• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: 170,000-190,000

Position Summary

The Institute of Global Politics (IGP) at Columbia?s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) seeks an experienced administrative and operations professional to serve as a key strategic partner to the Executive Director in advancing the Institute's mission by ensuring operational excellence. This senior leadership position requires exceptional organizational capabilities and the ability to manage complex, highly visible initiatives in an academic and policy environment, working closely with students, faculty, fellow administrators, and external partners. The position reports to the Executive Director of IGP.

Responsibilities

Financial & Administrative Management

• In close collaboration with SIPA?s finance and administration team, oversees financial operations including processing, record keeping, budget tracking, reconciliation, and variance analysis
• Manages gift and grant administration, ensuring compliance with policies and adherence to funder requirements
• Prepares budgets and provides regular financial reports to the Executive Director

Human Resources & Personnel

• Manages and supervises IGP?s Assistant Director, Assistant Director of Communications, and Associate Director and Special Assistant to Secretary Clinton. Liaises directly with Secretary Clinton, her personal office, US Secret Service, and others as needed to oversee Special Assistant duties and to fulfill them in the Special Assistant?s absence.
• Supervises day-to-day staff operations ensuring coverage as necessary for all of IGP?s activities
• In close collaboration with SIPA?s HR team, coordinates IGP?s HR functions, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and personnel administration

Operations & Systems Management

• Designs, implements, and refines existing operational systems and processes to achieve organizational efficiencies
• Serves as primary IGP liaison with SIPA?s finance team in managing vendor relationships and procurement
• Oversees coordination of logistics for all IGP programming, including events, convenings, and IGP Fellow engagement

Strategic Collaboration & Reporting

• Works closely with the Executive Director on strategic planning and development
• Collaborates with the development team on gift proposals, reporting, and donor stewardship
• Acts as primary liaison for communications and external relations ?  tracking short, medium, and long-term communications and events deliverables
• Prepares reports, briefings, and presentations for leadership and stakeholders
• Represents the Institute in internal and external meetings as needed

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience

• A minimum of 7 years of related work experience required.
• Bachelor's degree required
• Demonstrated track record as a senior operations professional in academic, nonprofit, or policy environment
• Proven ability to manage high-visibility work with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial acumen with expertise in budget management, reconciliation, and reporting
• Project management skills with ability to oversee complex, multi-faceted operations
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential information and engaging with high-level individuals and their representatives
• Proficiency with financial systems, HR platforms, and standard office software

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with an understanding of operational excellence
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills
• Collaborative leadership style with ability to work effectively across all levels
• Adaptable and resourceful in dynamic environments
• Commitment to the mission and values of the Institute
• Polished and professional in the workplace

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, or related field

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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

About Columbia University

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.

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