• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Administration and Finance (DAF), the Business Manager manages and implements the financial, budgetary, and administrative operations of the Interdisciplinary Center for Innovative Theory and Empirics (INCITE). In collaboration with INCITE administrative staff, the incumbent exercises primary responsibility for the Institute’s budget and financial reconciliation and manages all payment and procurement requests and administrative appointments. The incumbent will have a departmental approval function for University financial systems. 

INCITE is an interdisciplinary institute at Columbia University. We produce knowledge for public action. We do so by joining with people and organizations within and outside the university to rethink our understanding of what knowledge is, how it’s created, and how it can be used.

Responsibilities

Finance and Budget Operations

• Work closely with the Department Administrator (DAAF) to create budgets for the Institute’s research groups’ grant projects, programs, events, and new initiatives. Analyzes short—and long-term revenue projections.
• Works with the DAAF and Grants Manager to manage the reconciliation of accounts and annual fiscal closing. Researches and independently resolves problems with overdrafts and budget errors, as needed.
• Develop spending reporting systems that best support PRAX/IS’ operations. In consultation with DAF, create report templates and reporting tools to provide financial reports to key stakeholders, including Institute leadership and faculty and external partners and agencies. Analyze financial data and prepare reports for external stakeholders.
• Work closely with PRAX/IS faculty and staff to ensure compliance with all relevant policies. Interpret and communicate to faculty and administrators the requirements of Columbia University and external stakeholders and create any materials required by these groups.  
• Develop and implement operational processes to accommodate the Institute’s growing financial responsibilities and added partnerships. Document and interpret policies, processes, and workflows, interpreting accounting and purchasing policies for domestic and international stakeholders.
• Advise and recommend to faculty and administrators on travel and business expense reports, invoices, purchase orders, and consultant contracts. Determines the appropriate steps for nuanced requests.
• Manage all payment and procurement requests, including check requests, purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, reimbursements, and travel and business expenses. 
• Ensure the timely submission of all required paperwork for vendor setup, wire requests, reimbursements, and invoice payments. Researches and independently reconciles discrepancies and disagreements between external vendors, central procurement, faculty, staff, and students regarding the status of their payment requests.
• Hold departmental travel and purchasing cards and complete monthly reconciliations. Place equipment and other purchases and process requisitions.

 Administrative Operations

• Manage the appointments and payroll of administrative staff, teaching fellows, research assistants, student casuals, and work-study employees. Approves department salary distributions for staff with oversight from DAAF.
• Create comprehensive onboarding processes and activities to acclimate new hires to the complex structure of the Institute.
• Manage the Institute’s physical space, oversee maintenance and repair of office equipment and furniture, and prepare and track facilities service requests. Supervises casuals and student assistants who provide administrative support.
• Assume the responsibilities of the DAAF in their absence.
• Perform additional duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or the equivalent, plus a minimum of 2 years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance preferred. 
• Knowledge of University financial policies and systems; relevant experience in financial administration.

Other Requirements

• Ability to gather, synthesize, and analyze information on different issues and clearly and accurately communicate findings. Ability to read and interpret financial statements.
• Must be able to interpret accounting and purchasing policies to staff, faculty, and students, as well as internal and external vendors, researchers, and their staff at other institutions.
• Identify and resolve problems promptly, work well in group problem-solving situations, and share expertise.
• Manage difficult situations, respond promptly to constituents' needs, and solicit feedback to improve service. Communicate professionally and persuasively, responding well to questions.
• Ability to build morale and group commitments to objectives, supporting everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Tactfully approach others, react well under pressure, and follow through on commitments.
• Ability to respond to time-sensitive requests and work in a deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills, particularly in an environment with multiple and conflicting priorities. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. 
• Ability to handle complex and confidential information with discretion. 

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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