• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $75,000-$79,000

Position Summary

University Life was created to develop and enhance the student experience at Columbia. Working in collaboration with students, faculty, and staff, University Life strengthens resources, policies, and conversations, and builds community outside of the classroom. Our efforts all connect to core values for the Columbia community: 

• Inclusion and belonging

• Health and well-being

• Sexual Respect

• Community Citizenship

University Life is a central division focused on enhancing the student experience across Columbia’s 17 schools and colleges. We serve as a student life hub for the University and are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive campus culture where students can thrive in all dimensions of their lives. In University Life, we focus on connecting students to each other, to the broader University and surrounding community, and to opportunities beyond their schools. 

We work to educate students about Columbia’s values and policies, as well as share essential and timely information with students from the University. Through our programs, services, and partnerships, we support students’ educational enrichment during their time at Columbia.

Reporting to the Director of Student Engagement, the Program Manager for Advising provides critical advising support to student organizations recognized by the Interschool Governing Board (IGB). Relatedly, this position manages the funds provided to the organizations by IGB.  

Responsibilities

Advising:

• Advise IGB student organizations on University policies and procedures, as well as event management and organizational development. Assist organizations in formulating goals and meet with organization representatives regularly. 
• Provide support for organization activities: the advisor is encouraged to attend meetings, events, and other functions of organizations whenever possible.
• Be familiar with the organization’s constitution and the outlined goals, structure, and procedures. Provide guidance for annual constitution reviews.
• Assist in the transition of responsibilities between incoming and outgoing student group officers annually, and whenever mid-year transitions are necessary.
• Ensure the organization’s members receive relevant announcements and communications from the University.
• Inform the group of infractions of their constitution, bylaws, or standing rules.
• Keep the organization aware of its stated objectives when planning events.
• Co-advise the Executive Board of the IGB in collaboration with leadership from the University Senate Student Affairs Committee (SAC) and the Director for Student Activities.  
• Manage student organization onboarding and IGB Executive Board leadership transitions.
• Liaison between IGB groups and the IGB executive board. 
• Assess the level of advising needed for each IGB group and determine advising assignments.
• Guide student leaders to preserve organizational records, which will provide continuity for the organization and future members.

Finance and Operations:

• Disburse funding to each IGB student group and ensure compliance with the University's financial policies. 
• Generate weekly budget reports and participate in closing out budgets at the end of each fiscal year. 
• Manage procurement and payments, including internal transfers, to the IGB groups. 
• Ensure adherence to departmental and University procedures for student organization spending.
• Regularly review expenditures of student organizations, as well as encourage the maintenance of accurate financial records by organization members.
• Help student organization leaders to prepare an annual budget.
• Work with the organization's treasurer to review the group's finances quarterly and on an as-needed basis.
• Work with University Life's financial team to review financial statements, contracts, policies, and other financial transactions. 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Supervise Graduate Assistants focused on advising IGB-recognized organizations.
• Additional duties and projects as assigned, including back-up support for other team functions, such orientation programs and signature events.

This position will require some evening hours during the semester, and very occasional (i.e. 2-3 times per year) weekend work.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and a minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience are required.

• Experience working in a higher education setting with a diverse student body and knowledge of issues related to the student experience in higher education required.

• Strong project management skills with demonstrated ability to coordinate, manage, and implement in a fast-paced environment with careful attention to detail.

• The ability to work independently.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• The right candidate is patient, solutions-oriented, and enjoys working with others to build community.  Exercises sound judgment and maintains a sense of humor and enjoys working in a dynamic environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Highly skilled in building and maintaining relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.

• Excellent interpersonal, collaboration, conflict management, leadership, and team-building skills, including proactive problem-solving skills.

• A culturally responsive professional who demonstrates the ability to communicate across differences and interpersonally with a wide range of stakeholders and can grasp differing viewpoints with humility.

• A desire to contribute to an organizational process of continuous improvement and innovation.

• Interest and experience in designing and implementing high-quality activities, programs, and services for students.

• Experience in supervision and management of personnel.

• Proficient with MS Office, and Google Suite.

• Proficiency with Canva, and Adobe Creative Cloud (in particular, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop) is a plus.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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