Executive Assistant

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary:
  Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard
  
  Work Schedule:
• Building:
• 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 Data Science Institute (DSI) at Columbia University advances the state of the art in data science and artificial intelligence, applying these fields responsibly to transform research, education, industry, and society. As a collaborative hub for research, education, and partnerships, DSI pursues foundational discoveries, bridges theory and practice, and cultivates talent ready to innovate responsibly for a more equitable, resilient, and thriving society.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Executive Assistant to the Avanessians Director provides senior-level executive, operational, and administrative support to the Director of the Data Science Institute. The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted and proactive partner to the Director, helping to manage a complex portfolio of academic, research, faculty, and institutional priorities, and as backup to the Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Strategic Alliances.

The Executive Assistant anticipates needs, manages competing priorities, prepares the Director for high-level engagements, and ensures that commitments and follow-up actions are effectively coordinated. This role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, initiative, diplomacy, and attention to detail. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in an academic and research environment where priorities can evolve quickly and where the Director's time must be carefully balanced.

• Manage a highly complex and dynamic calendar for the Director, exercising independent judgment to prioritize meetings, research commitments, faculty engagements, speaking invitations, University meetings, travel, deadlines, and competing priorities.

• Serve as a professional and responsive representative of the Director's Office, exercising discretion and diplomacy in managing access to the Director. Maintain awareness of the Director's priorities and proactively anticipate scheduling, information, and preparation needs. Evaluate meeting requests and invitations, identify conflicts or competing priorities, and recommend scheduling decisions or alternative arrangements. Monitor correspondence and inquiries to the Director’s inbox, determining which matters require immediate attention, delegation, response, or escalation.

• Work closely with the Director of Special Projects to coordinate internal and cross-University engagements involving the Avanessians Director.

• Manage meeting logistics, including room reservations, catering, technology, agendas, materials, attendee coordination, and follow-up.

• Track commitments, decisions, deadlines, and follow-up actions arising from meetings and engagements, ensuring that appropriate parties are identified and follow-through occurs.

• Arrange complex domestic and international travel for the Director, including itineraries, lodging, transportation, meeting schedules, and contingency planning.

• Prepare, submit, and reconcile expense reports in accordance with Columbia University policies and deadlines; maintaining accurate administrative records and tracking systems.

• Draft, review, edit, and coordinate selected correspondence on behalf of the Director, including communications with faculty, University leadership, research partners, and other stakeholders.

• Prepare briefing packets, presentations, reports, agendas, decision materials, talking points, and other executive-level documents. Conduct background research and compile relevant information to support the Director's preparation for meetings, presentations, events, and strategic…