Director of Academic Budget and Operations

Director of Academic Budget and Operations


About College of the Holy Cross:

Founded in 1843 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the College of the Holy Cross is among the nation's leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 3,100 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.

Holy Cross highly values the unique skills, perspective, talents and passion that each employee contributes to its learning community. To work at The College is to accept an invitation to participate in the growth and development of all campus members, students, faculty and staff. The College's commitment to diversity is an important feature of the Holy Cross education. Informed by the presence of diverse interpretations of the human experience, Holy Cross is building a community marked by freedom, mutual respect, and civility. We seek others who support our values of diversity and inclusiveness. Job candidates of all diverse backgrounds who embrace the open and inclusive culture of Holy Cross are welcome and encouraged to apply.


Job Description:

Job Summary

Reporting directly to the Provost and Dean of the College, the Director of Academic Budget and Operations is responsible for directing the administrative and financial operations of the Academic Affairs group within the Provost Division, including the development, interpretation and application of policies and procedures; financial and budgetary oversight; faculty and staff position control and salary administration; and management of faculty hiring and faculty tenure and promotion review.

As a member of the Provost Office senior staff, this position also contributes to the development and implementation of divisional initiatives, strategies, and practices. As a member of the College administration, the Director works in collegial partnership with offices and partners across the college to support the academic mission of the College.

Major Areas of Responsibility

Policy Administration - Contribute to the development, implementation, interpretation, communication and oversight of policies that affect divisional operations. Ensure consistent administration and application of academic and administrative policies.

• Administer College and divisional policies and procedures uniformly across all departments; respond to inquiries; evaluate and recommend changes to current divisional policies and procedures; and oversee development of new policies and procedures.
• Partner with key administrative offices across campus to develop clear policies, procedures and practices that ensure the integrity of all activities at the College; serve as primary contact between the Provost Division and Administration and Finance.
• Understand, interpret and apply principles of the Statutes of the Faculty and Faculty Handbook in a consistent manner.
• Model the highest standards of integrity in academic, financial and business matters that are consistent with divisional policies, procedures and guidelines and are compliant with federal and state statutes and laws.

Finance and Budget - Oversee financial and budget activities in the division, including management of budget priorities, preparation of annual budgets, analysis and input to strategic financial planning; training and general oversight to ensure that resources are used in accordance with College policies and procedures.

• Identify and implement leading practices within the division on matters of internal controls, accounting, reporting, procurement, compliance, financial planning and budgeting.
• Assist with development of annual budgets and strategic financial planning; coordinate preparation of budget proposals in support of division priorities; support strategies that link division budgeting to institutional priorities.
• Administer budget and resource allocation for multiple programs and departments in the Provost Division; monitor and analyze budgets to assess fiscal outcomes and improve processes; identify potential problems and recommend solutions.
• Guide financial processes by establishing and enforcing policies and procedures; provide training; explain processes and techniques.
• Develop mechanisms to analyze and report on budget data to ensure operations are within the budget plan and in accordance with established practices; identify fiscal status by analyzing and comparing actual expenditures with plans and forecasts; prepare quarterly forecast/reviews; maintain historical data and statistics.
• Monitor and administer endowment and restricted funds to ensure that they are being used in accordance with the donors' wishes.
• Coordinate grant applications with the Office of Sponsored Research and/or the Office of Advancement's Foundation and Corporate Relations.
• Work with the Advancement Office to oversee stewardship of endowments and restricted funding.

Human Resource Management - Faculty - Oversee on a high-level the processes related to the faculty lifecycle from hiring through retirement. Ensure that appointments are compliant with College policies and procedures.

• Manage position control through salary budget data and FTE allocations on faculty positions; maintain records and compile statistical reports.
• Develop processes to monitor effectiveness of faculty recruiting efforts; explore and implement best practices; design processes to improve efficiencies; oversee faculty-hiring logistics to ensure that hiring activities are in compliance and documented; negotiate start-up agreements.
• Manage allocation of salary pool increase funds; conduct faculty compensation studies; analyze faculty contract data to market and cross-school comparisons; oversee faculty assessment and contract production.

Human Resource Management -Staff - Oversee management of personnel activities in the Provost Division, including evaluation of staffing needs, liaise with Human Resources in the development of position descriptions and oversight of recruitment, orientation and performance development activities within the division. Facilitate effective communication and working relationships within and with other divisions.

• Manage position control through salary budget data and FTE allocations on staff positions; lead efforts to evaluate systems and the structure of roles and responsibilities; provide guidance for position use and staff changes; recommend and implement structural changes involving position realignment to maximize efficiency and productivity.
• Supervise and mentor the work of all direct reports to ensure effective and efficient departmental functions; plan and delegate work effectively; communicate performance expectations and assess in relation to expectations.
• Serve as division liaison to the office of Human Resources as a point of contact in the areas of job descriptions and professional development; promote positive employee relations; help resolve departmental problems; provide assistance with staff administration and employee
• In collaboration with Human Resources, organize training, staff appreciation events and work procedures.

