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Columbia University

Senior Program Manager

🇺🇸 Hybrid - New York City, NY 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $85K - $105K 💻 Project Management 🗓️ June 3rd, 2026
IRB

Edtech.com's Summary

Columbia University is hiring a Senior Program Manager for the Gender, Adolescent Transitions, and the Environment (GATE) program at the Mailman School of Public Health. The role involves designing and managing qualitative and mixed-methods research projects globally and domestically, leading research teams, mentoring staff and students, and supporting fundraising and administrative functions.

Highlights
  • Manage and co-lead research design, data collection, and analysis for global and US-based studies focusing on adolescence, menstrual health, gender, and sanitation.
  • Develop research tools, IRB protocols, and lead training on research ethics and methodologies.
  • Oversee and mentor graduate students and junior staff in research activities.
  • Lead development and submission of scientific manuscripts, policy briefs, and advocacy outputs.
  • Coordinate program management, including budgeting, partnering with institutional and global stakeholders, and administrative tasks.
  • Support fundraising efforts by developing grant proposals and identifying new funding opportunities.
  • Manage recruitment, onboarding, and support of students, staff, and consultants.
  • Proficient in qualitative and mixed-methods research with strong manuscript writing and project management skills.
  • Preferred qualifications include a master's or doctoral degree in public health, 6-8+ years of relevant experience, and ability to travel up to 30% internationally.
  • Salary range is $85,000 – $105,000 annually, dependent on experience and funding availability.

Senior Program Manager Full Description

  • Job Type: Officer of Administration
  • Regular/Temporary: Regular
  • Hours Per Week: 35
  • Standard Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
  • Salary Range: $85,000 – $105,000
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

The Gender, Adolescent Transitions, and the Environment (GATE) program in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is an innovative research and practice program dedicated towards improving the lives of adolescents and women around the world. Our topical focus of work spans from low-resource settings and communities to humanitarian contexts, both domestically and globally. The GATE program generates both evidence and practical resources, with efforts conducted in partnership with researchers, practitioners, and policy makers around the world. More information about the program is available at: https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/programs/gate

GATE is seeking a Senior Program Manager with strong public health skills and experience, to join our small but high-impact team. The Senior Program Manager will bring a qualitative research background, significant experience with managing and mentoring staff and students, and interest in our areas of work, including global and domestic research on puberty, menstrual health, gender and sanitation. The Senior Program Manager will provide research and technical design and support for multiple program activities including research operations, the management of projects globally and in the USA, research capacity strengthening, partnership building and fundraising. The position will also have administrative responsibilities for the program.

The role is ideal for a qualitative researcher who wants to work collaboratively with the GATE team staff, external partners, and students. The successful candidate will lead the design and conduct of research studies, conduct analyses, develop, and co-author highly visible publications, and related practical guidance and tools that will contribute to advancing the field. They will also support GATE administrative and program-related activities. The position is based in New York City (with hybrid options possible) and will involve some domestic and international travel.

This position is contingent upon availability of grant funding.

Subject to business needs, we may consider hybrid work arrangements. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Responsibilities

Research Planning, Management, and Writing (55%)

• Contribute to the implementation of key aspects of existing or new research projects, including primarily qualitative or mixed-methods research operations for a range of complex projects across global and US sites, and responsibility for study components, including data collection and analysis and drafting of findings in manuscripts and conference abstracts
• Co-lead research design and development of study tools, IRB protocols, and consent forms.
• Lead research team trainings as needed, including training related to research ethics, data collection methodologies, and qualitative or mixed-methods analysis
• Manage graduate students  participation in research activities, including data collection, data analysis, and IRB procedures.
• Lead and contribute to the development of scientific manuscripts for publication and manage the submission process
• Present or contribute to research findings at national or global conferences
• Advance research translation efforts, including the development of policy briefs, creation of social media, webinars, knowledge management products (infographics, toolkits), op-eds and other advocacy outputs

Management (20%)

• Provide management support for the GATE program, including liaising with institutional and global partners
• Contribute to  administrative activities such as budget development and narrative reporting to funders
• Coordinate meetings with partner organizations and larger stakeholder groups
• Mentor junior staff and students, while overseeing quality control of GATE program deliverables

Fundraising and development (15%)

• Partner with the Director and team on fundraising efforts, including developing grant proposals and concept notes (solicited or unsolicited) and managing submission processes
• Identify new funding opportunities and conceptualization of new projects

Student Mentoring and Support (5%)

• Oversee and facilitate recruitment, onboarding and management of students, staff and relevant consultants
• Develop and support student-oriented programming and activities

Perform other related duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in education and experience, plus 4 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or doctoral degree in public health
• 6-8+ years of relevant experience in development and/or international research and project planning
• Ability to travel 30% of the time
• Experience with designing and conducting qualitative or mixed-methods research
• Strong academic manuscript writing skills essential
• Experience conducting public health research in low-resource global contexts
• Experience conducting qualitative research with girls and women on reproductive health topics
• Excellent organizational, written and oral communication skills, including editorial skills
• Proven project management skills, both direct and as supervisor
• Detail oriented, with previous management experience
• Experience in grant writing and management
• Ability to support the development and/or monitoring of a program’s budget
• Strong interest in working on projects which support adolescent girls and women’s health, sanitation and menstrual health in global contexts
• Enthusiasm to collaborate with a dynamic network of global partners
• Superb interpersonal skills, flexibility, and a willingness to multi-task on numerous tasks
• Strong ability to work independently and as a key member of a team
• Must have previous supervisory experience
• Willingness to travel to low-resource global contexts for extended periods of time for data collection activities
• Prior experience living and/or working in low-resource global contexts

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.