• This position is open until filled. First Review Date: 4/16/24.

DESCRIPTION

Academic Affairs is the largest of the vice chancellor areas at UC San Diego. Led by the Executive Vice Chancellor (EVC), it is comprised of seven academic divisions and schools, seven undergraduate colleges, the University Libraries and University Extension. The vice chancellor area also includes academic support units, as well as the units under the purview of the Vice Chancellor Student Affairs and Vice Chancellor Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Academic Affairs annually manages expenditures in excess of $1.5B, 4.0M ASF of space and employs over 13,500 academic, staff and research employees. The Office of the EVC is responsible for policy and procedure communication and implementation, resource administration, training and guidance, and program development for administrators, faculty, and staff within the EVC areas.

The Director of Graduate Student Financial Support Unit serves as a member of the Dean’s Cabinet and senior adviser to the Dean of Graduate Division, advising and providing analytical support and leadership on graduate student financial support and employment to the campus.

This position receives assignments in the form of objectives and determines how to use resources to meet schedules and goals. Works closely with both leadership from Office of AVC-RA, Director of Finance and Budget and Graduate Division to align operations with institutional mission and service to graduate students.

Reviews and approves recommendations for functional programs, broad institutional initiatives - both fiscal and operational. Provides guidance to subordinates to achieve goals in accordance with established policies. Erroneous decisions or failure to achieve goals results in additional costs and personnel, compliance and risk issues and serious delays in overall schedules.

Responsible for planning, managing, and directing the administration of graduate student merit-based aid and academic employment funds of up to $40M for UC San Diego and providing outstanding services to faculty, staff, and students. Develops, implements, administers, and evaluates policies and practices for the smooth and efficient delivery of student financial support services. Consults with and advises faculty, students, and campus administrators, works closely with academic and administrative departments, and collaborates with the Graduate Division management team on graduate student financial support and broader graduate education matters. Develops short-term and long-term strategies for graduate student financial support, including maximizing extramural support and ensuring that campus funds are equitably distributed to support the entire breadth of graduate education at UC San Diego.

Through analysis and innovation, the Director addresses and resolves complex graduate student financial support issues and problems. Oversees the direct fund management, distribution to UC San Diego graduate students, and reporting of fellowship, traineeship, and tuition-and-fee payments. Manages unit staff, an administrative budget, and numerous systems applications in support of the above functions. Collaborates with campus management regarding campus-wide business policies, processes, applications, and systems to support a multifaceted, customer-centric, and highly regulated academic, administrative, and research environment.

Work during evenings and weekends may be required.

• Submission of a cover letter along with a resume is required for a complete application.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional level experience in accounting/fund accounting principles and theory, expansive accounts receivable, billing and loan and collection operations. Ability to analyze and propose viable technical solutions that align with business operations. Broad knowledge of financial transactions and financial systems, as well as related policy, accounting, and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Strong knowledge and understanding of higher education financial aid policy at the graduate level, including administration of graduate student financial support (employment, fellowship/traineeships, etc.).

• Knowledge and understanding of internal control practices and their impact on protecting University resources. This includes auditing protocols and standards, methods to evaluate processes to establish and/or maintain appropriate accountability, procedures for analyzing and summarizing financial data to assess risk, and overseeing complex account and process reconciliations, resolving discrepancies/issues and communicating results to all management levels, auditors and agencies.

• Proven knowledge of project management tactical and strategic planning techniques, tactics for formulating plans for business process improvements determining, addressing probable barriers identifying required resources and defining process milestones and adjusting action plans to achieve desired outcomes, and budget forecasting and in developing funding models for projects and staffing.

• Demonstrated skill in applying personnel policies and procedures and complying with agreements for represented employees, providing encouragement, guidance, appropriate work direction, and professional development for all levels of staff and managers, delegating authority to appropriate levels, and empowering employees while ensuring that all unit functions and responsibilities are performed with the proper delineation and segregation of duties.

• Proficient skills in making challenging business decisions with integrity and accountability displaying the highest level of ethical conduct, being effective when communicating the rationale and basis for outcomes, in developing and implementing creative solutions based on conclusions, accepting uncertainty, dealing with ambiguity by advising and taking actions when answers to problems are note readily apparent, and evaluating consequences and determining how to establish and maintain accountability and fundamental internal controls going forward.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively across the organization at all levels. Professional ability to perform effectively in crisis situations taking a temperate approach, assess organizational needs and job-related demands in establishing priorities and managing multiple complex projects concurrently, and transition from one activity to another reprioritizing responsibilities as circumstances dictate.

• Strong skills in use of spreadsheet and database software. Familiarity with Cognos/Tableau, basic queries and relationship to source data.

• Substantial skill in leading by example, modeling a collaborative culture which values ethical conduct, customer service, supporting an environment that respects the person, leverages the power and synergy of teams with members with disparate opinions and views to achieve effective decision-making, acknowledging achievement, partnering with others to incorporate their ideas, and adapting to change, and facilitating consensus-building in diverse work groups with many perspectives by exercising diplomacy, negotiating compromise, and maintaining confidentiality.

• Skills include sophisticated service orientation, ability to multi-task effectively in a varied, high volume environment, sound judgment and decision-making, reasoning, ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, and effective verbal and written communication skills. Ability to foster and nurture supportive team environment.

PREFERRED:

• Extensive knowledge of UC and UC San Diego organizational structures, policies, procedures, standards, core functional processes, and systems.

• Experience working in a labor union environment, including labor union contract interpretation and implementation.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Background Check required.