New Manager Orientation Program

This program provides new managers with an overview of how to better understand and achieve University expectations for managers by providing them with a “big picture” view of the organization as well as more detailed information about specific content areas, including the Office of Human Resources, Office of the Treasurer, Office of Information Technology, Office of the General Counsel, Office of Audit and Compliance, Ombuds Office, Department of Facilities, Office of Public Safety and Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Program Goals

Orient managers to the University's mission and values
Provide managers with an overview of the University's structure, decision-making bodies and key functions for both academic and administrative managers
Articulate specific expectations for managers about their performance and their responsibility for compliance with key University requirements

Desired Outcomes

Understand how the University is structured and how it functions
Comply with the University’s standards and principles
Understand, respect and follow federal, state and local laws
Follow all applicable policies and procedures of the University
Demonstrate a general knowledge or awareness of the management of human resources and of financial, physical and technological resources
Know who to contact in the key departments represented in the orientation and when it is appropriate or necessary to contact them
Feel excited and appreciative to work at Princeton

Target Audience

Our target audience is any new manager or newly promoted manager who has responsibilities managing a staff, program, function and/or budget.

Structure

The structure is a full orientation program that transpires over a four-week period. New managers will attend one half-day session a week for four weeks, which would equate to two full days of information, or 16 total hours.

During each session a new area or group of areas will be discussed to help new managers learn about specific expectations and take some time in between sessions to process the information in a chunked format.

Facilitators/subject matter experts present core material regarding their area followed by audience participation, such as small group discussions and activities, to maintain a high level of engagement and provide managers with an opportunity to apply what they are learning as well as network with other managers.

Schedule

The schedule for the orientation program is based on the hiring and promotional activities throughout the year. We typically offer the program once in the fall and one or two times in the winter/spring timeframe.

Program Agenda

Week 1: Princeton “Big Picture”

The goal of this session is to provide the overall, big-picture view of the University as a first step to satisfy the University’s expectations and management guidelines. This session will discuss the following:

Role of the manager at Princeton
University mission
University structure
Committees — how they are formed and what is their function
High-level decision making — who makes them and why are they made
Compliance
Rights, Rules, Responsibilities
University calendar
Campus
Review the "big picture" — map and plan of University

Week 2: Human Resources Session

The goal of this session is to review the role of the supervisor as explained in the Management Standards Guidebook to understand and apply, where necessary, the appropriate federal and state laws and to know and administer fairly the policies of the University. This session will encompass the following HR Teams but will be certain not to duplicate any topics that are covered in New Employee Orientation Program:

Staffing
Benefits, Worklife and Carebridge
Compensation
Employee and Labor Relations
Diversity and Equal Opportunity
Learning and Development
HR Service Delivery and Systems

Week 3: General Services

The goal of this session is to discuss the institutional compliance program in more depth, the important laws that new managers need to be aware of, the guidelines for information responsibilities as well as workplace and environmental safety responsibilities as stated in the Management Standards Guidebook.

Facilities
Public Safety
Environmental Health and Safety
Information Technology
General Counsel
Information Security
Office of Communications
Transportation and Parking

Week 4: Treasurer’s Office Session & Send Off

The goal of this session is to introduce and explain the financial responsibilities as stated in the Management Standards Guidebook. Some topic examples are:

Background on Princeton’s financials
Basic accounting definitions
Operating budget protocols, including the difference between endowment vs. operating budget
Transaction authority (how authority flows down and the hierarchy of who is authorized at the various levels)
Purchasing

Just call or send us an e-mail to find out when the next New Manager Orientation Program will be offered or to ask us any general program questions. We’re here to help!