Program Administrator – Smith Family Human Rights Clinic, Columbia Law School

Open Date:
April 30, 2026

Salary Range:
$68,000−$73,000

Description:
The Columbia Law School Smith Family Human Rights Clinic advances human rights around the world by working with civil society partners, and prepares students for lifelong careers in social justice advocacy. The Clinic works on a wide range of urgent human rights issues, from armed conflict and sexual violence, to workers' rights, environmental injustice, and the rights to education, health, and water.

Reporting to the Clinic Director and to the Managing Director of the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute (HRI), the Program Administrator's primary role is to work with the Clinic Director to ensure the Clinic runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. The incumbent will also collaborate with Clinic supervisors and HRI program staff, and will be provided with mentoring and opportunities for career advancement.

Responsibilities include:

  • Managing all aspects of the Clinic, including designing and implementation of effective processes; tracking deadlines and goals for Clinic teaching team; setting agendas and participating in team meetings; meeting scheduling; tracking deadlines and communicating logistics with Clinic students; managing clinic file storage and communications systems; drafting and editing correspondence; organizing and managing Clinic student recruitment and application processing and frequent advising and problem solving with and for human rights advocates and students from around the world. (35%)
  • Assisting Clinic Director in all activity including management of director's work calendar; coordinating research assistants' hiring and reporting processes; tracking and managing budgets, reimbursements, and cash advancements; and providing support to academic research and writing as needed. (15%)
  • Coordinating all programming and logistics for Clinic weekly seminars, clinic and school-wide events, and workshops; implementing Clinic student feedback and requests into events. (10%)
  • Financial management and bookkeeping, including through initiating and designing efficient financial policies and practices; tracking Clinic finances, expenditures, and budgets; producing financial reports; processing invoices and reimbursements; reconciling expenses; and liaising with the Columbia Law School's Business Office and others. (15%)
  • Organizing and booking Clinic travel arrangements, creating and updating effective process for international and domestic travel, securing cash advances prior to travel and reconciling expenses on return; ordering supplies; and assisting the team in trip preparation as needed. (10%)
  • Contributing to the Clinic's external and internal communications, performing clinic outreach to JD and LLM students, preparing Clinic reports and materials, updating, creating, and writing website and social media content, and responding to inquiries. (5%)
  • Hiring and onboarding new members of the Human Rights Clinic, performing extensive outreach to recruit candidates; coordinating with candidates and committee members; participating in interviews and taking notes; and any other needed administrative task. (5%)
  • Additional administrative and logistical assistance and special projects support to the Human Rights Institute faculty, staff, and directors as needed, including assisting in hosting the Human Rights Open House events and other HRI events. (5%)

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent related experience is required.
  • 0-2 years of related work experience.
  • Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, administrative, task management, and organizational skills.
  • Initiative, ability to both take direction and work independently, detail-orientation, ability to creatively solve problems and to propose solutions and design efficient ways of working.
  • Ability to work quickly and well under pressure and to manage competing assignments.
  • Excellent ability to facilitate and coordinate meetings, workshops, and committees.
  • Ability to function independently and to exercise discretion and judgment in sensitive matters.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Experience with budgeting and basic accounting.
  • Excellent computer/technology skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat Professional, Google documents, and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
  • Commitment to and interest in human rights, public interest, or social justice issues and activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Proficiency in a second language.
  • Experience with managing, editing, and maintaining a website.

Application Instructions
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Apply here