Program Manager, Faculty Support and Work/Life

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $65,800 – $77,000

Position Summary

The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Support and Work/Life supports faculty and staff throughout their careers and helps advance the University’s mission. The Office promotes a family supportive culture, raises awareness of Work/Life programs, supports recruitment and retention, and improves policies, benefits, services, programs, and practices across the University.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director with a dotted line to the Vice Provost, the Program Manager leads day to day operations and program delivery for the Office. The Program Manager sets priorities for the Vice Provost’s portfolio, sequences projects and events, establishes and improves office procedures, and represents the Office on time sensitive matters. The role partners on strategy for programs, communications, and policies.

The Program Manager is accountable for operational excellence, strong program execution, and continuous improvement. The role translates strategy into plans, procedures, and measurable results.

Responsibilities

Administration and Operations

• Serve as chief scheduler and gatekeeper for the Vice Provost, set prioritization rules, approve calendar tradeoffs, and prepares decision-ready materials for key meeting.
• Set scheduling protocols for the senior team on complex initiatives and resolve conflicts that affect critical timelines.
• Oversee financial processes for the Office. Approve routine reimbursements and purchases within delegated limits. Maintain spend plans and ensure compliance with University policies.
• Direct IT, furniture, and space needs. Set standards and make vendor recommendations for approval.
• Manage team operating rhythms, including meeting cadences, agendas, decision logs, and action tracking.
• Execute the implementation of Provost initiatives. Translate policy into procedures and track outcomes.

Workshops and Events

• Own the planning calendar for orientations and related events. Align content with priorities and represent the Office at presentations.
• Coordinate and execute end-to-end workshops and events: scope objectives, draft and approve standard descriptions, and manage logistics and marketing plans within delegated limits.
• Monitor performance of events through registration, attendance, recordings, and surveys. Implement improvements.
• Approve vendor and speaker payments within delegated authority.

Marketing and Communications

• Execute marketing and communications activities including drafting and sending emails, preparing social media posts, producing event flyers, and editing presentations, in line with established templates and brand and accessibility standards.
• Ensure website accuracy by implementing approved policy and program updates within delegated limits, exercising judgment on routine changes and escalating exceptions.
• Use analytics to recommend adjustments and report results.

Program Support

• Ensure timely responses to the Work/Life inbox and phone, maintain response targets, and resolve routine escalations; escalate exceptions as needed.
• Coordinate requests to the Breastfeeding Support Program. Grant access, set service protocols, and address facility needs with partners.
• Manage eligibility guidance and information for the University’s back up care program.
• Provide support across Faculty Support and Work/Life content areas and Office of the Provost-wide programming.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent, as well as 2 to 3 years of related experience
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• High level of discretion and ability to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information; consummate professionalism in formal and informal settings
• Ability to work with all levels of administrative staff, faculty, and external constituents; strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to outstanding customer service
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal and writing
• Resourceful, creative, flexible, reliable, and collaborative
• Adaptive; able to nimbly adapt in the face of shifting priorities, adaptive
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills; excellent time management; the ability to prioritize competing tasks and deadlines
• Familiarity with Microsoft Suite and/or Google Workspace and capacity to learn other programs as needed
• Responsive to time-sensitive needs outside of normal office hours; available to attend pre-scheduled events outside of normal office hours when needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher ed or similarly large, complex environment
• Experience with executive-level scheduling
• Experience using social media platforms in a professional capacity
• Experience creating graphics and presentation decks, including facility with Microsoft PowerPoint and/or GoogleSlides
• Ability to interpret analytics data (i.e. Google Analytics) and other client and programmatic data (e.g. Salesforce reporting) to inform communications strategy
• Experience using marketing and design platforms (i.e. MailChimp and Canva)

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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