Columbia University logo

Columbia University

Associate Director, Curriculum and Teaching for Pre-College

🇺🇸 New York, New York 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $95K - $109K 💻 Instructional Design 🗓️ September 20th, 2026
Teaching

Edtech.com's Summary

Columbia University is hiring an Associate Director, Curriculum and Teaching for Pre-College to manage curriculum, instructors, and program development for the School of Professional Studies' Pre-College portfolio. The role oversees instructor recruitment, evaluation, and professional development while managing STEM course planning and the Youth in STEM initiative. The Associate Director also co-leads the Committee on Instruction and partners with the Admissions and Marketing teams to support recruitment events and program growth.

Highlights
  • Supervises roughly 250 instructors and course assistants annually across the Pre-College program's offerings.
  • Runs the TIPS Team (Team for Instructional and Pedagogical Support) to guide instructor development.
  • Reviews instructor evaluations, student feedback, and classroom observations to assess teaching quality.
  • Approves new STEM course development and submits Course Planning Sheets by shared deadlines.
  • Leads recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of instructors and course assistants, including Protection of Minors compliance.
  • Co-leads the Committee on Instruction with the Assistant Dean.
  • Redesigns the Youth in STEM initiative's program outcomes and curricular requirements.
  • Designs a student research-based STEM program for Youth in STEM scholars.
  • Coordinates marketing collateral and communications that promote program offerings.
  • Oversees operations of Columbia Secondary School, College Edge, and other program partnerships.
  • Requires a bachelor's degree, four years of related experience, and two years of STEM teaching experience at the high school or middle school level.
  • Prefers a master's degree in a STEM-related field and five years of teaching experience.
  • Involves evening, weekend, and daily on-campus work during the summer program season.
  • Pays $95,000 to $109,000 per year.

Associate Director, Curriculum and Teaching for Pre-College Full Description

Position Summary
Reporting to the Assistant Dean of Pre-College Programs, the Associate Director will assist with the management of the curriculum, instructors, and program creation for the Pre-College portfolio of offerings. The associate director will partner with program leadership to help create and drive the vision of the Pre-College Program and manage the Youth in STEM initiative.

Responsibilities
Instructor Management, Support, and Quality Assurance of Instructors and Programming
  • Assists with supervision of instructors and high school course assistants (250 individuals annually) across all program offerings, ensures compliance with their job descriptions, and may also provide management and scheduling of the TIPS Team (Team for Instructional and Pedagogical Support).
  • Manage instructor communication plan and address escalated instructor concerns in and out of the classroom.
  • Review instructor evaluations, student feedback, and conduct classroom observations to ensure a high quality of instructors and course offerings. Responsible for providing support mechanisms and professional development to instructors through the TIPS Team, Instructor Growth Plans, etc., and making hiring decisions based on performance data and other factors.
  • Oversees the STEM program portfolio, curriculum, and course offerings and submits CPS (Course Planning Sheet) by shared deadlines; approves new course developments with instructors and analyzes current offerings against market demands to be flexible and responsive to pre-college audience, and makes necessary adjustments (ongoing).
  • Under the direction of the Assistant Dean, manage the recruitment and hiring of instructors and Course Assistants across the program and ensure successful onboarding and compliance, including Protection of Minors, through management of the collaboration with Faculty Affairs.
  • Oversee the management of the relationship with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety to ensure classes are aligned with safety regulations.
Administrative Oversight, Program Development, and Strategic Planning
  • Collect and analyze data and provide strategic planning for program offerings, including pilot programs, while utilizing the Assistant Dean's strategic framework to identify and evaluate programmatic opportunities based on ongoing market analysis of domestic and international demand.
  • Co-lead the administration of the Committee on Instruction (COI) with the Assistant Dean.
  • Manage Youth in STEM (YIS) initiative and redesign program outcomes and curricular requirements, participate in funding opportunities as directed by the SPS Office of Alumni and Development.
  • Design and implement a student research-based STEM program for YIS scholars.
  • Assist with budget narrative and budget templates as it relates to instructors and teaching assistants, taking into consideration additional budget considerations based on new initiatives, along with other program directors.
  • Manage the classroom assignment process and all associated needs of instructors.
  • Approve marketing collateral and communications with the Marketing and Admissions teams to promote programs and maintain growth; responsible for program communications concerning curricular topics.
  • Oversee the operations of Columbia Secondary School, College Edge and other partnerships and organizations. This includes collaborations with various stakeholders in Admissions, Advising and the Provost's Office, among others.
Recruitment and Student and Parent Engagement
  • Assist with the appointment of instructors and teaching assistants for admissions and recruitment events with the Admissions team and other stakeholders, such as the Instructor Spotlight events
  • Address student and parent concerns, often in collaboration with Student Affairs
  • Participate in recruitment events for students, parents, school staff, and other partners
Additional Responsibilities
  • May be responsible for directly or indirectly supervising the work of one (1) or more employees.
  • Authority over the curricular budget.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned or requested

Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree required
  • Four years of related experience
  • A resume and cover letter with salary requirements must be submitted for this position
Preferred Qualifications
  • 5 years of teaching experience at the high school or middle school level
  • Master's degree preferred in a STEM-related field
  • Experience working with pre-college programs at the University level
Other Requirements
  • 2 years of teaching experience are required at the high school or middle school level in a STEM-related field
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential
  • Exceptional attention to detail and an ability to perform non-routine work, to work with changing priorities, to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and to work independently, are required
  • Evening and weekend work is required, particularly during the summer
  • Ability to be on campus every day during summer programs
  • Experience designing and leading Professional Development for educators and/or related coaching experience

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.