Planning and Project Management - Support strategic plans and initiatives by translating them into action plans; identify and implement leading practices within the division; analyze operational needs and make recommendations for improvement.

Contribute to the development of projects and action plans; analyze resources to maximize their effective use and minimize impact; implement and/or support relevant action plans; provide direction and monitor progress.

Utilize systems to automate procedures where feasible. Work with key liaisons for software system development which includes the planning, system requirement and reporting needs definition, and implementation; set deadlines, assign responsibilities, and monitor progress for the software system additions, changes and upgrades.

Faculty Reporting - Support efforts to measure institutional effectiveness; design and direct collection and reporting of division statistics.

• Develop goals for monitoring progress and performance; determine measures and assessment methods; identify pertinent information to track; gather data; summarize results and use to develop responses.
• Keep current with annual report requirements; develop guidelines for reporting on faculty data; coordinate comprehensive approach to faculty profile and divisional statistics; analyze trends; provide input to surveys on faculty demographics.

Requirements:

Minimum Requirements

• Master's Degree (field open) preferred or combination of Bachelor's Degree with 8+ years of related administrative experience in an academic setting, preferably in a liberal arts context.
• Ability to keep track of numerous details, work independently, multi-task and make decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to manage complex projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google platform.

Technical Requirements

• Knowledge of PeopleSoft or similar financial, student records and HR systems.
• Knowledge of or experience with Application and Course Management Systems

Core Competencies

Skills that are required for this job and are in line with the College's mission e.g.

• Dependability
• Flexibility
• Service Oriented
• Excellent Written & Verbal Communication
• Proficient Problem Solving
• Understands Risk Management
• Excellent Innovation/Creativity
• Strong Teamwork & Team Facilitation
• Strong Interpersonal Skills
• Understands, values and respects diversity as an individual, in a team and within groups while fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.

To mitigate the spread and effects of COVID-19, and as an integral part of its public health and safety measures, College of the Holy Cross requires that all successful applicants show proof of full, up-to-date vaccination (including a booster dose once eligible) by an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine before beginning employment, unless an accommodation exempting the applicant from this policy has been granted. Applicants who wish to request an accommodation based on a disability or sincerely-held religious belief should inform Human Resources after an offer of employment is extended; please do not include any medical, genetic, or religious information in your application materials.


Additional Information:

This is a full-time, exempt-level level position. The College is committed to providing competitive market pay for its employees.The College also offers a competitive benefits package for full-time staff, including:

• 10% College contribution to the 403(b) Retirement Plan (1-year wait waiver available)
• Hybrid work
• NEW - condensed summer 4-day work week
• Tuition benefits
• Wellness programs & ongoing Training and Development opportunities
• Generous paid time off
• Free parking and free use of the athletic/fitness facilities.
• Click here to learn more.

College Description

The College of the Holy Cross is a private, Jesuit Catholic, undergraduate institution serving approximately 3,100 students. Founded in 1843, Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England and has a tradition of academic excellence. It is located atop Mount Saint James in Worcester, Massachusetts. The picturesque, 174-acre campus is an award-winning and registered arboretum.

Region Description

Worcester is a city of approximately 200,000 people centrally located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is approximately one hour from Boston, Hartford, and Providence, and three hours from New York City. Worcester is known as the Heart of the Commonwealth. Worcester offers many cultural and recreational opportunities which you can read more about here.

The College is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the workplace.

A member of the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (HECCMA).


Application Instructions:

Please attach a cover letter addressing the position requirements along with your resume.

In your cover letter please address how your work might support the College's mission as a Jesuit, undergraduate liberal arts college (see http://www.holycross.edu/mission) and its core commitment to diversity and inclusion. Please provide examples of any past work that illuminate your commitments in these areas. For more information, please visit http://holycross.edu/diversity.

Review of applications will begin as received and continue until the position has been filled.







To apply, visit https://holycross.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=148630

The College of the Holy Cross is a highly selective Catholic liberal arts college in the Jesuit tradition. It enrolls about 3,000 students and is located in a medium-sized city 45 miles west of Boston. The College seeks faculty members whose scholarship, teaching, advising, and on- and off-campus service demonstrate commitment to the educational benefits of a richly diverse community. Holy Cross aspires to meet the needs of dual-career couples, in part through its membership in Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (http://www.heccma.org) and the New England Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (https://new-england.hercjobs.org/) jeid-0d2ff206c9c9dc4c894518bcd9403e8b