Associate Director, Academic Services and Innovation

Associate Director, Academic Services and Innovation

• 557003
• New York
• School of Professional Studies
• Full Time
• Opening on: May 1 2026
• Grade 13

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• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $88,000 - $98,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University''s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Academic Services and Innovation, the Associate Director is responsible for the optimization of academic business processes and operational workflows, and manages the recurring academic cycles that support the entire portfolio of 20+ academic programs at the School of Professional Studies. The position holder works closely with the Academic Affairs division leadership team, Directors within the Academic Services unit, and with Program Directors and their administration teams advance academic quality and operational excellence. The Associate Director is responsible for directing the recurring academic operations communications to faculty and program stakeholders; maintaining and continually improving of the division's information and knowledge management system; and collaborating with central colleagues in the Office of the Registrar, Student Financial Services, and Military & Veteran Affairs. The position also oversees the publication and maintenance of the academic policy library and the division's intranet site as well as driving the continuous improvement of process documentation, tools, and job aids to streamline operations. The Associate Director leads one or more direct reports at the Specialist and/or Assistant Director level.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate and optimize the execution of the core academic business processes and related operational procedures at SPS
• Continual improvement of business process documentation, as well as the tools and job aids, to drive operational excellence and enhance organizational effectiveness
• Lead the creation and execution of communications plans to support annual academic operations, including broadcast emails to key stakeholder groups including faculty, and academic program teams, and divisional staff
• Lead implementation and continual improvement of the division's Information & Knowledge Management strategy, including in the use of Google Share Drive, the intranet-based academic policy library, and audience-facing websites and dashboards for faculty and program administrators
• Oversee and continually improve the intranet-based program planning calendar system, the semesterly publication of instructional sessions calendars, the creation and implementation of a schoolwide events calendar
• With the Associate Dean of Academic Services and Innovation, collaborate with the Office of Registrar to solve problems and enhance operational excellence
• Represent the Academic Affairs division on the school's interdivisional policy work group
• Serve as a schoolwide administrator and approver in the Course Management platform
• Lead strategic projects and serve on project teams/working groups as assigned
• Responsible for supervising the work of one (1) or more employees
• Performs other duties and projects as assigned or requested

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree required. Advanced degree desirable
• 4 years related experience
• A resume and cover letter with salary requirements must be submitted for this position

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree preferred
• 4-6 years of related experience in higher education administration
• Familiarity with Smartsheet or other project management software
• Experience in a supervisory role including the training and development of staff is strongly preferred

Other Requirements

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong process orientation and experience driving process improvements
• Creative problem solver who uses data and insights to drive decision making
• Competent project manager with experience leading complex projects and facilitating the contributions of cross functional team members
• Ability to conceptualize and deliver presentations to senior level audiences
• Strong collaborator, relationship cultivator, and consensus builder
• High level of proficiency with PC and Mac platforms, including the following programs: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Visio, Adobe, and others
• Sound judgment, highest degree of discretion and professionalism

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.