Executive Assistant

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Strategic Alliances the Executive Assistant provides senior-level executive, operational, and administrative support to two leaders of the Data Science Institute executive team. The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted and proactive partner in managing complex calendars, coordinating internal operations and external partnerships, preparing executive materials, tracking priorities, and ensuring effective follow-through across a broad range of institutional activities. Serves as backup for the Executive Assistant to the Director.

Responsibilities

• Executive Support and Calendar Management

  • Manage complex and dynamic calendars for the Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Strategic Alliances, exercising independent judgment to prioritize meetings, partnership engagements, internal operational priorities, travel, deadlines, and competing commitments.

  • Evaluate meeting requests and invitations, identify conflicts and priorities, and recommend scheduling solutions.

  • Prepare executives for meetings by assembling agendas, briefing materials, background information, presentations, talking points, correspondence, and other relevant materials.

  • Track commitments, deadlines, decisions, and action items, ensuring appropriate follow-up and accountability.

  • Serve as a primary point of coordination for the COO and Chief of Strategic Alliances, helping ensure that leadership time is focused on the Institute's highest-priority operational and partnership activities. Represent the offices of the COO and Chief of Strategic Alliances with professionalism, responsiveness, discretion, and diplomacy.

  • Monitor inquiries and correspondence, using sound judgment to determine which matters should be handled directly, delegated, escalated, or brought to leadership attention.

  Strategic Alliances and External Partnerships

  • Provide high-level administrative and coordination support to the Chief of Strategic Alliances in developing and managing DSI's external partnerships and strategic relationships.

  • Coordinate meetings, calls, briefings, visits, and other engagements with industry partners, government agencies, foundations, donors, nonprofit organizations, and other external stakeholders.

  • Coordinate with DSI faculty, research centers, working groups, program teams, and administrative staff to prepare for partnership-related meetings and initiatives.

  • Assist the Program Coordinator in tracking partnership opportunities, deliverables,meetings,  milestones, and outstanding actions within the HubSpot CRM.

  Internal Operations and Organizational Coordination

  • Supports front desk operations for the Northwest Corner suite on a shared basis with the Avanessians Director’s executive assistant, including supporting reception and inquiries.

  •  Manages the scheduling, setup, and technical readiness of the Avanessians conference room, ensuring space is equipped with necessary materials and technology for effective meetings. 

  • Serves as executive support back up for the Avanessians director when needed.

  • Support special operational projects and initiatives for the COO, including communication development,  research, information gathering, document preparation, tracking, stakeholder coordination, and timeline management.

  Travel, Expenses, Events, and Logistics

  • Arrange complex domestic and international travel, including itineraries, lodging, transportation, meeting schedules, and contingency planning.

  • Prepare, submit, and reconcile expense reports in accordance with Columbia University policies and deadlines.

  • Coordinate logistics for internal and external meetings, including rooms, catering, technology, materials, attendees, transportation, and related vendor arrangements.

  • Ensure that meeting and event details are communicated clearly and that follow-up responsibilities are documented and tracked.
    
    

  • Perform additional duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• • Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.

  • A minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible administrative or executive support experience, preferably in higher education, research, nonprofit organizations, partnerships, professional services, or a similarly complex environment.

  • Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives or leadership teams, including complex calendar management, meeting coordination, travel, expense reporting, confidential correspondence, and priority tracking.

  • Exceptional organizational, written, and oral communication skills, with outstanding attention to detail and the ability to produce accurate, polished materials.

  • Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism when interacting with senior internal and external stakeholders.

  • Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently, anticipate needs, solve problems proactively, and follow through with minimal supervision.

  • Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships across teams and with external stakeholders.

  • Strong proficiency with Google Workspace, Gmail, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Zoom, and related collaboration tools, with the ability to learn new technologies quickly.

Preferred Qualifications

• • Experience coordinating partnerships, external engagements, events, or initiatives involving senior leaders is strongly preferred.

  • Experience working in a complex organization with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and cross-functional initiatives.

  • Ability to remain composed, flexible, and effective in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and tight deadlines.

  • Demonstrated ability to manage projects independently while working collaboratively as a member of a team.

  • Experience with HubSpot CRM and CMS and Asana a plus

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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