To apply for any of the positions listed on this page, please send a cover letter and resume to utsjobs@uts.columbia.edu and please indicate the specific job title in the subject line.
Union Theological Seminary is an Equal Opportunity Employer and acts in accordance with applicable laws in all of our hiring and employment practices. Union considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, ability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor under federal, state, or local law.
Questions?
Please contact Chief Human Resources Officer, Diana Torres-Petrilli | (212) 678-8011
Current Job Openings
Director of Events
Description of the Position:
Public programs are—by and large—the medium through which Union advances its brand and the Director of Events must be able to demonstrate a collaborative and results-oriented approach to lead and drive the production of meaningful events that engage students, faculty, and alumni/ae and facilitate the cultivation of new supporters. In the 2017-18 academic year, Union produced more than 50 events.
Working collaboratively and cross-departmentally, the Director of Events has comprehensive oversight of all levels of the Seminary’s calendar and is responsible for planning and coordinating, Union’s signature annual events, including but not limited to:
- Convocation and Commencement
- ReUnion weekend
- New and International Student Orientations
- The Spirit of Justice with Michelle Alexander
- The Insight Project: Theology & the Natural World
- Quarterly Trustees’ Dinners, Union Medal ceremonies, and the Judith Davidson Moyers Women of Spirit Lecture
In addition, the Director is responsible for managing the execution of internal events such as luncheons and receptions, as well as a diverse array of one-off functions—from low-profile seminars and meetings, to complex multi-day conferences and lectures that attract the general public—as well as events hosted by outside groups and Seminary partners.
Beginning in the fall of 2019, Union will embark on a multi-year campus-wide renovation. Working closely with key Seminary partners such as the Associate Vice President of Buildings and Grounds, the Director of Housing and Campus Services, and the Director of Information Technology, the Director of Events will play an essential role in gauging the feasibility of proposed programming relative to the changing availability of space.
Duties/Responsibilities:
- Help coordinate, develop, and execute a year-round calendar of high-quality public programs, conferences, symposia, receptions, and lectures—oftentimes from scratch—that build an enduring connection between program attendees and the Seminary.
- Develop special events as they arise, including retirements, memorial services, and symposia.
- Engage various stakeholders across the institution to evaluate and tweak returning programs to make them better.
- Creatively envision ideas that achieve multiple goals, articulate their value, and work toward them over time with many different partners and collaborators.
- Organize and lead weekly Events Planning Team Meetings to review event-specific logistics and anticipate potential obstacles to ensure the success of all upcoming programs.
- Conduct post-event evaluations, reporting on the outcomes and determining how each subsequent event can be improved.
- Prepare—and ensure adherence to—budgets. Evaluate costs at the end of each function and determine whether budgets need to be adjusted for subsequent events.
- Hire personnel for events, including student workers and volunteers. Train and coordinate personnel and assign event duties.
- Identify publicity requirements for each event and work proactively with Communications & Marketing to secure save-the-dates, invitations, flyers and e-news announcements.
- Work closely with the Associate Vice President of Buildings & Grounds to ensure that room setups are complete and that any last-minute changes or problems can be easily resolved.
- Coordinate with IT to ensure that A/V needs are met, including microphones, live-streaming, and projectors, as needed.
- Work closely with the Director of Housing & Campus Services to approve room reservations and on-campus venue bookings.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required
In addition to the responsibilities listed above, successful candidates will —
- Thrive in a busy, fast-paced environment, are adept at juggling many projects at once, are able to meet aggressive deadlines and can effectively cope with the unexpected.
- Possess an interest in providing a platform for social justice and a strong drive to work towards a more just and equitable society.
- Be a strong “voice” for public programming, community engagement, and related initiatives. Be able to articulate and advocate for these values in a patient yet firm way.
- Strive for excellence and detail orientation in all initiatives. Possess strong decision-making capabilities and a flexible nature to accommodate many ideas and working styles.
- Seek to strengthen Union’s position as a thought leader. Keep up to date with innovative public programming not just in NYC but nationally and internationally as well.
Education, Computer Skills, and Attendance Requirements
- A minimum of five years of programmatic and event management experience.
- A Bachelor’s degree is required.
- Strong computer skills—facility with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Raiser’s Edge, and DropBox.
- Availability during select weekends and evenings.
Interdepartmental and Communication Skills
- The ability to coordinate with a variety of colleagues, including Facilities, IT/Media, Communications, Faculty and Administration, as well as external vendors.
- Strong written and oral communications and presentation skills, including the ability to deploy tact and diplomacy in pursuit of results.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and a track record of leadership.
Strategic and Creative Skills
- The ability to look at the big picture and search for insightful, creative solutions.
- Experience in converting nascent ideas into working programs.
- Appreciation for aesthetics and design.
Staff Accountant
Description of the Position:
Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations the individual is responsible for performing a wide range of accounting and financial reporting activities;, analyzing, reconciling and reporting on Balance Sheet accounts, assisting with the preparation of monthly financial analysis and internal control reporting, developing and maintaining department budgets and generating cost reports. Also, assist in the annual audit preparation process, i.e. prepare schedules and provide requested documentation.
Duties/Responsibilities:
- Reconcile investment accounts, post-investment transactions, maintain endowment schedules
- Create, analyze, and distribute monthly budget and internal control reports
- Reconcile all vendor statements and payments, research and correct discrepancies and assist in month end closing.
- To assist with the processing and approval of accounts payable and payroll.
- Create journal entries and post payroll, accounts payable, credit cards, and cash receipts to the general ledger
- Maintain files and documentation thoroughly and accurately, in accordance with company policy and accepted accounting practices.
- Performs other duties as required.
- Analyze/reconcile balance sheet accounts
- Assist in annual audit preparation
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
- Strong knowledge of accounting terminology and procedures.
