Senior Associate Director, Custom Programs

Position Summary

Columbia Business School Executive Education (CBSEE) has a global reputation for the design and delivery of world-class online, open, and customized programs. CBSEE is an entrepreneurial and dynamic business with strong growth ambitions.

As Columbia Business School Executive Education continues to grow its custom program business in Asia and globally, it requires polished, proactive, and professional key account management and business development to create and nurture lasting relationships with large corporations and other diverse organizations.

Reporting to the Executive Director of APEC and Strategic Accounts, this role sits within the Custom Programs team and is responsible for the smooth delivery of strategic programs and for managing key client relationships. The individual will coordinate end-to-end program delivery, ensure internal teams are aligned, maintain high client satisfaction, and manage existing client relationships.

This person will act as a central point of contact between the Custom team, the program delivery/operations team, faculty, and Marketing—helping to translate client needs into clear internal actions and ensuring that programs are delivered to a high standard. The role also involves identifying opportunities to improve how we deliver programs and enhance the overall client experience.

About CBS

For over a century, Columbia Business School has helped develop leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large through our MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs. We are equally committed to cultivating new scholars and teachers, and to creating and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge, concepts, and tools which advance the understanding and practice of management through our faculty research and PhD programs.

Our vision is simple: to develop ideas and leaders that transform the world—from the very center of business. Our ever evolving curriculum - featuring pioneering courses, STEM certification, and immersive experiential learning -prepares students to excel in key areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and innovation, twenty-first century finance, the intersection of business and society, and climate and sustainability. The CBS administration enables CBS’ educational and scholarly mission through strategic and operational guidance and support, optimizing School resources through well-designed, transparent processes with a culture of respect for all.

Responsibilities

Client Management

• Provide high-quality account management for a portfolio of existing clients in Asia and globally.
• Maintain and deepen trusted relationships through regular communication, responsiveness, and excellent service.
• Serve as a key day-to-day contact for clients on program delivery, logistics, and follow-up.
• Work with faculty to innovate and design recurring programs for existing clients.

Program Delivery & Coordination

• Project manage the key elements of strategic programs— preparation, recruitment, and delivery, including timelines, logistics, and internal resource alignment.
• Ensure that program plans are clearly defined, communicated, and executed on schedule and to quality standards.
• Work with the Executive Director and faculty to design the curriculum and the participant journey and experiences for strategic programs.
• Monitor ongoing programs to anticipate issues, resolve problems, and ensure a consistently positive client experience.

Cross-Team Collaboration

• Act as a liaison between the commercial (business development) team and the program delivery/operations team to enable smooth execution.
• Partner with the Marketing team to develop client-facing materials and communications that support ongoing programs and relationships.
• Ensure that information flows effectively across teams so that faculty, operations, and marketing are aligned around client needs and program objectives.
• Work with other departments within Columbia Business School to align resources for executive education programs

Process & Experience Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve how programs are delivered (e.g., workflows, communication, documentation, templates).
• Collect and synthesize client feedback and internal input to recommend enhancements to program design and delivery.
• Help implement improvements that increase efficiency, quality, and client satisfaction.

Support for Strategic & Commercial Initiatives

• Support and contribute to the full RFP lifecycle, including opportunity qualification, proposal development, commercial positioning, and follow-up.
• Participate in early-stage client conversations to understand their needs and help translate them into actionable program plans and delivery requirements.
• Partner with the Executive Director to drive proactive business development activities across assigned markets and industries.
• Conduct proactive outreach to prospective corporate clients and strategic partners to generate new opportunities.

Reporting & Data Management

• Create and maintain clear reports on program performance, client engagement, and key metrics.
• Use Salesforce to record and track client data, interactions, and program details to inform decision-making and relationship management.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Minimum of 4-6 years of related experience required.
• Bilingual in Mandarin
• Proven achievement and understanding of Account Management, and strong commercial awareness.
• Excellent project management and relationship management ability.
• Very strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills are required.
• Excellent PowerPoint skills are essential, along with the ability to develop clear, concise, and polished written communication.
• Must have experience in both operational and commercial activities linked to managing clients and engagements.
• Needs to be a natural multi-tasker, must be reliable and able to deliver to deadlines, and must be open-minded and flexible in approach to adapt to very different faculty and client styles and expectations.
• A genuine interest in executive education and a hunger to learn continuously.
• Needs to be driven, entrepreneurial, and a genuine team player