Description

Columbia University Libraries is a globally-recognized academic research library system, serving one of the world’s most important centers of research and learning in the most exciting and dynamic city in the world. Our talented Libraries staff across 15 library locations provide critical research and instructional programs and build collections that transcend traditional boundaries. 

Reporting to the Vice Provost and University Librarian, the Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration is part of the executive leadership team of the Libraries, guiding the organization through change by providing creative and forward-thinking financial counsel. The AVP is responsible for the overall fiscal health of the Libraries organization as well as the Center for Teaching and Learning, with combined budgets of over $70 million and total staffing of 344 professional and support staff positions.

The Associate Vice President brings high-level financial expertise, strong business acumen, and a collaborative mindset to guide strategic resource allocation, long-term planning, and institutional transformation. This role champions data-driven decision-making and fosters a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement, ensuring alignment with long-term organizational goals.   

Responsibilities

• Serve as a visionary partner for executive leadership, developing innovative financial strategies to support organizational growth, long-term sustainability, and change.
• Support executives, directors, and internal constituencies by integrating long-range financial planning into the overall strategic vision of the organization.
• Drive strategic resource allocation by leveraging data and financial analysis to inform critical decisions and optimize the use of resources across departments. Provide strategic financial planning and forecasting by capturing and analyzing data to inform financial decisions and recommendations and to drive accountability.
• Lead a team of approximately 15 staff in budget, finance, payroll, grants administration, and facilities planning functions, guiding them to provide service at the highest level, embrace innovation, and approach all tasks with a proactive mindset.
• Oversee and lead the comprehensive annual budgeting and planning process, collaborating with departmental leadership to create and manage budgets.
• Conduct thorough financial forecasting and present timely, accurate financial reports to the executive leadership team, directors, and the Office of Management and Budget.
• Oversee the production of monthly revenue and expenditure reports to monitor budget status. Prepare recommendations to executive leadership if course correction is warranted.
• Ensure proper accounting procedures are followed while budget targets are maintained.
• Advise department heads on any potential budgetary risks and opportunities.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across all departments within the Libraries and throughout Columbia to facilitate shared decision-making and a unified approach to maintaining fiscal health and oversight.
• Serve as the Libraries’ representative to most central university business change initiatives. 

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required, preferably in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration.
• 10+ years of related fiscal administrative experience.
• Successfully demonstrated supervisory experience of a team of professionals.
• Strong strategic and analytical ability, including experience in accounting, budget development, cost/benefit analysis, financial applications, and accounting systems.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to perform duties with professional integrity and sound judgment while managing sometimes competing demands, working with confidential information in an environment that also values transparency.
• Successfully demonstrated experience cultivating and maintaining strong working relationships with executives, senior business and finance leaders, and all levels of staff organization-wide; demonstrated influencing skills through writing, speaking, and active listening across multiple audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a high-volume environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to driving innovation, leveraging technology and best practices, delivering excellent customer service, and upholding the highest standard of quality in support of the goals of the Libraries.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration.
• Budget experience in a university or not-for-profit setting.
• Experience with an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning environment (PeopleSoft a plus).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.
• Direct project management experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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