Reporting to the Chair, the Director of Academic Administration and Finance is responsible for the organization and planning of the day-to-day academic and administrative activities of the department including financial management, personnel management, space management and the provision of student and faculty services. The Director of Academic Administration and Finance assumes overall responsibility for the department's administrative budget and supervision of the instructional budget and assumes overall responsibility for oversight of all projects in the department, including the department's gift accounts and grants and accounts connected with any special programs. Manages and develops the staff. Works closely with the EVP A&S Office and partners with other offices throughout the University.
Responsibilities
Responsible for the hiring, training and supervising of the department's staff and working closely with the EVP A&S offices (HR Administration and EVP Finance and Budget Office) for the processing of documentation and administration of all faculty, staff, and students appointments; oversees faculty search activities; explains University benefits and policies.
Acts as primary administrative contact all international hires, coordinating with the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) in visas, visa renewals, housing, and related paperwork as well as assists faculty in immigration processing
Collaborates with the Chair and Academic Affairs Office to complete faculty searches, tenure and academic research appointments and other academic administration. Oversees the adjunct faculty appointment processing ensuring timely submissions to the Academic Affairs Office.
Works with Chair in reviewing curricular planning; curriculum proposal; faculty teaching schedules and class times and room assignments; engages in planning new program initiatives and directly works to complete their implementation.
Manages day to day aspects of admissions and fellowship/assistant awards including contact with prospective students; advises students and oversees registration procedures.
Maintains confidential student files and tracks student rankings and fellowship preferences and awards.
Responsible for administering the day to day administrative and human resources functions for the department including assisting the Chair in determining personnel, personnel recognition, recommendations and addressing employee concerns.
Demonstrates day-to-day leadership and guidance to staff by proactively managing and providing clear, timely and University compliant solutions on a wide range of administrative and financial matters.
Collaborates with University offices and departments to oversee logistics for smooth operation of the department, including facility needs, maintenance, repair, and minor construction as needed.
Academic / Department Administration
Finance and Budget
Provides strategic financial planning and forecasting to the Chair by capturing and analyzing data to use to inform financial decisions of the department. Advises and performs budgetary analysis and modeling to forecast future financial needs/resources.
Responsible for conducting the department???s financial planning as well as producing financial reports.
Responsibility for administering the department's administrative budget, including department's gift projects, discretionary projects and pre & post-award grants and projects connected with any special programs.
Responsible for conducting monthly projects reconciliation; managing fellowship/assistant budget; responsible for preventing overdrafts; completing budget submission process and reports as needed; recommends level of spending, as well as assists in resolves financial problems.
Works in collaboration with the EVP A&S Office to complete all year-end transactions for the department. Trains, mentors and acts as a coach for new finance employees to perform transactions.
Manages department budgets.
Performs special projects as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor???s degree or equivalent in experience. Minimum of 3 years??? relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Familiarity with University policies and working in academic setting.
Other Requirements
Must have, or be able to acquire quickly, a detailed knowledge of University policies, procedures, and systems. Strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills required. Ability to inspire and manage staff. Initiative, discretion, ability to establish priorities, ability to work under pressure and without supervision and good independent judgment required. Computer literacy and experience with financial management required.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.