Assistant Director, Communications & Operations

NAFSA: Association of International Educators; New York (NY); On-site; USD 68,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University’s Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) seeks a dynamic Assistant Director to lead outreach, digital marketing, and data systems. This role manages multi-channel campaigns, data analytics, and coordinated events to elevate global opportunities across the Columbia community.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the position emphasizes collaboration with central marketing, data stewardship, and ongoing program improvement through dashboards and reports.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent related experience required.
• 2–4 years of relevant experience in marketing, communications, or higher education operations.
• Demonstrated experience with higher education technology platforms (e.g., Terra Dotta, VIA TRM, Salesforce, or similar CRM/study abroad software).
• Strong data management skills, including proficiency in Excel and experience building reports/dashboards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a keen eye for detail.

Responsibilities

• Campaign Strategy & Execution: Lead the development and implementation of multi-channel marketing strategies to promote global programs and boost student participation.
• Content Development: Drive the editorial calendar and create high-quality collateral across digital and print mediums, including newsletters, social media, web content, and digital signage.
• Brand Identity & Outreach Liaison: Serve as the main point of contact for communications between program teams and the University's central marketing and communications offices.
• Performance Tracking: Maintain campaign analytics, generate regular progress reports, and optimize marketing efforts based on data-driven insights.
• Event Logistics: Develop and maintain annual events calendar and coordinate logistics for internal and external UGE events.

Skills

Marketing

Communications

Data management

Excel

Data analytics

Content development

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Terra Dotta

Salesforce

ARC/FDS

VIA TRM

Tableau

Job description

Assistant Director, Communications & Operations

Employer: Columbia University

Location: New York City, New York

Salary Range: $68,000 - $75,000 Annually

Job Closing Date: Oct 17, 2026

Specialty: Marketing, Operations, Partnerships & Outreach

Position Type: Assistant Director

Hours: Full-time

Employment Type: Permanent

Organization Type: College / University

Position Summary: The Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) seeks a dynamic, detail-oriented professional to drive our outreach, digital marketing, and data systems. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is responsible for executing multi-channel marketing campaigns, managing data analytics and reporting systems (including Terra Dotta and Salesforce), and supporting the coordination of key events to elevate UGE’s global opportunities across the Columbia community.

Marketing & Strategic Communications

• Campaign Strategy & Execution: Lead the development and implementation of multi-channel marketing strategies to promote global programs and boost student participation.
• Content Development: Drive the editorial calendar and create high-quality collateral across digital and print mediums, including newsletters, social media, web content, and digital signage.
• Brand Identity & Outreach Liaison: Act as the main point of contact for communications between program teams and the University's central marketing and communications offices. Maintain alignment with established branding protocols, ensuring that all UGE marketing collateral consistently represents the official identity.
• Performance Tracking: Maintain campaign analytics, generate regular progress reports, and continuously optimize marketing efforts based on data-driven insights.

Event Planning & Coordination

• Event Logistics: Develop and maintain annual events calendar. Coordinate logistics for internal and external UGE events (e.g., study abroad fairs, info sessions, orientation workshops) in collaboration with internal teams and vendors.
• Event Promotion: Build and execute targeted promotional campaigns to drive attendance, leveraging email, social media, and university event calendars.
• Central Events Coordination: Ensure UGE events are communicated to internal and external stakeholders. Serve as the central point of contact and coordinator for external events that require staff input, engagement, and/or participation.

Data Management, Analytics & Assessment

• Systems Management: Assist in the administration, customization, and maintenance of key higher education technical applications, specifically Terra Dotta, Salesforce Advisor Link, and ARC/FDS.
• Reporting & Dashboards: Design and maintain routine reports and interactive dashboards to support departmental decision-making, trend analysis, and leadership reporting.
• Program Evaluation: Develop and deploy survey instruments and program evaluations; collate, analyze, and distribute findings to drive continuous program improvement.
• Data Stewardship: Establish and maintain a centralized repository for UGE program data, ensuring data integrity and streamline ad-hoc reporting requests.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent related experience required.
• 2–4 years of relevant experience in marketing, communications, or higher education operations.
• Demonstrated experience with higher education technology platforms (e.g., Terra Dotta, VIA TRM, Salesforce, or similar CRM/study abroad software).
• Strong data management skills, including proficiency in Excel and experience building reports/dashboards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a keen eye for detail.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience studying, living, or working abroad, or a background in international higher education.
• Familiarity with Columbia University central systems (ARC/FDS) or academic workflows.
• Experience with data visualization applications, business intelligence and analytics Software such as Tableau.

Other responsibilities as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent related experience required.
• 2–4 years of relevant experience in marketing, communications, or higher education operations.
• Demonstrated experience with higher education technology platforms (e.g., Terra Dotta, VIA TRM, Salesforce, or similar CRM/study abroad software).
• Strong data management skills, including proficiency in Excel and experience building reports/dashboards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a keen eye for detail.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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

The Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement The Columbia University Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) develops, coordinates, implements, and collaborates with other units at Columbia to support academic and co-curricular opportunities--including study abroad, global internships, global service-learning, global research and global courses on campus and abroad—for global learning and engagement for all undergraduates during their Columbia University journey; and works closely with faculty in their global research and teaching to ensure visibility and access to opportunities that build global awareness and the accomplishment of global competencies. UGE enhances access and support for undergraduates to global opportunities and brings students and faculty together in a central location that creates a hub of global activity at Columbia, allowing students to better connect and learn about potential programs; faculty and staff to share their global and regional expertise and advice; and for the collaborative development, implementation and assessment of new and existing undergraduate global programs and opportunities for global engagement across Columbia and around the world.