Assistant Director of Professional Development & Leadership

Columbia University
United States, New York, New York
Sep 19, 2025
Job Type: Officer of Administration Bargaining Unit: Regular/Temporary: Regular End Date if Temporary: Hours Per Week: 35 Standard Work Schedule: Building: Salary Range: $73,000 to $82,000 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 of Professional Development & Leadership (PDL) oversees the administration and execution of our flagship PDL Program. This includes: (1) manage all aspects of the professional development and leadership program, focusing on process improvement and innovation; (2) manage and execute over 250 professional development sessions annually for master's, doctoral, and undergraduate students; (3) manage the enrollment of the PDL courses, including attendance at individual sessions; (4) recruit, on-board and evaluate/assess the session quality for all instructors. The Assistant Director of PDL collaborates across student-facing units to deliver quality support to all Columbia Engineering students. Responsibilities Professional Development and Leadership (75%)- Manage operations of the PDL Team to execute the school-wide PDL program, including the required MS course (ENGIE4000), Doctoral courses (ENGIE6001-4), and workshops for PDL Fellows, doctoral students, MS students, and undergraduate students. Track and report student progress and completion rate, including enrollment in ENGI 4000/6000 and corresponding Canvas courses. Implement early intervention processes to ensure successful student completion. Assess needs and recruit appropriate course instructors; administer and analyze the attendance and evaluation data collected from the course to review the curriculum (core modules, electives, workshops) of the PDL program; recommend improvements as needed. Coordinate and liaise with the various Departmental representatives (career placement, student affairs) on student progress and engagement, and scheduling of electives, workshops, and activities. Liaise and negotiate with vendors, instructors, and speakers in accordance with the School and University's policies and best practices. Support various student/employer/advisor-facing systems that facilitate professional and career development, including the Columbia Engineering Career Connect system. Escalate urgent issues to Director or Associate Dean. Graduate Career Placement (10%)- Work closely with Operations Analyst to identify skill gaps based on student and employer feedback from recent student placement. Collaborate with Graduate Career Placement on opportunities to connect students with alumni and industry partners. Support the execution of the Executive in Residence program, including assisting with student recruiting, marketing, and planning. Engineering Student Affairs (10%)- Support signature Columbia Engineering student affairs activities, including Welcome Day, Graduate Engineers Connect, graduation ceremonies, Countdown to Columbia and other school-wide initiatives for engineering students. Collaborate with other ESA units to provide onboarding, orientation and programming for doctoral students and ongoing opportunities for professional and career development. This includes programs such as Engineer Your PhD (EYP), Three Minute Thesis (3MT), PhD Connect, and other doctoral-focused events. Recommended professional development topics for student-facing staff across Columbia Engineering; in cooperation with other ESA units, deliver training and workshop opportunities to student-facing staff to ensure high level of service to students in all programs. Support the planning, development, and implementation of strategic initiatives for Engineering Student Affairs. Other related tasks (5%): Performs other tasks, duties, and responsibilities as required. Minimum Qualifications A bachelor's degree is required; graduate-level work is preferred. Minimum of 3-5 years of related experience required. Understand student and academic affairs opportunities and challenges affecting the constituents, consisting of a diverse population - domestic and international. Strong technical competency is required; demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of student services database software and on-line resources, and the willingness and enthusiasm to respond to the needs of students in an increasingly technologically dynamic society. Proficiency with Google suite of products, MS office (Excel with pivot tables, VLOOKUP), PowerPoint, publishing software, social media, etc. Ability to analyze and work with a large volume of student, course and other types data. Must be willing to work on occasional evenings and weekends, on a needed basis. Possess excellent interpersonal and administrative skills. Ability to work independently and under pressure, with high level of attention to detail. Candidate must exercise good judgment and flexibility. Must be able to prioritize multiple tasks with minimal supervision. Must be able to communicate effectively and tactfully with staff, faculty, students, employers, and alumni in small and large group settings. Student-centric, positive, mission-oriented, forward-thinking attitude and sense of humor a must! Thanks for considering us! Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.