Administrative Director

Job Title: Administrative Director

Grade: 34

Salary: $144849 - $171541

The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a full-time Administrative Director position. The RFMH Administrative Director provides overall administrative and operational leadership for assigned divisions and programs within the Department of Psychiatry at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The position will work closely with institutional and departmental administration to assist divisions with strategic planning fiscal management personnel administration and operational oversight of multiple divisions and their administrative staff including Division Administrators.

The Administrative Director will work collaboratively to establish and maintain standard operating procedures and best practices across and within the divisions to ensure efficiency within the organization. These best practices will ensure that all financial personnel and research administration functions are carried out in accordance with policies and procedures of RFMH NYSPI Columbia University and affiliated sponsors. This role serves as the senior administrative liaison between division leadership departmental executives faculty and institutional offices.

This position reports directly to the Department Administrator/COO with a secondary reporting to the Director of Administration for RFMH. This position allows for teleworking which will be approved by the Department Administrator and Director of Administration for RFMH and can be discussed at the time of interview.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative Leadership and Oversight

• Directly supervises Division Administrators across multiple divisions.
• Provides strategic guidance and mentorship to ensure consistent high-quality administrative operations.
• Oversees development and execution of annual administrative goals and key performance indicators.

Financial Management and Grants Administration

• Works with Department CFO and Division Administrators to prepare and manage annual division operating budgets including proxy and updated quarterly estimates.
• As requested by Departmental Leadership the Administrative Director will work with Divisions Administrators to create division financial reports forecasts and expenditures for compliance with institutional and sponsor guidelines.

Human Resources and Personnel Management

• Provides support for organizational planning to ensure that proper staffing complements are in place to support the divisional administrative structure including opportunities for advancement succession and staff training and development initiatives.
• Work with HR on the recruitment onboarding performance evaluation and professional development for divisional administrative staff.
• Ensures compliance with labor policies RFMH/Columbia/NYSPI employment regulations and collective bargaining agreements where applicable.

Operational and Strategic Planning

• Provides guidance and oversight for day-to-day operations facilities management and resource allocation across the divisions.
• Works with department and institute leadership to develop long-term operational strategies aligned with institutional goals.
• Identifies and implements process improvements to optimize efficiency and service delivery.

Compliance and Policy

• Ensures adherence to institutional state and federal regulations regarding research finance and personnel management.
• Works with CFO as requested to assist with internal audits effort reporting and compliance reviews to ensure accountability.
• Maintains thorough knowledge of RFMH and Columbia policies translating them into practical administrative procedures.

Communication and Liaison

• Serves as the primary liaison between departmental leadership Columbia University offices NYSPI administration and external partners.
• Represents assigned divisions in institutional meetings and committees.
• Prepares and presents reports summarizing financial and administrative performance to leadership.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Business Administration Public Administration Healthcare Management or related field.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in an academic medical or research environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in budgeting grants management human resources and operational oversight.
• Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and lead cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree (MBA MPA MPH or equivalent).
• Experience with Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene (RFMH) and/or Columbia University administrative systems (e.g. PAC Rascal Workday FinSys WebFtask).
• Strong knowledge of sponsored research administration including NIH and other federal grants.
• Exceptional communication analytical and leadership skills.

Work Location: 1051 Riverside Drive New York NY 10032

To Apply: Submit an application through our website at Please note only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

The Mission of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene Inc. (RFMH) is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. RFMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals organizations and communities. To this end RFMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access quality and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring that RFMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. RFMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation and is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation are not state employees do not participate in any state retirement system and do not receive state fringe benefits. Excellent Benefits Package. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer - Disabled/Veteran 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) compliant.

Required Experience:

Director