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• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $68,000 - $78,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Academic Administration and Finance, the Manager, Academic Operations provides high-level administrative and operational management for the Departments of Philosophy and French and Romance Philology, with additional support for Maison Française as needed. The incumbent serves as the primary operational backup to the DAAF and is responsible for coordinating a broad portfolio of academic administration, faculty affairs, HR and payroll transactions, financial activity, events, facilities, and departmental governance processes.

 The Department of Philosophy has a long-standing commitment to rigorous inquiry, critical analysis, and the study of fundamental questions concerning knowledge, ethics, logic, mind, language, politics, and the history of philosophy. The department supports a vibrant intellectual community of faculty, students, and scholars, offering undergraduate and graduate programs that emphasize analytical precision, historical depth, and engagement with contemporary philosophical debates. Through teaching, research, lectures, conferences, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Department of Philosophy contributes meaningfully to Columbia?s broader academic mission and to the advancement of philosophical scholarship.

The Department of French and Romance Philology at Columbia University is a distinguished academic unit within Arts and Sciences, dedicated to the study of French and Francophone language, literature, culture, and intellectual traditions. The Department supports undergraduate and graduate education, faculty research, academic programming, and engagement with broader interdisciplinary and international fields of study. Through its curriculum, scholarly activity, and departmental initiatives, the Department fosters rigorous inquiry, linguistic and cultural fluency, and a strong intellectual community for students, faculty, and staff.

Responsibilities

Academic Operations and Department Administration

• Manage day-to-day academic and administrative operations for the Departments of Philosophy and French and Romance Philology in coordination with the Director of Academic Administration and Finance.
• Serve as the primary operational backup to the DAAF, ensuring continuity of academic, administrative, financial, HR, faculty affairs, events, and facilities operations in the DAAF?s absence.
• Coordinate departmental governance processes, including preparing meeting materials, agendas, minutes, follow-up items, and internal communications for both departments.
• Track key deadlines, departmental priorities, action items, and operational needs to support effective coordination between the two departments.
• Support special projects, process improvements, and other administrative initiatives in support of departmental operations and academic administration.
• Serve as the primary coordinator for facilities and space-related issues across both departments.
• Initiate, track, and follow up on maintenance and repair requests; work with Columbia Facilities, CUIT, Public Safety, and other campus partners; and escalate complex issues as needed.
• Maintain detailed records of facilities, space, access, and maintenance matters to support continuity, reporting, and issue resolution.
• Coordinate office assignments, space needs, access requests, and related operational matters in partnership with the DAAF and department leadership.

Faculty and Academic Affairs 

• Coordinate faculty affairs and academic personnel processes, including faculty appointments, renewals, visiting scholars, lecturers, adjuncts, faculty reviews, reappointments, promotions, and tenure-related processes.
• Manage timelines, track required materials, support dossier preparation, and ensure faculty affairs processes are completed in accordance with A&S and Provostial procedures.
• Maintain confidential faculty and academic personnel records and ensure appropriate document management.
• Provide administrative and operational support for faculty searches, ARC reviews, retirement conferences, faculty events, and other faculty-related initiatives.
• Support academic search administration, including external advertising, candidate materials, interview logistics, committee support, and related search communications.
• Coordinate instructional and faculty support needs, including desk copies, review copies, course-related materials, and other teaching and research support requests.
• Track faculty leaves, sabbaticals, departmental service assignments, office assignments, and related space needs in coordination with the DAAF and department Chairs.
• Maintain faculty-related web content for two departments, including biographies, publications, interviews, announcements, and other academic updates.
• Support faculty, Chairs, committees, and departmental leadership with academic operations, communications, and administrative follow-up.

HR Operations

• Manage HR and payroll transactions for full-time faculty, adjuncts, lecturers, associates, student officers, casual employees, and Federal Work Study students.
• Coordinate PAC processing, track transaction status, resolve issues, and liaise with A&S HR and other University offices to ensure timely and accurate processing.
• Provide guidance to faculty, staff, and students on applicable HR, payroll, appointment, and personnel procedures in coordination with the DAAF.
• Maintain records related to appointments, hires, payroll transactions, and other personnel actions to support accuracy, compliance, and continuity.

Financial Administration

• Support financial administration for Philosophy, French and Romance Philology, and Maison Française, including account tracking, expense monitoring, transaction review, and financial documentation.
• Serve as Initial Reviewer, initiate ITFs, review supporting documentation, monitor transaction status, and liaise with the A&S Finance Team to resolve financial issues.
• Identify and resolve routine financial discrepancies, escalate complex matters as appropriate, and support accurate recordkeeping for departmental accounts.
• Provide guidance to faculty, staff, and students on applicable financial, purchasing, reimbursement, and administrative procedures.

Events, Communications, and Programming

• Plan and manage departmental events and academic programming, including workshops, lectures, student programming, receptions, retirement conferences, and faculty events in two departments.
• Oversee event logistics, including guest travel, reimbursements, announcements, promotional materials, guest access, photography, calendar management, and website updates.
• Coordinate with the DAAF, Chairs, faculty committees, speakers, vendors, and University partners to ensure events are planned and executed effectively.
• Maintain departmental event calendars and support communications related to academic programming and departmental activities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and or a minimum of one year of related experience. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in an academic environment.
• Knowledge of university academic systems and procedures.

Other Requirements

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to exercise professionalism, diplomacy, discretion, firmness, and collaboration with individuals at all levels.
• Strong multitasking, prioritization, and organization skills, with the ability to manage priorities in an interactive team environment.
• Self-starter and fast learner who can work independently under limited supervision, making sound day-to-day decisions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Drive.
• Capacity to quickly acquire detailed knowledge of university policies, procedures, and systems.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

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