Job Rotation Program participant receives Administrative Improvement Award

Breanna Weiss, a finance specialist and participant in the Job Rotation Program, was part of the team from the School of Nursing that received an Administrative Improvement Award for a homegrown Faculty-sponsored Research Dashboard project.

The Administrative Improvement Awards recognize outstanding work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in process redesign, process development or customer service that results in improved efficiency, increased revenue channels, cost savings or improved service delivery. The 2023 Administrative Improvement Awards celebration was held on April 20.

“When I received the email that our team won the award, I had to read it three times and even then, I still couldn’t believe it,” Weiss says. “I am so grateful for this award because it has put our work in the spotlight, and people around the university want to learn about our program. I feel immense appreciation that we will be able to help so many others.”

Weiss was part of the Nursing Research and Sponsored Programs (NRSP) team alongside Lindsey Steege, Staci Lowe, Samantha Kimball, Nicci Schmidt and Kim Nolet.

They designed and implemented a tool that provides a holistic view of individual faculty members’ involvement in sponsored research activities. The dashboard includes eight new data points that were difficult to pinpoint before the tool was developed. The tool will be used to structure planning conversations between administrators and researchers and to anticipate faculty needs.

“Having a job rotator gave us the opportunity to view our work through a fresh lens and to share our knowledge and experience in an exciting way,” says Dundee McNair, associate dean for administrative affairs at the School of Nursing. “I am a big supporter of the Job Rotation Program, recognizing that we need to train and grow the next generation of campus leaders.”

Started in 2020, the Job Rotation Program is a two-year program focused on career development and is designed for early career professionals. Weiss is part of the 2021-2023 program cohort.

“I was interested in the Job Rotation Program because I knew it was going to be exactly what I needed right out of college,” Weiss said. “My favorite part of the program so far has been the amount of trust each of my site supervisors and manager have had in me. I have been able to lead on many projects and invent new ways to go about processes. I have also been able to flourish and grow in many ways.”

All rotation employees are recruited and hired as full-time academic staff. After completing the program, participants can move into a permanent role at UW–Madison.

After her final rotation assignment, which is ending this July, Weiss will join UW–Madison full-time as a financial analyst working on the university’s 10-year financial model with the Madison Business Office.

“This program benefits participants by providing meaningful work and professional development opportunities throughout their two years,” says Director of Talent Pathways Sara Hanson.” “Hosting sites benefit from new skills and ideas being brought to the team while creating a pathway for growth and retaining highly talented employees.”

Any division, department or unit on campus with a need for additional capacity in finance, human resources or information technology may express interest in hosting a participant. No additional funding is needed to host a rotating employee, as their salaries and benefits are paid by the Job Rotation Program.

For more information on the Job Rotation Program, visit hr.wisc.edu/job-rotation-program.

To learn about the 2023 Administrative Improvement Awards, visit vc.wisc.edu/aia.