Program Director Jobs at Columbia University with Visa Sponsorship
Program Director jobs at Columbia University span academic departments, research centers, and administrative divisions across a major research institution. Columbia has a consistent record of sponsoring international talent for program leadership positions, supporting candidates through H-1B visa, E-3 visa, and employment-based Green Card pathways.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Type: Officer of Administration
Bargaining Unit:
Regular/Temporary: Regular
End Date if Temporary:
Hours Per Week: 35
Standard Work Schedule:
Building:
Salary Range: $120,000 - $133,000
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
Reporting to the Program Director and with a dotted-line to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, the Deputy Program Director (Deputy) serves as an academic and operational leader within the School of Professional Studies. The incumbent assists in the management of program and curricular development efforts for the Degree Program. In the absence of the Program Director, the Deputy will serve as Columbia University's liaison to the academic, professional, and industry communities. The Deputy will support efforts to provide professional development opportunities for students enrolled in the Program and take an active leadership role in creating the strategic plan for key Program components such as Marketing, Admissions, Student Life, and Alumni Affairs.
While initially assigned to support the M.S. in Project Management program, this role is structured to provide scalable academic leadership and may support additional academic programs or strategic initiatives as the School's needs evolve.
Responsibilities
- Works closely with Academic Affairs to build a culture of continuous assessment, using data to inform program review and strategic planning.
- Responsible for faculty member’s adherence to all academic policies put forth by the School and University.
- Works closely with the Program Director and Admissions to review student applications and select the highest quality students for the program.
- Works with the Program Director to provide oversight for the academic quality and administration of the Program.
- Responsible for overall Program compliance to all regulatory, SPS, and University standards.
- Provides oversight of quality and accuracy for yearly curricular planning submission as well as identifying areas for programmatic and curricular improvement; develops and implements an improvement/growth plan, working in conjunction with SPS's curricular design team to create and deliver courses in a variety of online and hybrid modalities.
- Assists with the recruitment, appointment, teaching, and evaluation of faculty and students for the Program; responsible for working with full-time and part-time faculty to produce promotion and review dossiers.
- Assists the Program Director to recruit, develop, manage, and retain industry relationships in support of the Program and students.
- Works closely with the marketing team to create and execute strategic enrollment plans for the Program, actively participating in events to meet Program enrollment goals.
- Works with the Program Director to represent Columbia University and the School in industry and professional communities.
- Works with the Program Director and faculty to build program and practitioner eminence through publication (research, white papers), innovative industry development, new opportunities for professionals, network development, program growth, and/or recognition or accreditation.
- Serves as liaison to the Career Design Lab and other School partners.
- Contributes to strategic planning across Marketing, Admissions, Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs, and employer engagement.
- May provide leadership or operational support to additional programs or School-wide initiatives as needed.
- May be responsible for supervising the work of one (1) or more employees.
Performs other duties and special projects as assigned or requested.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree desirable
- 5 years of related experience
- A resume and cover letter must be submitted to be considered for the position
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience managing an academic program
- Project management skills
- Master’s Degree or PhD
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent advanced credential
- Active engagement with PMI or comparable professional associations
- Demonstrated professional network within the PMI/PMP ecosystem (e.g., leadership roles, committee participation, speaking engagements, employer partnerships, collaboration with credentialing bodies)
Other Requirements
- Demonstrated professional experience in the project management field
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills required
- Strong customer service mentality
- Ability to be flexible in a changing environment
- Strong communication skills; ability to interface at all levels in the organization
- Ability to problem solve, establish priorities, and work under pressure without supervision required
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
Job Type: Officer of Administration
Bargaining Unit:
Regular/Temporary: Regular
End Date if Temporary:
Hours Per Week: 35
Standard Work Schedule:
Building:
Salary Range: $120,000 - $133,000
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
Reporting to the Program Director and with a dotted-line to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, the Deputy Program Director (Deputy) serves as an academic and operational leader within the School of Professional Studies. The incumbent assists in the management of program and curricular development efforts for the Degree Program. In the absence of the Program Director, the Deputy will serve as Columbia University's liaison to the academic, professional, and industry communities. The Deputy will support efforts to provide professional development opportunities for students enrolled in the Program and take an active leadership role in creating the strategic plan for key Program components such as Marketing, Admissions, Student Life, and Alumni Affairs.
While initially assigned to support the M.S. in Project Management program, this role is structured to provide scalable academic leadership and may support additional academic programs or strategic initiatives as the School's needs evolve.
Responsibilities
- Works closely with Academic Affairs to build a culture of continuous assessment, using data to inform program review and strategic planning.
- Responsible for faculty member’s adherence to all academic policies put forth by the School and University.
- Works closely with the Program Director and Admissions to review student applications and select the highest quality students for the program.
- Works with the Program Director to provide oversight for the academic quality and administration of the Program.
- Responsible for overall Program compliance to all regulatory, SPS, and University standards.
- Provides oversight of quality and accuracy for yearly curricular planning submission as well as identifying areas for programmatic and curricular improvement; develops and implements an improvement/growth plan, working in conjunction with SPS's curricular design team to create and deliver courses in a variety of online and hybrid modalities.
