Manager of Finance and Operations

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Morningside
• Salary Range: $90,000 - $105,000

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Position Summary

The Columbia Center of Advanced Electrification (CCAE) in the Department of Electrical Engineering seeks an experienced and highly resourceful manager to provide senior-level financial, operational, and programmatic leadership for a dynamic interdisciplinary research center. CCAE advances technologies in energy conversion, power electronics, motor drives, energy management, and control systems that enable the large-scale electrification of transportation and energy systems.

Reporting to the Center’s Founding Director, the Manager of Finance and Operations  serves as the principal operational advisor to the Center, with broad responsibility for developing, implementing, and evaluating administrative, financial, and operational strategies that advance the Center’s research and programmatic priorities. The incumbent independently manages the Center’s administrative infrastructure and sponsored research portfolio, develops and monitors financial strategies, evaluates operational needs, and advises the Director on matters affecting resources, priorities, compliance, and organizational effectiveness.

The position operates with substantial independence and discretion in determining priorities, developing solutions, interpreting University policies and procedures, allocating administrative resources, and establishing approaches to complex and evolving operational matters. The incumbent represents the Center in interactions with departmental, School, and University leadership and administrative offices, as well as external academic and industry partners, and exercises independent judgment in resolving issues and advancing Center priorities.

The successful candidate will be expected to anticipate operational needs, assess competing priorities, develop recommendations, and independently lead projects and initiatives from conception through implementation and evaluation.

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Responsibilities

Financial and Sponsored Research Administration (35%):

Provides senior-level financial and sponsored research leadership for the Center and serves as a strategic financial advisor to the Founding Director. Develops and recommends budgetary priorities, resource strategies, financial controls, and approaches to support the Center’s research portfolio, programmatic objectives, and long-term growth.

Leads the development and ongoing refinement of multi-year financial projections, budget models, forecasts, and scenario analyses to inform strategic planning, resource allocation, staffing decisions, sponsored research activity, and other Center priorities.

Independently evaluates the Center’s financial position, funding trends, expenditures, commitments, revenue, and resource utilization; identifies financial risks and emerging issues; and develops strategic recommendations and corrective actions to strengthen financial performance, sustainability, and stewardship.

Provides senior-level oversight of pre-award and post-award administration for the Center’s sponsored research portfolio, partnering with departmental, School, and University research administration offices, including Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF), to ensure effective, compliant, and strategically aligned administration of proposals and awards.

Leads the development and review of complex proposal budgets, financial components, supporting documentation, and related materials. Exercises independent judgment in evaluating budget structure, cost considerations, resource requirements, allowability, effort, sponsor restrictions, and institutional requirements and recommends appropriate approaches to faculty and Center leadership.

Interprets and applies University and sponsor requirements to complex sponsored research and financial matters, determining appropriate administrative approaches and identifying matters requiring institutional review or escalation.

Evaluates the financial and administrative implications of new awards, funding changes, staffing needs, cost structures, and other Center initiatives and advises the Founding Director regarding financial feasibility, risk, resource allocation, and operational impact.

Develops and implements financial management practices that promote effective stewardship across multiple awards, projects, funding sources, and Center priorities..

Post-Award Administration-

Manages the post-award financial administration of the Center’s sponsored research portfolio in coordination with SPF, faculty, and staff.

Reviews Notices of Award, sponsor terms and conditions, and other award documentation and coordinates the establishment of awards, project budgets, chartfields, and effort allocations in accordance with approved budgets and University requirements.

Monitors sponsored project expenditures, available balances, commitments, and budget activity throughout the award lifecycle. Reviews monthly financial activity and reconciliations to identify discrepancies, unusual activity, compliance concerns, and potential budget issues.

Advises faculty and staff on appropriate grant spending, budget availability, and applicable University and sponsor requirements and recommends appropriate courses of action when issues arise.

Coordinates award modifications, budget transfers, cost transfers, extensions, and other post-award changes, determining when matters require escalation or additional institutional review.

Oversees project closeout activities, including review of outstanding expenditures, commitments, payroll allocations, and other financial requirements, to support timely and accurate award closeout.

Assists faculty with annual effort certification and works with appropriate University offices to resolve questions or discrepancies related to effort allocation and certification.

