Faculty Affairs Generalist

Columbia University; New York (NY); On-site; USD 69,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in the City of the City of New York is seeking a Faculty Affairs Generalist in our School of Professional Studies. You will manage faculty recruitment, onboarding, payroll processing, and compliance with university policy, working closely with internal stakeholders and external partners.

You will coordinate data for course planning, support visa sponsorship, and contribute to program evaluation while handling sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent is required.
• Minimum 2 years of related experience in HR or a related field.
• Strong service mindset and organizational abilities are essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist faculty recruitment with posting positions and screening applications.
• Support onboarding, including letters, UNIs, and file management.
• Handle payroll processes and PeopleSoft transactions.
• Ensure compliance with CU policies, FERPA, and visa sponsorship where needed.
• Support assessment data collection and reporting to program leads.
• Manage special projects and coordinate with department leadership.

Skills

Service oriented

Interpersonal skills

Organized

Detail oriented

Professionalism

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Databases

Advanced spreadsheet skills

Job description

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $69,000 - $74,000

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

Reporting to the Associate Director, Faculty Affairs, the Faculty Affairs Generalist (Generalist) supports all Faculty Affairs operations and functions in the School of Professional Studies, which serves as the HR arm for the Academic Affairs division within the School. The Generalist manages the hiring/appointment process of all faculty and non-faculty academic appointments and liaises with internal and external constituents to resolve payroll related issues.

The Generalist also provides support for essential core functions within the Academic Services & Innovation unit of the school's Academic Affairs division pertaining to the recruitment and assessment of top-tier scholar-practitioners who have distinguished themselves as exceptional educators, subject-matter experts, and industry leaders.

Responsibilities

Recruitment

• Assists Faculty Recruitment & Planning department with the recruitment of faculty by posting positions using TalentLink, SmartRecruiters, and LinkedIn, in addition to posting in outside advertising sources.
• Reviews applications for qualifications and sends candidates to hiring managers.
• Communicates with new hires and program teams to ensure a smooth onboarding experience.
• Compiling data on part-time faculty demographics and diversity to inform faculty staffing.

Onboarding

• Responsible for onboarding faculty and those serving in a non-faculty academic capacity which includes the creation of appointment letters, UNIs, and employee files; additional responsibilities may include managing the background check process for Pre-College instructors.
• Contacts new faculty to collect required information and paperwork (e.g. tax forms, personal information form, etc.).
• Responds to faculty inquiries regarding paperwork, salary, and Columbia UNI/email, and ID cards.

Payroll and PeopleSoft Process Management

• Assists academic programs within SPS to update and maintain annual Course Planning documents for Masters, non-degree programs, ALP, Pre-college, and Summer Sessions.
• Responsible for the preparation and processing of faculty payroll, including the processing of any employment related changes in PeopleSoft.
• Liaises with internal and external constituents to resolve issues and to ensure timely processing of new-hire/appointment, reappointment, termination and other related transactions.
• Manages submission and approval process of timesheets for hourly student employees.
• Assists Finance team with payroll reconciliation at the close of each term.

Compliance

• Determines teaching eligibility for all identified faculty, in accordance with CU policy and obtain additional approvals when required (i.e. when appointing an Officer of Admin/Research).
• Responsible for partnering with ISSO to sponsor appropriate visa for faculty.
• Tracks and ensures compliance concerning I-9 processing, COVID-19 Safety & Monitoring program, Conflict of Interest, FERPA.
• Works with Provost's Office, HR, and A&S Academic Affairs to ensure compliance with University policy and employment laws for all academic appointments.
• Responsible for effectively communicating policy updates with faculty and administrators, anticipating problems and suggesting potential solutions to ensure compliance.

Assessment

• Assists the Faculty Assessment & Development department with the cleaning, coding, and transmission of data from student evaluations as well as other faculty performance measurement mechanisms.
• Pulling and organizing data from 3rd week and end of semester course evaluations so that it can be transmitted to Program Directors and other key stakeholders.
• Coordinating semesterly meetings with Program teams to review faculty performance metrics.

Systems and Project Work

• Manage special projects as designated by departmental leadership.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED OR REQURESTED

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent required
• 2 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum two years of related experience in human resources or related field

Other Requirements

• Must have a strong service oriented attitude and excellent interpersonal skills
• Must be resourceful, organized and detail and task oriented with the ability to establish priorities and follow up on multiple issues in a time-sensitive manner
• Skilled at working under pressure and with minimal supervision and sound independent judgment required
• Ability to exercise a high degree of professionalism, diplomacy, discretion, firmness, and collaboration in dealing with individuals at all levels
• Strong analytical and tenacious problem-solving skills necessary
• Excellent computer skills including thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office, including knowledge of databases and advanced spreadsheet skills required
• Must be able to quickly acquire knowledge of University policies, procedures, and systems

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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