- Assists with the recruitment, appointment, teaching, and evaluation of faculty and students for the Program; responsible for working with full-time and part-time faculty to produce promotion and review dossiers.
- Assists the Program Director to recruit, develop, manage, and retain industry relationships in support of the Program and students.
- Works closely with the marketing team to create and execute strategic enrollment plans for the Program, actively participating in events to meet Program enrollment goals.
- Works with the Program Director to represent Columbia University and the School in industry and professional communities.
- Works with the Program Director and faculty to build program and practitioner eminence through publication (research, white papers), innovative industry development, new opportunities for professionals, network development, program growth, and/or recognition or accreditation.
- Serves as liaison to the Career Design Lab and other School partners.
- Contributes to strategic planning across Marketing, Admissions, Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs, and employer engagement.
- May provide leadership or operational support to additional programs or School-wide initiatives as needed.
- May be responsible for supervising the work of one (1) or more employees.
Performs other duties and special projects as assigned or requested.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree desirable
- 5 years of related experience
- A resume and cover letter must be submitted to be considered for the position
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience managing an academic program
- Project management skills
- Master’s Degree or PhD
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent advanced credential
- Active engagement with PMI or comparable professional associations
- Demonstrated professional network within the PMI/PMP ecosystem (e.g., leadership roles, committee participation, speaking engagements, employer partnerships, collaboration with credentialing bodies)
Other Requirements
- Demonstrated professional experience in the project management field
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills required
- Strong customer service mentality
- Ability to be flexible in a changing environment
- Strong communication skills; ability to interface at all levels in the organization
- Ability to problem solve, establish priorities, and work under pressure without supervision required
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
Tips for Finding Program Director Jobs at Columbia University
Align your credentials to specialty occupation standards
Columbia's HR and legal teams must demonstrate your Program Director role qualifies as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes. A master's degree or higher in a directly related field strengthens that case considerably more than a generalist management background.
Target schools and centers with dedicated hiring cycles
Columbia's research centers, schools like SIPA and the Mailman School of Public Health, and grant-funded programs post Program Director roles on distinct timelines. Monitoring departmental career pages alongside the central jobs portal surfaces openings before they close.
Clarify visa eligibility during the offer stage
Columbia sponsors multiple visa categories for this function, including H-1B, E-3, and TN. Australian and Canadian candidates should confirm which pathway their offer will use before negotiating a start date, since E-3 and TN processing moves faster than H-1B.
Prepare for the PERM timeline if Green Card is your goal
If Columbia initiates PERM-based sponsorship for an EB-2 or EB-3 Green Card, DOL requires a supervised recruitment process that typically runs six to twelve months before the petition can be filed. Factor that into your long-term planning from day one.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open Program Director roles
Program Director openings at Columbia that come with active sponsorship intent are not always labeled clearly on general job boards. Browse Migrate Mate to filter specifically for Columbia University roles that include visa sponsorship for this function.
Confirm I-9 and E-Verify procedures before your start date
Columbia participates in E-Verify, so your work authorization documents must be in order before your first day. If you're transferring from OPT or a prior H-1B, confirm your I-94 status and portability eligibility with Columbia's international office in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Columbia University sponsor H-1B visas for Program Directors?
Yes, Columbia University sponsors H-1B visas for Program Director roles. The university has a dedicated international faculty and staff office that manages H-1B petitions, including both initial cap-subject filings and transfers from prior employers. Positions tied to research grants or academic departments tend to have the most straightforward sponsorship pathways, since the specialty occupation requirement is easier to establish in those contexts.
How do I apply for Program Director jobs at Columbia University?
Applications for Program Director positions at Columbia go through the university's central careers portal at columbia.edu/careers. Each posting is managed by the hiring department, so tailoring your application to the specific school or center matters. You can also browse open roles that include visa sponsorship on Migrate Mate, which filters Columbia University postings by sponsorship eligibility so you're not applying blind.
Which visa types does Columbia University commonly use for Program Director roles?
Columbia sponsors H-1B visas most frequently for Program Directors, but also supports E-3 visas for Australian citizens, TN visa status for Canadian and Mexican nationals, and F-1 OPT extensions including STEM OPT where the role qualifies. For candidates seeking permanent residence, Columbia has sponsored EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card petitions through the PERM labor certification process for program leadership roles.
What qualifications does Columbia University typically expect for Program Director roles?
Most Program Director postings at Columbia require a master's degree or higher in a field relevant to the program's focus, whether that's public health, education policy, social work, or a research discipline. Several years of program management or administrative leadership experience is standard. For visa sponsorship purposes, the degree field needs to align closely with the role's responsibilities, since USCIS will scrutinize the specialty occupation determination.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a Program Director position at Columbia?
Timeline depends on the visa type. E-3 and TN sponsorship can be completed in weeks if you're processing at a U.S. consulate. H-1B transfers from an existing H-1B take roughly two to four months with standard processing, or two to three weeks with USCIS premium processing. If you're entering the H-1B cap lottery, you're looking at an April selection with an October 1 start date at the earliest, so factor that gap into your negotiations.