Assistant Director, Operations

Columbia University in the City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in the City of New York is seeking an Assistant Director, Operations for Disability Services to oversee day-to-day operations, staffing, and accommodations for students, visitors, and campus community members. The role partners with senior leadership to implement accessible services and ensure compliance across FERPA, ADA, and 504 standards.

The position requires supervising student staff, coordinating exams, updating the DS website, and collaborating with IT and HR.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, higher education administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of related experience in a higher education setting.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and administrative skills.
• Proficiency with scheduling systems and data reporting tools.
• Experience supervising student staff and coordinating accommodations.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate implementation of accommodations and accessible services for students and campus members.
• Coordinate exam accommodations during peak periods; assist with proctoring logistics.
• Maintain and update the Disability Services website with current information.
• Collaborate with IT to ensure staff technical needs are met.
• Supervise front desk operations and provide training for staff.
• Oversee procurement and inventory for accommodations supplies.

Skills

Operations management

Staff supervision

Onboarding

Data reporting

Communication

Compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education

Master’s degree in education administration

Tools

Scheduling software

Student information databases

Qualtrics

Microsoft Office

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Wien Hall
• Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

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 Assistant Director, Operations plays a critical role in supporting the day-to-day operational and administrative functions of Disability Services (DS). The Assistant Director partners closely with the Associate Director, Operations and Disability Services senior leadership across functional teams to facilitate the implementation of a wide range of accommodations and accessible services for students, campus community members, and visitors with disabilities.

The Assistant Director is responsible for scheduling and supervising student casual and temporary staff; supporting front desk operations across all Disability Services locations; coordinating onboarding and ensuring all DS staff complete assigned compliance training; collaborating with Health Communications to update and maintain the DS website; working with IT to ensure staff technical needs are met; and assisting with exam accommodation logistics during peak periods. In the absence of the Associate Director, Operations, this role assumes supervisory responsibility for support staff and serves as the key point of contact for Disability Services operational functions. The incumbent works closely with the Associate Director, Operations in the oversight of the electronic database system.

This is an essential on‑site role that requires work outside of normal business hours to ensure continuity of services and responsiveness to urgent needs. Some hybrid work options may be considered. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Responsibilities

Operations and Administration (50%)

• In partnership with the Associate Director, Operations, facilitate implementation of a wide range of accommodations and accessible services for students, campus community members, and visitors with disabilities, including lab and studio assistants, accessible classroom furniture, proctoring services, and campus access support for events and programs.
• Assist with the administration and operational logistics of exam accommodations during peak operational periods, including midterms and finals.
• Collaborate with Health Communications to update and maintain the Disability Services website with accurate and current information regarding services and availability.
• Work with IT to ensure that staff technical needs are met and that systems supporting accommodation delivery are functional and up to date.
• Support the Associate Director, Operations in monitoring and evaluating the departmental electronic database system; assist with data reporting and process improvement as needed.
• In the absence of the Associate Director, Operations, intercede to assist students presenting at the front desk with urgent concerns, escalating to other senior staff as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain data and document management systems (data entry/metrics tracking) to monitor usage and trends to help inform operations and compliance.
• Assist with service-related complaints and concerns; provide appropriate follow-up with students and Disability Services staff, and document the disposition of complaints.
• Oversee centralized procurement and inventory management for Disability Services accommodations and related supplies.

Scheduling and Staffing (30%)

• Ensure adequate coverage of all front desk spaces, including Wien Hall and the Havemeyer Testing Center, at all times.
• Assist the Associate Director, Operations in creating, managing, monitoring, and revising staff schedules in response to staff absences, vacancies, and changing departmental demands.
• Manage schedule revisions necessitated by unanticipated absences and events, ensuring continuity of service across all Disability Services locations.
• Assist with office assignments and remote/hybrid work schedules in partnership with the Associate Director, Operations.
• Work with the Associate Director, Operations, to support the annual recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of approximately 150 student casual and temporary staff who assist in the coordination of accommodations, including proctors, accommodation assistants, scribes, readers, sign‑language interpreters, and lab assistants.
• Maintain and monitor systems to ensure training compliance for all staff, including student casual and temporary staff.
• Conduct initial and ongoing staff training to ensure courteous and appropriate response to students with acute and significant accommodation needs; monitor and ensure staff participation in mandatory, continuing education, and other required trainings.

Onboarding and Orientation Support (10%)

• In partnership with the Associate Director, Operations, facilitate aspects of Disability Services departmental orientation and onboarding for all newly hired staff, including consultants, student casuals, and temporary staff.
• Collaborate with Disability Services senior managers, Columbia Health Human Resources, and University partners to support a thorough and consistent onboarding experience.

Supervision (5%)

• In the absence of the Associate Director, Operations, supervise Health Services Assistants (HSAs) and other support staff.
• Guide front desk staff in providing courteous, responsive, and high-quality service in compliance with Columbia Health and University policies, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, higher education administration, special education, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 4 years related experience.
• Proven organizational, interpersonal, and administrative skills, with demonstrated leadership ability.
• Strong computer proficiency, including experience with student/client information databases, electronic scheduling systems, and related administrative platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in administrative, personnel management, and supervision within a complex organizational setting.
• Proactive and innovative problem-solving and evaluation ability with demonstrated capacity to identify operational needs and implement improvements to ensure smooth operational functioning.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to navigate challenging or sensitive in-person interactions with professionalism and care.
• Demonstrable cultural competence; ability to work effectively with staff and students across various identities and backgrounds.
• Substantial flexibility and capacity to manage a high-volume workload, balance competing priorities, and respond effectively to multiple stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, higher education administration, special education, or a closely related field.
• Experience working in a disability services or student health setting in higher education.
• Knowledge of and experience with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and their application in higher education.
• Familiarity with federal, state, and local disability compliance laws and their implications for higher education institutions.
• Experience managing student, casual, or temporary staff in an operational or scheduling context.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite and data/survey tools such as Qualtrics.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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