in place working on multi-year initiatives related to finance, recruiting, and training:

  • OneFinance– Focused on funding Yale’s mission, simplifying and standardizing financial services to make life easier, and promoting a culture of financial integrity, insight, and stewardship of Yale resources. Executive Sponsors: Stephen Murphy, VP Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Arnim Dontes, Deputy Dean, YSM Finance & Administration, and Shannon Smith, University Controller
  • Recruiting – Aimed at building a more flexible, efficient, and effective recruitment process that attracts highly talented and diverse candidates and strengthens staff’s capability. Executive Sponsors: John Whelan, VP Human Resources, John Barden, VP & Chief Information Officer, Geraldine Sullivan, Assistant VP for Employee Relations and Staffing, and Ronnell Higgins, AVP for Public Safety and Community Engagement
  • Learning –Targeted on understanding our most critical staff learning needs; leveraging industry best practices; and establishing the strategy, capability, and tools to ensure that ongoing learning and development become part of Yale’s workplace culture. Executive Sponsors: John Whelan, VP, Human Resources, Joseph Crosby, AVP for Academic Business Operations & Senior Associate Dean for Finance & Administration, Yale Law School, Jane Savage, AVP for Union-Management and Strategic Initiatives, and Deborah Stanley-McAulay, AVP for Employee Engagement and Workplace Culture

To support these and future Operations initiatives, an Operations Portfolio Management Office (OPMO) led by Lisa Sawin, Sr. Director, IT Shared Services, will work closely with the initiative leaders to assist, guide, and drive sustained, relevant outcomes across Operations.

Over the coming weeks, executive sponsors will share more information, progress updates, actions required, and more. In the interim, please reach out to me or Lisa Sawin (lisa.sawin@yale.edu) with any questions.

Thank you for your support, which is critical to strengthening our contribution to the university’s mission, enhancing our day-to-day services, making Yale a better place to work, and advancing your career over the long term.

Sincerely,
Jack Callahan
Senior Vice President for Operations