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Job Title: Director of Special Projects

PVN ID: LA-2505-006838

Category: Managerial and Professional

Job Description

General Description

Reporting to the President, the Director of Special Projects manages high-priority projects for the President, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance, and other members of the college’s leadership team. These initiatives address a range of institutional needs, including student support and success, operational efficiency, campus improvements, enhancements to degree and non-degree programs, community partnerships, and improving the student experience. Examples include Climb Together (a social capital training program for students), the launch of an Office for Immigrant Student Success, the CUNY Climate Assembly, solutions for housing-insecure students, a research project in collaboration with the Burning Glass Institute, and more.

LaGuardia Community College

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York. LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree and certificate programs, more than fifty non-degree workforce training programs, and dozens of ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 25,000 students. More than one-third of our degree-seeking students (35%) were born outside of the United States, coming to LaGuardia from 136 countries and speaking forty-three heritage languages. More than half (54 percent) are first-generation college students.

Sixty-nine percent of LaGuardia degree students live in Queens; the rest come from Brooklyn and beyond. Virtually all LaGuardia degree students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent are Hispanic, well above the threshold of 25 percent required by the US Department of Education for designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Sixty-six percent of LaGuardia degree-seeking students receive some form of financial aid. Close to half of our degree-seeking students attend part-time (49%), usually because they need to work to support their families. Tuition and fees are $5,271 per year for a full-time student.

Other Duties

+ Manage important projects and initiatives for the President, Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance, and other members of the college’s leadership team

+ Perform planning, budgeting, execution, oversight, assessment, and reporting to meet project objectives

+ Provide support for the president and his colleagues with sensitivity, diplomacy, tact, and flexibility

+ Support the campus implementation of CUNY-wide initiatives, systems, and platforms, such as LMS and CUNYwork

+ Review processes and operations with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness, and ROI

+ Collaborate as needed with LaGuardia vice presidents, deans, directors, faculty, staff, and students, as well as with CUNY Central Office administrators, employers, community partners, donors, and other supporters of the college

+ Maintain confidentiality of sensitive/privileged information

+ Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

+ Master's Degree in a related field and at least 4 years of relevant experience

+ Proven success forming and leading project teams

+ Ability to excel in a collaborative environment with diverse constituencies

+ Project Management experience

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills

+ Strong research, analysis, and reporting skills and experience

+ Excellent organizational skills

+ Ability to successfully manage diverse projects simultaneously

+ Self-starter/Ability to work independently

+ Knowledge of common software applications and tech platforms

+ Experience in large, complex, public-sector organizations

+ Experience in higher education institutions

RFCUNY Benefits RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

About the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Key Features

Department President's Office

Status Full Time

Annual Salary Range $135,000.00 - $150,000.00

Closing Date May 16, 2025 (Or Until Filled)

Bargaining Unit No

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