Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Description

ZRG has been engaged to recruit an Associate Vice President of Planning for Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC).

For more details about this opportunity, please view the position profile by clicking on the cover image below.

‍Position Summary:

The Associate Vice President (AVP) of Planning provides strategic leadership for space utilization and planning across Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), including off-site facilities. This executive role is responsible for shaping and executing along-term vision for space allocation and optimization across the existing portfolio, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities of CUIMC administration, the four schools, and their future growth. The AVP drives planning for new facilities and capital projects while maximizing the efficiency and functionality of current assets to support CUIMC’s academic, research, and clinical missions.

The AVP serves as a strategic advisor to senior leadership and collaborates with key partners across CUIMC central administration, Columbia University, New York-Presbyterian (NYP), Columbia Doctors, and the four schools – Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mailman School of Public Health, College of Dental Medicine, and School of Nursing. The role supports the leadership of the four schools and manages their respective specific space needs. The AVP leads campus-wide planning for strategic space utilization and clinical initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and long-term goals.

Core Responsibilities:

Strategic Space Planning

• Develop and implement a comprehensive, long-range space planning strategy that aligns with CUIMC’s mission and growth objectives.
• Forecast future space needs based on programmatic changes, research expansion, and evolving healthcare delivery models.
• Drive planning for new facilities and renovations, ensuring integration with long-term space strategies.
• Collaborate with the CUIMC Administration and key leadership of the four schools to develop and implement a strategic vision for space and campus use initiatives. Strive to balance needs and requests, with the appropriate long-range goals for co-locating similar uses as well as the highest and best use (HBU) of a given facility.

Portfolio Management and Optimization

• Oversee space allocation across CUIMC’s existing portfolio, ensuring efficient utilization and equity across departments, schools, and key stakeholders.
• Work with Columbia Doctors and executive leadership to guide strategic planning across ambulatory care network, including spaces in owned, leased or NYP-shared locations.
• Establish governance, policies, and benchmarks for space assignments, leveraging industry standards (Ivy Plus, Tradelines, SCUP, APA,ULI).
• Identify opportunities for space consolidation, densification, and innovative workplace solutions (e.g., hoteling, address-free scheduling).

Key Unit Support

• Provide support as needed as unit leaders (schools) lead intra-department negotiations and space allocations.
• Work directly with leadership of the four schools to identify and support specific needs within a given school and operating unit. Balance amultitude of requests and work to allocate/reallocate and optimize space assignments.
• Participate in the management of contracting/growing portfolios and seek to align assignments across numerous departments on clinical, research, and educational initiatives.
• This work will be focused within a given school and will focus on the micro needs within the larger context of the Medical Center.

Stakeholder Engagement and Governance

• The stakeholder pool is broad and includes a host of internal (CUIMC Administration, the four schools, department chairs and administrators, clinicians, researchers, principal investigators, student housing and classroom management, University real estate, and the Office of General Counsel, etc.), as well as external parties (NYP, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, landlords, architects, engineers, lawyers, planners, etc.).
• Coordinate Space Committee meetings, prepare agendas, and present analytics to support space requests and strategic initiatives.
• Serve as the central liaison for space-related matters across CUIMC and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
• Collaborate with Columbia Doctors and other partners to manage space across more than 110 practice sites.
• Work collaboratively with Real Estate and the Office of General Counsel to perform site due diligence reviews, lease negotiations and deal implementations.

Capital Project Planning & Special Initiatives

• Partner with Capital Project Management to conduct feasibilitystudies, develop programs, and provide technical input for new construction and renovations.
• Lead special projects and high-priority space initiatives, serving as a rapid-response resource for leadership and recruitment needs.

Data-Driven Decision Making & Technology Integration

• Lead development of advanced space analytics platforms and occupancy data bases to monitor utilization and inform strategic decisions. Participate in a team-based selection and implementation of occupancy monitoring technology for space use optimization. Integrate current IoT lighting controls to create a new occupancy intelligence platform utilizing micro-sensing or thermal technologies.
• Utilize AI and emerging technologies to analyze facility use patterns and optimize space planning.
• Maintain accurate space assignment data for resource allocation, cost recovery, and compliance with indirect cost recovery (ICR) requirements.

Technical Oversight & Asset Management

• Oversee creation and maintenance of technical drawings, floor plans, and infrastructure mapping for internal use and problem-solving.

About Client:

Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, bringing together education, research, and patient care in a single, mission-driven environment. Located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, CUIMC is home to Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, and a wide range of renowned research institutes and clinical programs. The medical center is deeply committed to advancing medical knowledge, improving human health, and training the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Location: 

New York, NY‍

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Planning, Facilities Management, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in space planning, facilities management, or capital planning, ideally in healthcare, life sciences or academic setting.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans for complex organizations.
• Expertise in space utilization analytics, occupancy planning, and technology-driven solutions.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.