Operational Excellence

Operational Excellence: A Key Step Toward a Sustainable Future

As part of Portland State University's Bridge to the Future initiative, the Operational Excellence plan is dedicated to improving our administrative structures in ways that not only address financial sustainability but also prioritize the support and service we provide to our faculty, staff, students and community. The three operational areas chosen for this plan are Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing and Communications. Recommendations from the 2022 Huron Support Services and Operational Review were considered as part of this process.

What We're Fixing—And Why

Right now, important finance, HR and marketing/communications tasks are spread across hundreds of people. For many of these people, this work is only a small part of their job—and not their area of expertise. These tasks were added over time, often without training or consistent support, pulling people away from the work they were hired to do.

Operational Excellence shifts this work to trained specialists, reducing burden on staff, creating paths for growth, and building stronger, more sustainable operations.

Objectives of Operational Excellence

The Operational Excellence plan is focused on delivering measurable improvements in PSU's administrative functions while keeping student support at the forefront. Key objectives include:

• Aligning Administrative Structures: Streamline PSU’s administrative services to align with current needs, creating a more efficient system that reduces redundancy and enhances service delivery for students and staff.
• Reducing Duplication: Centralize and reorganize administrative functions to eliminate overlapping efforts, resulting in improved operational efficiency and allowing for more focused support for student needs.
• Achieving Excellence and Compliance: Centralized administrative services will ensure consistency and stronger compliance in key areas like Human Resources, Finance, and Marketing and Communications.
• Career Pathways for Administrative Staff: Provide specialized training to support career development for administrative employees, increasing employee retention by offering satisfying professional growth pathways.

Areas of Focus: Finance, Human Resources, Marketing and Communications

During 2025, work area teams for Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing and Communications (MarComm) identified and prioritized processes to be mapped and streamlined. Each team was composed of PSU employees and led by a subject matter expert.

Select a work area below to view summaries of their processes, findings and recommendations, as well as current progress updates:

Steps to Achieve Operational Excellence

PSU is taking a comprehensive approach to redesigning its administrative functions. The following steps are guiding the process:

1. Consultant Selection and Design Planning [COMPLETE]
   A consultant and project manager will be hired to help develop a detailed design for streamlined administrative services. This will focus on optimal workflows and accessibility, incorporating best practices to enhance service delivery for students and staff.
2. Process Improvement
   Detailed process mapping will be conducted for Human Resources, Finance, and Marketing and Communications, with proposals for improvements that include technology integration and workflow enhancements. Performance metrics will also be developed to assess the success of these changes.
3. Implementation
   A temporary project manager will oversee the full implementation, which will continue through Fiscal Year 2026 as employees are trained to operate within the new structure. The implementation timeline must allow for staffing adjustments and transitions, focusing on retaining current employees and minimizing new hires while aligning with collective bargaining agreements.
4. Communication and Change Management
   PSU leadership will maintain clear communication with campus stakeholders throughout the transition. Regular updates will be provided to track progress and ensure that changes support both administrative efficiency and student needs.

Governance and Decision-Making Process

The Operational Excellence plan will be overseen by an Operational Excellence Team, which will include key campus leaders who will make recommendations to the President. This team will include:

• Vice President for Finance and Administration
• Vice Provost for Academic Budgeting and Planning
• Associate Vice President for Human Resources
• Associate Vice President for Communications and Marketing
• Vice President for Public Affairs and Chief of Staff
• Director of Fiscal Operations and Services
• Chief Information Officer

Operational Excellence Project Charter

Additionally, three Work Area Teams were established for Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing and Communications to provide recommendations on the new structures.

Financial Impact and Staffing Adjustments

The financial impact and staffing adjustments needed for the successful implementation of our Operational Excellence plan is currently being evaluated.Organizational Recommendations

Workflow documentation: As a standard practice, processes should be documented to identify who is responsible for them and to encourage feedback. The lack of clear and available documentation causes confusion for employees.

Process ownership: Departments responsible for workflows should be recognized as the owners and be responsible for documenting them and identifying the last review date.

Process communications: Standards should be developed for process communication, including where they are posted and what information is included.

Organization charts and contact information: Organization charts and contact information for support areas should be standardized to make it easier for employees to find who they need to contact.

Timeline for Implementation (Updated Dec. 2025)

August 30, 2024

• Release request for proposals (RFP) for consultant selection

October 17, 2024

• Hire consultant to develop detailed design plan
• Bring project managers on board

Late October 2024

• Stand up Operational Excellence Team and work area teams
• Develop a communications plan

November - December 2024

• Work Area teams begin process analysis

January to October 2025 (update)

• Detailed process mapping for Human Resources, Finance, and Marketing and Communications processes
• Propose and design process improvements, including technology integration and workflow enhancements
• Design and propose organizational charts
• Develop implementation strategies and performance metrics

October 2025 to May 2026

• Finalize organizational structures
• Finalize Partnership Agreements
• Continue engaging campus partners in process redesigns

May-September 2026

• Develop training materials for new positions

July 1, 2026

• Begin Implementation of the new administrative structure

June 30, 2027

• Full implementation of new administrative structure

A Sustainable Future for Portland State

The Operational Excellence initiative is a crucial element of PSU’s Bridge to the Future. By streamlining administrative functions, enhancing compliance, and supporting the professional growth of staff, PSU is positioning itself to better serve students, employees, and community partners while achieving financial resilience.

For further details or to provide feedback on how this process may affect your role or department, please reach out to your supervisor.