- Ability to read and understand financial statements, reports and forms.
- Ability to gather data, to compile information, and prepare reports.
- Advanced skills with MS Excel and financial reporting.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with all departments and staff.
- Detail oriented.
- Strong organizational and analytical skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize
Administrative Assistant, Office of Development & Alumni/ae Relations
Description of the Position:
Administrative Assistant reporting to Vice President for Development
Duties/Responsibilities:
Development (33%)
- Primary responsibilities include working with confidential information regarding donors, alumni and staff including but not limited to reviewing and creating reports and maintaining portfolios.
- Correspond with and solicit donors for funds, including alumni/ae, friends of UTS, and other funding sources, which requires access to contact information, donation information, and financial information.
- Prospect new donors and devise plans for increasing funding from current donors, which includes accessing financial history and assessments of financial wealth.
- Update the UTS and EDS@UTS Raiser’s Edge databases, specifically adding notes, actions, and updating contact info.
- Assist the VP of Development in drafting Board Reports and miscellaneous impromptu reports/presentations.
- Prepare budget reports and other financial documents for the Development Office, which requires access to financial information regarding the general operations of UTS, including an aggregate sum of salaries per annum for UTS staff and faculty, cost of supplies, travel costs, etc.
Administrative (33%)
- Manage departmental print collateral for events, including invitations, signage, programs, and nametags.
- Coordinate meetings for staff in the Development and Alumni/ae Office, including setting up conference call lines as needed.
- Procure any apparel, baseball caps, keychains, bags, and other miscellaneous Union-branded giveaways that will be distributed by Development and Alumni/ae Affairs staff members.
- Manage the inventory of letterhead, envelopes, note cards, and other Union-branded stationery.
- Work with outside venues and coordinate the logistics for shipping supplies and travel to event locations as needed.
- Issue alumni/ae ID cards.
- Field general phone inquiries and marshal all manner of requests/comments/complaints to a clear resolution.
- Manage relationship with USPS and handle expenses and logistics for bulk returned mail.
- Collect travel information and receipts for Alumni/ae Council meetings. Book hotel stays, reimburse travel expenses, and arrange meeting rooms.
- Make travel arrangements for Unitas honorees and handle any related reimbursements.
- Proofreading key print material, including the Union Network Magazine, invitations, the website, and other material.
- Be ‘on call’ during the Christmas holiday to check voicemail and field any end-of-year gifts.
Computer Tasks (33%)
- Manage files in Dropbox and in Raiser’s Edge, ensuring that files can be quickly and easily accessed. Create new shared folders within Dropbox for cross-department collaboration.
- Process payments, invoices, and credit card statements for the Development Office.
- Troubleshoot hardware and software issues, including both Windows and Mac machines and related peripherals.
- Reconcile credit card charges for the VP of Development using SAP Concur.
- Submit check requests for the Development and Alumni/ae Departments using Blackbaud Financial Edge.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required
- Bachelor’s Degree, Minimum 3-4 years experience working with senior level executives
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
- Proficiency with Raiser’s Edge and Dropbox
- Familiarity with SAP Concur and Blackbaud a plus
- Availability during select weekends and evenings
- Ability to handle confidential information
- Highly organized with both paper and computer files, ability to coordinate meetings against multiple calendars
- Can do attitude and passion for development work
Buddhist Studies Program Manager
Description of the Position:
Under the administrative supervision of the Senior Director of Buddhist Studies, the Buddhist Programming Coordinator will be responsible for planning, organizing, evaluating, coordinating and managing programming for the Thich Nhat Hanh Program for Engaged Buddhism, supporting operations for the M.Div. program in Buddhism and Interreligious Engagement and generally supporting the Senior Director of Buddhist Studies and Buddhist programming at Union.
Duties/Responsibilities:
With Senior Director of Buddhist Studies,
and in collaboration with the Academic Office
- Develops educational program plans and supports their implementation.
- Plans the scheduling of events and delivery of services to achieve program goals.
- Coordinates support and details of courses, academic panels, conferences and other program-specific gatherings.
- Directly liaises with Buddhist leaders, dharma teachers, scholars and educational personnel in support of program goals.
- Coordinates communications for broader Buddhist socially engaged community in support of building a strong Buddhist presence at Union, including, but not limited to the Buddhist Action Coalition.
- Manages Senior Director’s calendar and otherwise supports the Senior Director as needed.
- Supports Buddhist students in creating and coordinating spiritual cultivation activities and liaises with the spiritual formation committee when necessary.
- Collects data and/or conducts surveys on all areas of program activities for evaluation of program effectiveness.
- Provides counsel to instructors and students on program policies, procedures and services.
- Works with the Union communications team to promote programming via all appropriate media channels and develops, designs, writes and edits brochures, reports and other educational materials for publication and distribution.
- Develops and establishes policies and procedures for implementation as applicable to the program.
- Collect course data for program progress and/or statistical reports.
- Assists the communications department with necessary materials for program promotion.
- Works with the admissions office to coordinate materials and support for incoming M.Div.BIE students.
- Assists the development office with program details in support of fundraising efforts.
- Maintains necessary records and files on program.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required
- Master’s Degree from an accredited institution.
- Experience in higher education environments and/or program administration experience.
- Experience with Buddhist practice, communities and organizations.
- Group facilitation skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal.
- Good analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills
- Strong time and task management skills
- Highly motivated and independent, yet team-oriented and able to work across multiple departments
- Must be able to work some weekends and evenings from time-to-time and have reliable transportation
- Computer and other standard office equipment skills sufficient to prepare flyers and other communications, maintain databases, email, and website posting.
- Graphic design skills preferred.
This is a full-time, benefits eligible position. Application deadline is August 15, 2018.