Interprets sponsor requirements and University policies as they relate to sponsored research activity and advises the Director and Center affiliates regarding compliance and appropriate administrative practices.

Evaluates award activity and develops recommendations to address budgetary, compliance, and operational issues throughout the award lifecycle.

Prepares and presents financial analyses, projections, reports, reconciliations, and recommendations for the Director and other stakeholders to support informed resource decisions.

Develops approaches for managing financial and administrative resources across multiple awards, projects, and Center priorities.

Center Administration, Operations, and Strategic Planning (20%):

Provides senior administrative and operational leadership for the Center and develops, implements, and continuously evaluates administrative frameworks that support its research, financial, programmatic, and organizational objectives.

Serves as a principal administrative advisor and strategic partner to the Founding Director on financial, operational, organizational, and administrative matters and develops recommendations that inform Center-level decision-making and long-term planning.

Translates Center priorities into operational strategies, establishing administrative priorities, timelines, resource requirements, and implementation approaches for complex and high-impact initiatives.

Leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of administrative processes, procedures, and internal controls to strengthen operational effectiveness, accountability, financial stewardship, risk management, and compliance.

Serves as a senior administrative liaison between the Center and departmental, School, and University offices. Independently interprets institutional requirements, resolves complex operational matters, and determines when issues require additional institutional review, consultation, or escalation.

Leads complex, cross-functional, and high-impact initiatives that advance the Center’s research and programmatic objectives, including developing project strategies, establishing milestones, coordinating resources, managing dependencies, and evaluating outcomes.

Anticipates emerging operational, financial, and organizational needs and develops proactive solutions and recommendations to address risks, improve processes, and support the Center’s continued growth.

Represents the Center in administrative and operational discussions with senior internal and external stakeholders and communicates the Center’s priorities, needs, and objectives with appropriate authority and discretion.

Establishes and maintains administrative frameworks that can scale with the Center’s evolving research portfolio, external partnerships, funding environment, and organizational needs.

Financial Transactions, Accounts Payable, Procurement, Payroll, and Resource Management (20%):

Manages  the Center’s day-to-day financial transaction and procurement activities, ensuring expenditures are accurate, appropriately documented, properly authorized, and processed in accordance with University policies and applicable sponsor requirements.

Accounts Payable and Financial Transactions:

Provides oversight of Center financial transactions, including Travel and Business Expense Reimbursements (TBERs), Purchase Orders (POs), invoices, and other accounts payable and expenditure-related activity.

Reviews complex or high-impact transactions and supporting documentation and evaluates ARC system activity to ensure appropriate account coding, business purpose, approvals, funding source, and compliance with University and sponsor requirements.

Provides oversight of PCard and CCard activity, identifying financial or compliance risks and directing appropriate resolution with faculty, staff, and University offices.

Provides direction to departmental finance support staff and establishes expectations for timely, accurate, and effective processing of expenditures, reimbursements, invoices, purchases, and related transactions.

Reviews outstanding transactions, commitments, and expenditures and determines appropriate follow-up, corrective action, documentation, or escalation.

Procurement:

Evaluates purchasing needs and determines appropriate procurement approaches in accordance with University requirements, available resources, and Center priorities.

Manages purchasing activity, including Purchase Orders and other procurement transactions, and works with faculty and staff to ensure purchases are appropriately authorized, documented, and charged to the correct project, award, or departmental account.

Provides guidance to faculty and Center affiliates regarding purchasing requirements, identifies potential compliance or processing issues, and recommends appropriate solutions.

Coordinates with Procurement, Accounts Payable, suppliers, and other University partners to resolve purchasing and payment issues and facilitate timely completion of transactions.

Payroll Accounting-

Initiates and/or reviews payroll-related financial transactions to ensure salary expenditures are accurately allocated to appropriate Center, departmental, Dean’s Office, or sponsored research accounts.

Prepares and reviews Salary Distribution Requests (SDRs) and initiates or reviews cost transfers involving payroll and other expenditures, ensuring that expenses are allocated to the appropriate funding source and supported by appropriate documentation.

Manages the Center’s casual and Federal Work-Study payroll processes, coordinating with appropriate departmental and University offices to support accurate and timely processing.

