Assistant Bursar

Holyoke Community College; Holyoke (MA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State benefits package

Job summary

Holyoke Community College is seeking an Assistant Bursar to manage student accounts, billings, and refunds within a collaborative finance team.

The role supervises staff, optimizes processes, and coordinates with the Bursar, Business Office, and Financial Aid to ensure accurate accounting and timely student communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or closely related field.
• Three to five years of full-time professional experience in student billing or accounting.
• Three years of direct supervisory experience directing and coordinating the work of others.

Responsibilities

• Safeguard, process, and deposit college funds, including student tuition payments.
• Ensure quality of service to students and resolve student account issues with staff and leaders.
• Directly supervise, train, and evaluate Student Account Services Staff, including Federal Work-Study employees.
• Develop strategies to maintain standards of service and best practices.
• Maintain schedules to ensure office coverage meets student and staff needs.
• Coordinate with the Business Office and Financial Aid Office for accurate accounting of revenue and transfers of financial aid funds.
• Ensure accurate accounting activity on student accounts (billing sub-codes, term classifications, balances).
• Perform reconciliations for audits and year-end closing.
• Bill tuition and fees for credit and non-credit courses.
• Develop and document department policies; streamline processes (holds, late fees, dunning).
• Prepare student communications according to timelines; manage office communications and website pages.
• Recommend payment options to students and guardians to maintain enrollment.
• Maintain student information systems and integrate with other College operations; ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
• Assist Bursar with IT systems (online payments, electronic billing, bookstore transactions).
• Conduct on- and off-campus workshops; evenings and weekends may be required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Supervisory experience

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Conflict resolution

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting/Finance/Business

Tools

Zoom

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

About Holyoke Community College:

Holyoke Community College is housed on a multi-million-dollar, 135-acre campus, equipped with state-of-the art technology in specialized learning facilities. HCC serves over 9,000 students annually, and provides a variety of recreational and cultural activities, from sports programs to music festivals, for students and community members alike. The college's strongest assets continue to be an innovative spirit, a sincere concern for students and a commitment to strive for even greater success. These are the values which have created a tradition of excellence spanning more than six decades, and which are enabling Holyoke Community College to meet today's challenges.

Mission

Educate. Inspire. Connect.

Values:

Kindness, Inclusion, Trust, Innovation & Collaboration

Kindness, inclusion and trust are the foundation of the work that we do together. Innovation and collaboration enable us to explore and implement the ideas that will shape our future.

Under the general supervision of the Bursar, the Assistant Bursar assists in providing administrative leadership, management, and supervision of the Student Account Services Office. Performs student billings, prepares refund reports, and participates in the refund audit process during peak refund periods. Provides support on special projects and represents the Bursar on College committees as necessary.

• Assists in safeguarding, processing, and depositing all college funds, including student tuition payments and any other monies collected campus-wide.
• Ensures quality of service to students and resolves student account issues in collaboration with the staff, Vice Presidents, Comptroller, Financial Aid Office, Department Heads, and Deans.
• Directly supervises, trains, and evaluates all Student Account Services Staff, including Federal Work-Study employees.
• Develops strategies for maintaining standards ofservice and best practices deemed appropriate by the College and the Bursar.
• Maintains schedules to ensure that office coverage is appropriate to meet the needs of students and College staff.
• Coordinates with the Business Office and Financial Aid Office for accurate accounting of all revenue/cash receipts and transfers of financial aid funds.
• Ensures accurate accounting activity on student accounts about billing sub-code classifications, academic term classifications, and account balances.
• Performs reconciliations as required, including for federal and state audits and year-end closing.
• Bills tuition and fees for all credit and non-credit courses.
• Assists in developing and documenting department policies and procedures and analyzes and recommends system solutions to streamline current processes, including but not limited to holds, late fees, and dunning.
• Ensures student communications are prepared according to established timelines.
• Provides direction regarding office communication plans and maintains HCC Student Accounts website pages.
• Recommends payment options to students (and parents) regarding current and past-due tuition accounts to assist students in maintaining their enrollment with the College.
• Maintains student information system and integrates these services with other operations of the College consistent with thelaws of theCommonwealth, Federal Government, and Title IV Regulations.
• Assists the Bursar in working with theInformation Technology Department to implement and maintain systems such as online payments, electronic billing, Bookstore advances, charges, and other related activities.
• Conducts and participates in on- and off-campus workshops that may involve evenings and weekends.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or closely related field.
• Three (3) to Five (5) years of full-time professional experience in student billing or accounting.
• Three (3) years of direct supervisory experience directing and coordinating the work of others, including the responsibility for hiring, training, evaluating, and disciplining staff.
• Experience with conflict resolution and a proven ability to maintain professional communication, including the ability to interpret, explain and apply complex laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Strong analytical, organizational, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient computer skills including Zoom, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workplace Products, Email, and Internet navigation.
• Extensive working knowledge of computerized financial record systems.
• Knowledge of higher education principles, practices, procedures, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Strong written and oral communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to workeffectively with a diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
• Must be availableto work evenings and weekends during peak registration and financial aid refund periods.

Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred Qualifications:Four (4) years of experience in higher education coordinating and overseeing the work of others and effective customer service.

• Experience working in a student accounts services office and assessing office needs to coordinate staff duties to meet demands.
• Experience working on multiple high-priority projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of relational databases and writing queries for developing reports.
• Familiar with software systems such as, Ellucian Banner, TouchNet Cashiering and Payment Gateway, Chat Now, EAB Navigate, etc.
• Familiar with 1098T filing requirements.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Full-Time Non-Unit Professional Position:

Salary Range: $76,687.37 - $84,668.75/year (Grade 6), plus a comprehensive State benefits package. Hours: 37.5 hours per week. Funding Source: State.

Additional Details:

Please Note: a skills assessment or presentation may be required as part of the interview process.

Disability Accommodations:

Holyoke Community College is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and will ensure the availability of reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Office of People and Talent at [phone].

Background Check:

• Employment is contingent upon the successful completion and review of a background check which will include CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) and SORI (Sex Offender Registry Information).
• All candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States. HCC is not sponsoring H1B Visa.

Holyoke Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual violence shall be referred to the College’s Affian