Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Salary Range: $160,000-$200,000

Position Summary

Dual reporting to the Chief of Staff & the Vice Provost for Campus Integration , the Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives provides leadership, planning, and oversight for key academic, administrative, and institutional initiatives within the Office of the Provost. The Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives collaborates with senior leadership, deans, faculty, and administrative units to advance the University's academic mission and strategic priorities.

The incumbent leads the development, coordination, and implementation of programs, policies, and processes that support academic excellence and institutional effectiveness. The role requires expert judgment, strong relationship management, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage complex projects in a highly decentralized academic environment.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Oversight

• Provide leadership and direction for Provost Office initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Develop, manage, and monitor strategic goals, workflows, shared priorities, and resource allocation.
• Identify risks, opportunities, and solutions related to academic or administrative projects.
• Collaborate with university-wide and school-based academic and administrative leadership.
• Mentor, support, and supervise team members, fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.

Cross Campus Initiatives

• Partner with Deans and Vice Deans across Columbia's schools to identify, design, establish, and support collaborative non degree programs.
• Work with stakeholder partners in HR, EVPR, Offices of Research and others to enact efficiencies and support the research infrastructure. Outline and enact ideas for process improvement.
• Support Columbia Connects, the initiative to foster cross-campus faculty engagement and collaboration. Design and support multi-tiered venues for engagement.

Faculty Governance and Academic Leadership

• Serve as liaison to standing and ad hoc faculty committees, councils, and working groups.
• Provide senior level support for decanal programs and initiatives.
• Design content and prepare materials for the Committee on Academic Affairs of the Board of Trustees and help to direct and coordinate meetings of the committee.
• Ensure engagement of center, institute, and central programs leadership in Provost's Office discussions and planning.
• Conduct research and collect, analyze, and synthesize information from internal and external sources to guide program design, decision-making, and strategic planning.
• Develop and document processes, best practices, and templates.

Meetings, Events & Communications

• Oversee planning of high-level meetings, retreats, and events involving senior faculty and administrators.
• Ensure clear, timely communication for initiatives, programs, and strategic priorities.
• Lead creation of reports, web content, presentations, and other materials for internal and external audiences.
• Represent the Provost's Office in meetings, committees, and cross-unit collaborations.
• Prepare reports and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Partner with institutional research and other units on data collection, validation, and visualization.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Support emergent academic issues, policy inquiries, special projects, and institution-wide initiatives.
• Manage operational workflows, calendars, and procedures; provide oversight of financial processes; and support hiring, training, and supervision of staff, interns, or consultants.
• Ensure adherence to confidentiality, compliance, and university protocols.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• 8 to 10 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, nonprofit administration, public service, or related areas.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, lead teams, and work collaboratively across diverse units.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion when working with confidential or sensitive information.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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