Vice President of Student Affairs

Columbia University

Vice President of Student Affairs

Columbia University seeks a forward-thinking, consensus building, highly influential student affairs expert to help develop, lead and implement policies and practices that support the University-wide student experience. The Vice President of Student Affairs will have these responsibilities within the Office of University Life, which leads work on cross-school and University-level student affairs issues across Columbia’s undergraduate and graduate schools, totaling over 32,000 students. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, University Life, the Vice President will hold a key leadership position within the Office.

The Vice President, Student Affairs will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues and students across the University on the full range of important issues that affect the non-academic student experience, and to establish a strong operation that is dedicated to supporting and implementing University-wide student services and resources. Through developing, guiding and enhancing programs, initiatives and operations, this position will have a significant impact on the Columbia-wide student experience.

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior student affairs manager to provide thought leadership to shape the student experience over the next decade, establish and promote innovative practices, and partner with a vast and experienced student affairs staff in schools and a wide range of central administrative units to support a dynamic and diverse student experience at Columbia.

The Vice President, Student Affairs will develop strong relationships with deans of students and student affairs leadership in each school, student-affinity groups, interested faculty, leaders of centralized student resources and other key constituencies throughout the University. This individual will be an effective and experienced strategist, with the capacity to implement University-wide programming related to student affairs, identify and deploy national best practices, and drive consistent policies as appropriate.

The Vice President will help direct communication and promotion of the Office of University Life’s mission, values, and services related to student affairs. The Vice President must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, fluid and exciting environment with high performance expectations. This role is positioned to utilize creativity, resourcefulness and leadership skills to strengthen the university-wide student experience at Columbia.

The preferred candidate will: possess an advanced degree with a minimum of ten years of student affairs or student-facing experience in a progressively responsible roles with significant leadership and administrative duties; have a proven track record for developing strategies, implementing programs and managing against projected outcomes; demonstrate understanding of student issues and a keen sensitivity to the changing patterns of student affairs for both undergraduate and graduate students; possess a deep understanding and commitment to diversity and inclusion with the ability to work effectively with students, faculty and staff from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Columbia University is a private, Ivy League, research university in Upper Manhattan, New York City. The University is organized into 16 schools and colleges. The University also has global research centers in Amman, Beijing, Istanbul, Paris, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Nairobi and Tunis. It has affiliations with several other institutions nearby, including Teachers College, Barnard College, and Union Theological Seminary, and offers joint undergraduate programs available through the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Sciences Po Paris, and the Juilliard School, among others. For more than 250 years, Columbia has been a leader in higher education in the nation and around the world. At the core of its wide range of academic inquiry is the commitment to attract and engage the best minds in pursuit of greater human understanding, pioneering new discoveries, and service to society.

For best consideration, please send nominations and application materials to:

Shelly Weiss Storbeck, Managing Partner

Tammarah Townes, Managing Associate

Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, LP

ColumbiaVPSA@storbecksearch.com 

Columbia University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action – Race/Gender/Disability/Veterans employer.