Project Officer

Columbia World Projects (CWP) mobilizes the university’s researchers and scholars to work with governments, organizations, businesses and communities to tackle global challenges. CWP devises projects that it staffs and operates with partners in New York City, across the United States, and around the world; hosts the Obama Foundation Scholars Program; and holds events and convenings that engage faculty, students, and community members in our larger mission to connect the worlds of knowledge and action.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, CWP is dedicated to increasing diversity in its workforce and in all its initiatives in order to achieve continued excellence and align with Columbia’s commitment to create a vibrant, diverse, equitable, and inclusive university community. 

Reporting to the Director of Project Management, the Project Officer will serve as a member of the Projects team focused on supporting the lifecycle of CWP projects while maintaining productive and professional work relationships with project partners, faculty and teams in order to effectively manage projects and maximize their impact. The Project Officer will have opportunities to engage with all CWP units and participate in project development and may be asked to participate in helping to plan key CWP events.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will have the following responsibilities: 

• Actively support CWP projects throughout the project lifecycle working closely with project team members and partners to build project infrastructure from the initial project concept to development and launch, managing the project during the implementation phase, and supporting analysis and dissemination of lessons learned and other closeout activities at project end.
• Monitor project progress, providing support to project team members as projects evolve. Support may be in the form of: 
• Working with project teams to develop and track project progress according to work-plans that include the use of key performance indicators to ensure effective implementation of projects;
• Providing inputs to the CWP Finance and Administration team as they develop and manage the lifecycle of project budgets;
• Drafting progress report updates; 
• Contributing data and information for communication materials; 
• Drafting internal correspondence to partners and stakeholders; 
• Setting up and facilitating planning meetings.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with CWP staff, Columbia University faculty, staff and students, internal/external stakeholders and partners in all areas related to CWP project implementation. Serve as a point of contact for the progress of assigned projects. 
• Ensure that projects maintain alignment with parameters received from CWP leadership and all applicable Columbia University policies governing the conduct of research at the University and the management of programs. 
• Oversee project expenditures and work closely with the CWP Finance and Administration team to monitor project budgets, submit budget amendments for approval, and ensure proper and accurate reporting.
• Work with the CWP Finance and Administration team in the establishment and management of required contracts. Support project related procurements as needed.
• Support the Projects team in the development of project descriptions, reports and proposals.
• Assist in the recruitment and hiring of related project staff and consultants as needed. 
• Domestic and international travel may be required for the support of individual projects
• Additional duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent required. Three to five (3 to 5) years related experience required. 

**Applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae/resume and writing sample.**

Preferred Qualifications

• Master degree preferred 
• Experience working with global projects, in a university setting or non-profit organization preferred 
• Project management experience preferred
• Highly collaborative and strong interpersonal skills; open to working with diverse communities and organizations
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills as well as an orientation toward details
• Demonstrated experience coordinating events in diverse, complex environments
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook