Position Summary The Roger Lehecka Double Discovery Center (DDC) at Columbia College works with low-income and first-generation college bound youth between the ages of 12 and 27 to ensure their high school graduation, college access & enrollment, and college persistence and completion to support productive transition into responsible adulthood. Reporting to the Executive Director, the incumbent will provide leadership and oversight for the Center's fiscal and administrative functions as well as data management and analytics. The individual works closely with the Executive Director to develop, implement, and monitor efficient, high-functioning financial and data management infrastructures to support Double Discovery's mission-driven programs and practices in sustainable ways. S/he serves as part of a seven-person senior leadership team (along with two Program Assistant Directors, Assistant Director of Healthy Minds and Bodies, Pedagogical Specialist, Development Officer, and Executive Director) that assumes responsibility for data-informed strategic decision-making across the organization. The Finance & Analytics Manager will also hold a joint reporting relationship to Columbia College Office of the Dean via the Associate Dean of Administration and work closely with the College's shared services teams to provide quality core administrative functions so that Double Discovery can focus on its mission of supporting DDC students and other key constituencies. This work will be carried out with the premise of shared accountability for the effective and efficient use of the College's resources. The incumbent supervises the Administrative Coordinator. THIS IS A GRANT-FUNDED POSITION. CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IN THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON ONGOING SUFFICIENT FUNDING.
Responsibilities Financial Management: - Serves as lead for the Executive Director on budget and financial issues.
- Works with the Executive Director to develop, implement and verify standard financial and operational practices and structures including record-keeping that are aligned with University, Columbia College, and external sponsor standards. This will support data-driven decision-making through effective development, analysis, and monitoring of budgetary activities for a nearly $2 million annual budget. Works with Columbia College Finance to ensure consistency of policies and best practices across the College.
- Drafts the budget submission and reviews with Executive Director and Senior Associate Dean of Administration & Planning to finalize prior to presentation to Columbia College Finance. Assists with periodic re-forecasting as needed.
- Approves requisitions, journal vouchers, travel and business expense reports, and other financial accounting transactions for the unit; Works with Columbia College Finance and other departments to problem solve issues and clarify processes as needed. Audits and approves Center-wide procurement and financial transactions.
- Prepares and presents monthly, quarterly, as well as ad hoc reports, to track program expenditures as well as revenue; and to analyze budget versus actual reporting for each revenue source.
- Creates budget tools that provide expense and revenue data on programmatic and activity levels.
- Assists the Executive Director and the Development Officer in the coordination, receipt, and reconciliation of grant, donation, and scholarship revenue.
- Prepares financial proposals and reports to support the Center's grant submissions and awards. Works closely with the Executive Director, Columbia College Finance, and the University's Sponsored Projects office on the administration of grants.
- Manages annual fiscal year closing process and ensures accurate filings as needed.
- Performs and presents trend analysis and forecasting of major revenue and expense areas to allow for more efficient financial and programmatic decision-making by identifying potential for shortfalls.
- Attends Columbia College Shared Services financial meetings every quarter and communicates financial policy changes, deadlines, and system updates to the department.
- Works with DDC leadership to identify and onboard new staff, instructors, and student employees with Columbia College HR. Also providing training on departmental systems and policies as needed.
- Makes recommendations to prevent incorrect variances as well as other business actions, including development activities, based on the outcome of financial analyses to ensure the financial health of organization.
- Implements, communicates and manages Center's financial procedures and financial controls in accordance with the policies and practices of the University, Columbia College, and external sponsors. Supports responses required for any audit requirements. Complies with University, federal, sponsor, policies and regulations in submission of documentation.
- Primary point of contact for financial matters between Columbia College, affiliates and external agencies. Participates in College and University initiatives to improve financial accountability at the Center.
Data Management & Analytics: - Works with the Executive Director to leverage a data-driven approach to problem solving across all areas (e.g. financial, development, and programmatic) of the Center.
- Collaborates with Executive Director in the design of a comprehensive set of research-based metrics and measurements to define success for initiatives and programs; and tracks the Center's data on specific metrics that inform external sponsor and other reporting requirements.
- Oversees data practices and implements data management protocol to ensure data quality and accuracy of analytics and reporting as well as data security levels and access to data.
- Collaborates with the Executive Director to design Center's data dashboards and reports for different stakeholders and distributes accordingly in timely fashion.
- Supports the development of stakeholders' capacity to effectively understand and use data dashboards.
- Participates in brainstorming new processes, reports and analytics with various stakeholders (e.g. staff, partner schools, partner community-based organizations, DDC's Board of Friends) to facilitate meaningful communications about progress - including areas of success and areas of challenge.
- Works strategically to provide analysis of need for developing and expanding plans and programs.
- Assists the Executive Director in the review of data platforms and the Center's data migration to Columbia College's CRM platform.
- Works with Leadership team to design feedback and course registration surveys in Qualtrics and processes, including the migration of survey data to and from other data systems (e.g. Kinvolved, Blumen, etc.).
Administration: - Assists with the implementation, monitoring, and refinement of the strategic business plan for the Center.
- Collaborates with colleagues on the design of implementation roadmaps that include clear milestones, work streams, and owners.
- Identifies, recommends, and implements changes to administrative processes and procedures to improve workflows. Creates and maintains up-to-date documentation of procedures (e.g. Center's procedure manuals, data management protocol, etc.).
- Supervises the department's Finance & Administrative Assistant.
- Meets regularly with Finance & Administrative Asst. to outline yearly goals for the Finance and Admin team, and weekly tasks in support of the Center's programmatic objectives.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree required.
- At least 5 years of fiscal and/or data management experience reflecting a successful record of accomplishment and a history of increased responsibility in support of an operating budget of at nearly $2.0 million.
**Applications submitted without a resume and cover letter will not be reviewed**
Preferred Qualifications - Demonstrated experience in strategic financial planning to inform organizational decision-making from revenue and expense perspectives.
- Demonstrated proficiency with database management; software (e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel - including pivot tables; Power BI; Qualtrics; Salesforce; etc.); and internet navigation/research.
- Strong data management skills and capacity to tell a visual story with your data and support non-technical stakeholders.
- Ability to leverage a data-driven approach to problem solving across all multiple areas (e.g. financial, development, and programmatic) of an organization's operations.
- Demonstrated organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to clearly articulate persuasive arguments in writing and orally to motivate and influence people.
- Demonstrated effective project management skills, including ability to be flexible, to manage multiple projects as well as to prioritize competing and shifting demands/needs of stakeholders in a highly collaborative environment.
- Consistently strong track-record of reliably creating effective and accurate deliverables/work products in timely fashion to meet deadlines.
- Well-developed collaborative skills as evidenced by ability to work as part of a team with a strong initiative to drive forward project goals that are data-informed.
- A passionate commitment to expanding opportunities, particularly college access and persistence, for low-income and first-generation college-bound students as well as students of color.
- Strong preference for related financial analysis or operations experience in higher education, non-profit, and/or complex organization.
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents. |
