Director, Research Operations - Military Veterans

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $155,000 - $175,000

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

The Research Operations Director will oversee the Division of General Medicine's pre- and post-award financial and managerial activities. Reporting to the Divisional Administrator and with a dotted line to the Department???s Chief Administrative Research Officer, this role will manage the Pre- and Post-Award Team, ensuring efficient operations and compliance with university and sponsor regulations. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, a keen eye for detail, and a deep understanding of research administration.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the development and implementation of divisional budgets, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and financial sustainability.
• Monitor and analyze financial performance, identifying variances and recommending corrective actions.
• Prepare accurate and timely financial reports, including expense reports, budget projections, and reconciliations.
• Ensure compliance with university and sponsor regulations, including effort reporting and subcontract management.
• Recruit, hire, and develop a high-performing team of research administrators.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment that promotes professional growth and teamwork.
• Provide guidance and support to faculty and staff on research administration processes and policies.
• Streamline and optimize pre- and post-award processes to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
• Implement robust financial controls and quality assurance measures to minimize risk.
• Stay informed of evolving regulations and industry best practices to ensure compliance and strategic decision-making.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in education and experience, plus four years of relevant and related experience including supervisory experience
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage a complex financial operation with sound analytical abilities
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience in an academic medical center
• Independent, self-starter requiring limited supervision and able to work through complex issues, elevating as appropriate
• Ability to navigate complex databases, as well as to learn and assist in teaching new systems entailing large amounts of data
• Experience creating financial models and databases
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and demonstrated experience accessing, using and consolidating data from a variety of sources

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in finance, business administration or related field.
• Knowledge of CUIMC financial systems.

Other Requirements

• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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