Director, Academic Adminsitration and Finance, Astronomy & CAL

Director of Academic Administration and Finance

Position Summary : Reporting jointly to the Chair of the Department of Astronomy and the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL) Co-Directors, the Director of Academic Administration and Finance (DAAF) oversees all academic, financial, and administrative functions for the Department of Astronomy and provides operational leadership for the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL). The DAAF manages budgets and grants, staff and space planning, and student and faculty services, while ensuring the smooth operation of CAL's complex research enterprise. Working closely with faculty leadership, the Arts & Sciences Office of the Executive Vice President, and central University partners, the DAAF ensures effective financial stewardship, operational excellence, and human resource management across both units, supervising a team of administrative and financial staff in support of their academic and research missions.

The Department of Astronomy at Columbia University is home to a distinguished group of faculty and researchers advancing understanding of the universe through observational, theoretical, and computational astrophysics. The department offers vibrant undergraduate and graduate programs and maintains close collaborations with institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History and the Flatiron Institute Center for Computational Astrophysics.

The Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL) is an interdisciplinary research center jointly operated by the Departments of Astronomy and Physics. CAL's faculty and scientists lead pioneering investigations in high-energy astrophysics, cosmology, plasma physics, and instrumentation development. With extensive external funding and global collaborations, CAL serves as a hub of innovation supporting missions with NASA and other international space agencies.

Responsibilities

• Finance and Grants
• Serve as the administrative liaison for the Department of Astronomy and CAL with Arts & Sciences leadership, central University offices, and the Department of Physics.
• Manage the research and administrative budgets, including overseeing federal, state, gift, discretionary, endowment, fellowship, research and instructional funds. Provide financial analyses to advise on resource allocation and spending and administrative strategy.
• Operationalize strategic initiatives and special projects for both units.
• Oversee the Assistant Director of Grants and Finance in the processing of CAL's pre-award proposals and post-award grants, ensuring compliance with university and sponsor requirements.
• Partner closely with the Principal Investigators in CAL and the Assistant Director of Grants and Finance to monitor project expenditures, prepare reports, resolve complex financial issues, and support long-range grant and research planning.
• Oversee budget submission and year-end processes for both units.
• Perform monthly reconciliations, prepare reports, and resolve overdrafts or audit issues.
• Serve as the approver of all procurement and P-Card activities, supply inventories, vendor contracts / renewals, and equipment purchases in support of administrative, academic, and laboratory operations.
• Coordinate facilities and oversee operations to ensure that the Astronomy Department's teaching and CAL's research infrastructure needs are met.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, sponsor requirements, and external regulations.