Assistant Director, Admissions

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $70,000 - $78,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director, the Assistant Director supports admissions operational processes across all admission cycles of Columbia Business School. The incumbent plays a key role in the day-to-day management of the enrollment  process and collaborates with colleagues to ensure consistent, fair, and efficient practices. The Assistant Director contributes to achieving enrollment goals by helping to attract and admit a high-caliber, diverse student body that reflects the School’s values and academic standards.

About Columbia Business School

For over a century, Columbia Business School (CBS) has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools that advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs. Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world, from the very center of business.

Our ever-evolving curriculum, featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning, prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, innovation, twenty-first-century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’s educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Application and Student Record Processing & Compliance

• Monitor applications for completeness, notifying applicants regarding any missing required materials.
• Review and process system requests and form submissions, including, and not limited to, application fee and/or test waivers, application withdrawals, and admission deferral requests
• Process payments for application fees and admitted student deposits
• Process and verifies student transcripts and test score reports, bringing to the attention of manager of any integrity flags and data issues  
• Release decision letters to applicants via department software. Helps create special letters, invoices, and receipts for prospective and admitted students as needed and directed
• Assist with enrollment compliance for all applicants admitted to Columbia Business School, ensuring proper documentation and tracking of progress through the recruitment cycle
• Support credential verification process in partnership with a third-party organization for transcripts(s), employment, salary, and recommendation(s)
• Maintain familiarity with FERPA regulations along with Business School and University resources and policies
• Partner with the Enrollment Management Systems team for operational efficiencies
  
  

Training & Process Support

• Provide input on admissions processing manual and implement updates/changes as directed 

Application Review & Evaluation

• Read and evaluate applications for all MBA, Deferred Enrollment, joint-degree programs, and other programs as needed
• Conduct applicant interviews and provide recommendations for admission decisions
• Support the waitlist management process

Team Collaboration 

• Coordinate and schedule applicant interviews, respond to inquiries, and ensure related documentation is submitted in a timely manner In partnership with the Admissions leadership team, assist with scheduling the full-time Admissions Officers for interviews
• Assign and manage application reviews
• Support management of auxiliary readers and provide guidance to seasonal admissions staff as needed
• Work with the School's Office of Financial Planning, Information Technology Group, Operations, Office of Student Affairs and other partner offices to accomplish day-to-day tasks
• Attend team meetings, supports the functions of the Admissions team, and assists with note taking tasks

Communication and Outreach

• Communicate with applicants throughout the admissions process regarding missing and/or updates to application materials, and other application-related topics
• Assist in refining application communications to ensure that applicants have information needed to complete their application and ensure a smooth experience for applicants
• Represent the Columbia Business School brand at events and in written communications with prospective and admitted students
• Develop and maintain deep fluency in program offerings, curriculum, and the student experience to serve as a knowledgeable ambassador for the School
• Participate in occasional travel (domestic and international) to support recruitment and outreach efforts aligned with the School’s admissions goals

Other Duties

• Perform other relevant responsibilities as assigned to support the Admissions team’s goals and operational needs

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum of 2-4 years of related professional experience required, preferably in higher education. Knowledge of Admissions processes strongly preferred
• Must have a demonstrated commitment to customer service and the ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and excel in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. .
• Ability to balance independent delivery of work with collaborative orientation.
• Candidates must possess strong skills in communication (verbal and written), diplomacy, tact, and discretion and outstanding interpersonal/relationship management. Knowledge of, and experience using, technology and tools, including MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with Slate and/or CRM tools a plus. 
• Basic data analytics capability.
• Must live within commuting distance to New York City and have the ability to work in person in a hybrid work environment.
• Ability to travel (domestic and international) and work select evenings and weekends as required

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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