Manager of Operations and Administrative Services

Columbia University – Manager of Operations and Administrative Services

Position Summary

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP

The Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) is a partnership of professional schools that prepares students for leadership positions in public education organizations committed to improving the life chances of all children, particularly those of color, from low-income households, or otherwise traditionally underserved. The program brings together upper-level graduate students in business, education, law, and policy from universities across the nation to study and engage in consulting projects serving public- and social-sector organizations undertaking and supporting transformational change in P-12 education and in the public sector as a whole. The program offers graduate students the rigorous, multi-disciplinary, academic, and experiential preparation they need to flourish in exciting leadership, management, and professional positions in those same organizations while simultaneously offering the organizations high-quality support.

The Manager of Operations and Administrative Services reports directly to the Deputy Director. This role provides a wide range of operational and programmatic support to the ED and Center LEADERSHIP, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations of CPRL’s program, and also acts as a key member of the Operations and Student Support team, working to recruit, select, onboard, and support CPRL students and to provide essential Human Resources support to the entire CPRL team.

Responsibilities

• Program Operations Support

• Provide executive-level support for leadership team, including managing appointments and identifying issues for discussion in coming meetings

• Engage as a primary point of contact with various internal and external constituencies

• Support leadership team with special projects

• Provide operational support to CPRL staff, students, classes, and projects:

• Plan and execute logistical coordination for CPRL’s Seminar and Skills courses

• Organize and plan staff-wide team-building activities

• Ensure efficient and effective operational systems:

• Assist with the completion and tracking of CPRL’s invoices, expenditures, and staff and student expense reimbursements, liaising with the CLS Business Office as needed

• Maintain up-to-date database of current and past CPRL work, students, and alumni

• Maintain and update CPRL’s website

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, policies, and procedures

• Manage logistics and event planning for CPRL special events including scheduling, marketing, and organizing travel, catering, and room reservations

• Attend all Operations and Student Support meetings, problem-solve operational and student support challenges, and collaborate with team members to carry out all CPRL objectives

• Recruitment and Student Support

• Update recruitment materials for law, business, policy, and education audiences (in print and online)

• Plan and execute information sessions, fairs, and other outreach events for prospective students

• Communicate application deadlines and acceptance decisions to prospective students and applicants as required

• Maintain online application portal; process incoming applications

• Schedule and prepare materials for applicant interviews

• Engage with CLS clinical faculty and staff to coordinate integration of CPRL recruitment with other experiential learning program recruitment

• Provide excellent customer service as a primary point of contact for prospective, current, and former students, responding to inquiries and/or redirecting as necessary

• Support students on all matters relating to housing, scholarships, and registration

• Ensure compliance for all components of student enrollment

• Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 3-5 years of relevant experience required; MA preferred

• Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to CPRL’s mission to improve the life chances of all children, particularly those of color, from low-income households, or otherwise traditionally underserved

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and effectively prioritize and manage a high volume of varied projects to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient completion

• Excellent interpersonal, organization, project management, and communication skills

• Excellent writing and editing skills

• Intellectual capacity to think strategically in a fast-paced environment, understand multiple perspectives, learn about new topics, and problem solve and develop responsive solutions under changing circumstances

• Ability to work independently and take initiative and responsibility for complex tasks

• Strong organization skills, keen attention to detail, and ability to work well under pressure

• Ability to respond to and integrate feedback from both peers and supervisors

• Tact and diplomacy and the ability to exercise discretion in matters that are sensitive and confidential

• Facility with Microsoft Office suite, online survey administration experience, and basic data analytic skills preferred

• Familiarity with database management (Airtable) a plus

• Must be able to work with diverse constituencies and support an inclusive work environment

• Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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