Senior Center Administrator

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Jerome L. Greene Science Center
• Salary Range: $100,000 – $121,400

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together world-class scientists across academic disciplines conducting pioneering research to transform our understanding of how the brain works – and gives rise to mind and behavior. The Institute fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment across 50+ labs, advancing insights into human health by exploring how the brain develops, performs, endures and recovers.

At the Zuckerman Institute, we are committed to becoming a more inclusive, equitable and diverse place of scientific discovery and support a culture of respect. Promoting diversity in science will help drive the transformative science that can change the world.

Situated in the Jerome L. Greene Science Center on Columbia’s Manhattanville campus, the state-of-the-art building offers an environment where the highest level of scholarly scientific research takes place on a daily basis, with the benefit of being located in the heart of New York, one of the world’s most vibrant and culturally rich cities.

The Zuckerman Institute is seeking a highly qualified Senior Center Administrator to oversee programmatic and administrative operations for the Center for Theoretical Neuroscience (CTN) and the Mark Churchland Lab. The incumbent will work closely with the CTN’s Directors and Center Faculty on matters relating to finance, programs, and general operations and must possess financial management and budget experience. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment under minimal supervision. They must be able to demonstrate excellent judgment, a high degree of discretion and diplomacy, problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate and work effectively with a diverse population of researchers and administrators.

Responsibilities

Finance and HR:

• Manage the Center’s budget including but not limited to: building multi-year projections, track spending and effort distributions/payroll, quarterly and annual closings, internal audits, procurement and reimbursement.
• Maintain accurate and complete records to meet fiduciary responsibility and comply with audit requirements; support and monitor research related activities to ensure compliance with the University and funding agency regulations.
• Work closely with ZI’s finance teams, the Neuroscience department, and various units across the university to make sure faculty and trainees are charged under the appropriate funding sources.
• Assist faculty and fellows with grant applications, budgets, and reporting.
• Work closely with ZI’s HR team on hiring, renewing, and terminating postdocs, research assistants, student researchers, and visiting scholars; manage Postdoc and ARS contracts, annual check-ins, and visa needs.
• Under the direction of faculty, help with setting salaries for Postdocs and pay rates for temporary research assistants; reviews and approves timesheets and absences in Time Labor Absences Management (TLAM) for research staff.

Programs/Events:

• Under the direction of the Center’s faculty, help develop and implement new and ongoing academic activities, programs, and events and work closely with the lab coordinator, trainee organizers, and other relevant parties to ensure the Center’s activities are carried out as planned and within budget.
• Oversee the Center’s activities including hosting short and long visiting scholars (visa arrangements, financial support if necessary, building access, etc.), organize end to end logistics for seminar speakers.
• Handle special events and needs for various foundations.

General Support:

• Oversee administrative operations to ensure a high-functioning Center, including but not limited to: adequate hard/soft/cloud ware, access to computing resources, space management and access, maintain archives and databases.
• Supervise the Lab Coordinator on day-to-day operations.
• Serve as the Liaison for various ZI departments for various types of support including Events, Development, IT, and the Facilities/Operations teams.
• Oversee group communications including website maintenance, publications list, and publicizing events, and organize social events for the Center.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent in education and experience, plus four 4 – 6 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated history of progressive responsibility, preferably in academia or a research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• Familiarity with Columbia’s finance and HR systems is strongly preferred.
• Highly proficient with financial/database applications such as Excel and Google Sheets; Strong analytical skills preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and work effectively with a diverse population of faculty, staff and students; experienced in the supervision of administrative and support staff personnel.
• Understanding of the evolving academic scientific environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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