High Altitude Observatory Organizational Responsibilities

Director:

The Director is responsible for the overall scientific and strategic mission, productivity, and excellence of HAO and is ultimately responsible for all executive decisions involving allocation of financial and human resources within the Observatory. The Director's role focuses on the large scale, on strategy, on representing HAO to its many external stakeholders including the rest of NCAR, and on leadership. The HAO Director is also an Associate Director of NCAR, is a member of its Executive Committee, and plays a full part in the leadership, direction, and management of NCAR.

Deputy Director:

The Deputy Director (DepD) advises and assists the Director and deputizes for the Director where appropriate. The DepD assists the Director in dealing with personnel issues, both routine and exceptional, and in developing and implementing internal organizational policy. Certain areas of responsibility are delegated to the DepD. For example, the DepD is responsible for the preparation of various reports on activities of the Observatory as and when required by NCAR and external agencies (NCAR annual report, lab annual report, program operating plan, scientific updates to funding agencies etc.), coordinating input as appropriate from Section Heads. The DepD is also responsible for internal refereeing of research papers. The DepD is chair of the Director's Representative Advisory Committee (DRAC).

Assistant Director (Instrumentation):

The Assistant Director (Instrumentation) [AsstD] advises and assists the Director in all matters concerning instrumentation within the Observatory. The AsstD has overall responsibility for day-to-day personnel matters, annual budget preparation, and ongoing budgetary monitoring in the Instrumentation Group (IG) and is supervisor of the IG Manager. The AsstD is chair of the HAO Instrumentation Advisory Committee (HIAC) and is responsible for formulating a balanced strategic direction for instrumentation, meeting the needs of HAO and its stakeholders, in line with HAO's Strategic Plan. Duties include: monitoring the budget, schedule, and general health of all HAO instrumentation projects; working with the IG manager to organize the work flow of instrument projects; organizing project reviews with the IG manager and HIAC; and organizing the review of proposals for new projects.

Section Head:

The Section Head (SH) plays an essential role in promoting the scientific and community-service activities of his or her Section to the external community, including the rest of NCAR, and proactively seeking ways to increase engagement with the external community. The SH has responsibility in annual budget development, staff time allocation setting and ongoing budget monitoring and adjustments, relevant to their section staff. The SH contributes to strategic planning for the Observatory, and is responsible for strategic planning and goal-setting with their Section staff, to deliver the HAO Strategic Plan. The SH is normally supervisor to at least some members of their Section, and less formally provides advice and guidance to all members of the Section. The SH is responsible for ensuring that there is good communication within the Section and that its members have a good understanding of how Section activities fit within the HAO Strategic Plan through, for example, regular Section meetings. The SH is responsive to requests from the Director and other members of the Executive Group for input regarding activities of the Section and its members (e.g., contributing to organizational reports), and the SH or their nominee will present the activities of the Section from time to time as required.