Reviews payroll distributions and identifies discrepancies or unusual activity, working with faculty, staff, payroll, and research administration partners to resolve issues.

Journal Entries and Accounting-

Reviews and/or initiates journal entries to correct, allocate, or appropriately classify Center expenses and other financial activity.

Creates or coordinates the creation of projects and chartfields as needed to support Center financial and sponsored research activity.

Ensures journal entries, cost transfers, and other accounting adjustments are appropriately supported, accurately coded, and processed in accordance with University and sponsor requirements.

Develops and maintains effective processes for tracking commitments, purchases, reimbursements, payroll activity, journal entries, and other financial transactions to support accurate forecasting, reconciliation, and resource management.

Faculty and Director Advisory Support (15%):

Serves as the senior administrative advisor and operational partner to the Founding Director, independently managing complex priorities, anticipating emerging needs, and ensuring effective execution of administrative commitments.

Provides the Founding Director and faculty affiliates with timely and strategic financial, operational, and administrative information to support planning, budgeting, sponsored research activity, resource allocation, and decision-making.

Advises faculty and Center affiliates on financial management, sponsored research administration, procurement, payroll, reimbursements, and other administrative requirements, applying independent judgment to complex matters and escalating issues requiring institutional interpretation or approval.

Evaluates competing demands on the Founding Director’s time and independently develops and maintains an effective approach to priority management, strategic scheduling, stakeholder engagement, and follow-through.

Prepares, develops, and substantively edits presentations, reports, briefing materials, correspondence, executive communications, and other documents requiring a high degree of independent judgment and comprehensive knowledge of Center activities.

Advises the Founding Director on meeting preparation, stakeholder engagement, follow-up requirements, and strategic priorities and independently manages related action items, deliverables, and deadlines.

Leads the administrative planning and execution of high-level meetings, advisory activities, seminars, conferences, and the Center’s annual symposium, ensuring appropriate coordination of stakeholders, resources, communications, and follow-through.

Develops and maintains systems for organizing faculty and Center information, including CV materials, biosketches, research information, external engagement materials, and other information required to support institutional, research, and external activities.

Anticipates faculty and Center needs and independently develops administrative strategies and solutions that improve effectiveness and support the Center’s objectives.

Communications, Events, and External Engagement (10%):

Develops and implements the Center’s administrative approach to communications, events, and external engagement in alignment with the Director’s priorities and the Center’s objectives.

Provides oversight of Center communications and independently develops and recommends content, messaging, and approaches for website updates, announcements, news items, and other communications.

Leads the planning and execution of conferences, workshops, seminars, symposia, and other Center activities, determining priorities, timelines, resources, and logistical approaches.

Serves as a senior administrative representative of the Center to visitors, collaborators, prospective students, industry partners, and other internal and external constituents.

Develops and manages administrative approaches for onboarding and integrating students, researchers, visiting scholars, and other Center affiliates in partnership with appropriate University offices.

Evaluates event and outreach activities and recommends improvements based on Center objectives, stakeholder needs, and available resources.

Performs related duties and leads special initiatives consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.

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Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.

Minimum of 4-6 years of progressively responsible experience in administration, operations, finance, grants management, research administration, or a related area, preferably within an academic, research, or similarly complex organizational environment.

Demonstrated experience independently managing complex administrative, financial, operational, or sponsored research functions.

Demonstrated ability to analyze financial and operational information, identify trends and risks, develop recommendations, and support strategic decision-making.

Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to independently establish priorities and manage multiple complex initiatives.

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to advise and influence a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.

Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion in interpreting policies, resolving complex issues, and determining appropriate courses of action.

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

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Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.

Significant experience in higher education, research administration, or another complex, matrixed organizational environment.

Demonstrated expertise in sponsored research administration, including complex pre-award and post-award activities, budget development, award management, and sponsor requirements.

Experience independently managing financial planning, forecasting, and resource allocation for a research center, institute, department, or comparable organization.

Knowledge of Columbia University administrative, financial, and sponsored research systems, policies, and procedures.

Experience supporting faculty leadership, research centers, institutes, or interdisciplinary academic programs.

Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects and initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.

Experience working effectively with academic, industry, government, and other external partners.

Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in an environment requiring a high degree of autonomy, discretion, strategic thinking, and adaptability.

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Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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