Assistant Director, Facilities, IT and Operations

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $72,000 - $75,000

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

University Life is a central division that works with Columbia's 17 schools and colleges and serves as a student life hub. We are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive campus culture where students can thrive in all dimensions of their lives. We focus on connecting students to each other, to the broader University and surrounding community, and to opportunities beyond their schools.

University Life was created to develop and enhance the student experience at Columbia University. Working in collaboration with students, faculty, and staff, University Life focuses on enhancing the student experience by strengthening resources, policies, and conversations, and building 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

Reporting to the Executive Director, Administration and Operations (ED), the Assistant Director of Facilities, IT, and Operations, will manage the operations of a multi-building portfolio, including management of facilities, space planning, capital projects, IT and business services. University Life currently occupies spaces in Philosophy Hall, Kent Hall, Watson Hall, 3078 Broadway and oversees the entire buildings of Earl Hall and St. Paul's Chapel.

The incumbent will be a hands-on manager assisting the division's Administration and Operations team in determining and documenting policies and procedures, creating opportunities to improve service, and assisting in change management efforts. The incumbent will have operational oversight and in-depth technical expertise for the IT infrastructure of the division. The Assistant Director is highly visible within the division and will engage with staff, students and faculty at all levels of the organization. The incumbent will work closely with the ED to manage and execute capital and maintenance projects.

Strong internal candidate has been identified.

Responsibilities

Facilities Management:

• Oversee the day-to-day facilities and maintenance needs for the division.
• Works closely with the ED, to assist with providing long-range planning establishing priorities for facilities maintenance and repairs.
• Oversee the work-order ticketing process for the division to successfully address/escalate requests.
• Track reports and provide data analysis for all work performed within the division.
• Proactively monitor and maintain workspace, events and classroom conditions.
• Identify and address building security and safety issues.
• Serve as a liaison to the CU Facilities teams that maintain and improve all of our spaces.
• Manage and conduct regular inspection/review of all spaces and work with the ED in overseeing plans for building maintenance and improvements.
• Oversee swipe access controls and key access to the University Life varied spaces.
• Meet regularly with admin managers in each ULife building/department on facility issues.
• Attend monthly CU Facilities' production meetings.

Space Planning, Capital and Non-Capital Renovation Projects:

• Supports the ED to lead renovation and alteration of all University Life spaces including project management.
• Collaborates with the ED as point person and general contractor for non-capital projects, including securing cost estimates, managing budgets, and coordinating work with CU Facilities and Operations.
• Work closely with the ED and CU Facilities teams for all capital/refresh projects.
• Perform needs assessments and strategically identifies growth impacts and opportunities.
• Manage storage space and work with stakeholders to identify needs and appropriate storage options.

IT Management:

• Collaborates with the ED, who leads the planning, design, implementation, and maintenance of the division's IT infrastructure, including network systems, servers, storage, virtual and cloud platform.
• Work closely with CUIT to ensure the stability, scalability, security, and performance of the IT infrastructure to meet business needs and industry standards for the division.
• Compliance - Ensure existing policies and procedures are adequate and being followed consistently throughout the division and establish new ones as needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement innovative technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support business objectives.
• Establish and maintain IT processes, ticketing systems, and service-level agreements.
• Develop and implement asset management strategies and policies to effectively track, maintain, and optimize the division's technology assets.
• Establish processes for procurement, deployment, retirement, and disposal of IT assets in compliance with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Oversee vendor relationships and contracts related to IT infrastructure and asset management.
• Coordinate with an extensive stakeholder network including CU Facilities and Operations, CU Compliance, Public Safety, CU Real Estate, CUIT, internal departments such as SPS, other clients, professional consultants/contractors, etc.
• Partner with Public Safety, Facilities and CUIT to identify safety concerns and implement measures to support the division and its stakeholders.

Business Services:

• Manage vendor service contracts and facilities service requests for the division.
• Manage in-house A/V equipment and support to the division and clients as needed.
• Oversee mail services, on-site vendors and contractors, procurement and inventory control of needed devices, equipment and supplies.
• Maintain policies and procedures and disseminate information to stakeholders in a timely manner.

Other Responsibilities:

• Supervise part-time variable hours officers and student employees.
• Work closely with the ED to determine the annual facilities budget and provide input on budget needs for all appropriate projects.
• Works with University Life Finance to track spending, monitor projections on approved budgets for all Facilities, IT and A/V expenses and projects.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or its equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years related experience.
• Impeccable attention to detail.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with project management budgeting, forecasting and expense analysis.
• Ability to work closely and effectively with a diverse group of University staff and students, is essential.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and work independently.
• Must be capable of working independently; take initiative and follow-through on assignments with minimal direction.
• Must be a relationship builder and work throughout all levels of the organization.
• Experience in troubleshooting complex issues with desktops, laptops and tablets.
• Hands-on technical support experience and knowledge in Office 365 hybrid setup with exchange online as well as Desktops, Servers, and other infrastructure Firewall policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Experience working in higher education or non-profit organizations.
• Solid background in Facilities/building, IT, and/or audio-visual management is a plus.
• The right candidate is patient, solutions-oriented, and enjoys working with others to build community and coordinate efforts across multiple campus partners to complete projects.
• Exercises sound judgment and maintains a sense of humor and enjoys working in a dynamic environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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

Commitment to Diversity

Columbia University is dedicated to increasing diversity in its workforce, its student body, and its educational programs. Achieving continued academic excellence and creating a vibrant university community require nothing less. In fulfilling its mission to advance diversity at the University, Columbia seeks to hire, retain, and promote exceptionally talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.