College Bursar

THE COLLEGE OF WESTCHESTER; City of White Plains (NY); On-site; USD 66,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) retirement plan

401(k) matching

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision insurance

Life Insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Employee Tuition Waiver

Paid time off

Referral Program

Job summary

The College of Westchester is hiring a full-time Bursar to lead student financial services and ensure accurate billing, payments, and reconciliations. The role requires coordinating with Finance, Financial Aid, Admissions, and other offices to maintain compliant, efficient operations.

The position supports a hybrid work arrangement, with two remote days per week, and focuses on strengthening internal controls, reporting, and customer service in student accounts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
• 5+ years in Title IV higher education regulatory environment or bursar operations.
• Familiarity with federal financial aid regulations and student accounts.
• Strong financial controls and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience supervising staff and communicating complex policies.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for the Bursar’s Office and student financial services.
• Oversee tuition, fees, and other student charges for accuracy and timeliness.
• Collaborate with departments to ensure proper application of aid and refunds.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements.
• Prepare financial reports, reconciliations, and annual audits as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Regulatory knowledge

Supervision

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Excel

Job description

Welcome to CW’s Office of Human Resources. Since 1915, The College’s success has been based on creating both exceptional student and employee experiences. The College of Westchester is a great place to work and learn, one strengthened by its Mission and Vision. These qualities are evident in the spirit and compassion of the CW community, as we encourage students’ personal and professional growth.

The College of Westchester, an Associate degree- and Baccalaureate degree-granting college in White Plains, is seeking a full‑time College Bursar. The Bursar is responsible for the overall administration, oversight, and integrity of the College’s student financial services and bursar operations. Bursar provides leadership for Return to Title IV (R2T4), 1098t processing, student billing, payment processing, account management, refunds and related financial services while ensuring compliance with institutional policies, federal and state regulations, and applicable accounting standards.

The Bursar works collaboratively with Finance, Financial Aid, Admissions, the Registrar, Information Technology, and other campus departments to ensure accurate and timely student account services. This is a hybrid position that offers the flexibility to work remotely two days per week.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the Bursar’s Office and student financial services operations.
• Oversee the accurate and timely billing of tuition, fees and other student‑related charges.
• Work closely with Associate Director of Student Accounts in establishing and maintaining procedures for the collection and processing of student payments, electronic payments, payment plans, refunds, credits and student account reconciliation.
• Monitor student accounts and ensure accurate reconciliation of billing transactions, deposits, refunds, and outstanding balances.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and institutional requirements governing student accounts and financial transactions.
• Prepare drawdowns of federal and state funds and return funds within the regulated timeframes and project cashflow for CW CFO.
• Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures that promote efficient, consistent, and student‑centered financial services.
• Collaborate with Financial Aid to ensure accurate application of scholarships, grants, loans, and other financial assistance to student accounts.
• Work closely with the Registrar, Admissions, Finance, and other departments to resolve account discrepancies and improve business processes.
• Oversee the preparation of financial reports, reconciliations, and analyses related to student accounts and bursar operations, specifically completion of federal and state required reports and assistance with annual audits and potential program reviews from fed/state.
• Maintain appropriate internal controls and safeguard student and institutional funds.
• Monitor cash receipts and ensure timely deposits and accurate accounting of funds.
• Coordinate the annual billing cycle, including tuition and fee assessment, payment deadlines, and related communications.
• Review and recommend tuition, fee, billing, and payment policies and procedures as appropriate.
• Supervise, train, and evaluate Bursar’s Office staff and promote a professional, service‑oriented work environment.
• Respond to complex student account inquiries and resolve escalated financial issues in a fair, professional, and confidential manner.
• Participate in institutional committees and projects involving enrollment, finance, technology, financial aid, and student services.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, technology, reporting, and the overall student financial experience.
• Perform other duties and special projects assigned by the appropriate senior administrator.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in Title IV higher education regulatory environment, NYS HESC and NYSED environment, student accounts, bursar operations, accounting, or a closely related area.
• Familiarity with federal financial aid regulations and the intersection of financial aid and student accounts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of student billing, accounts receivable, payment processing, financial reconciliation, and collections.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, confidentiality requirements, and applicable higher education regulations.
• Demonstrated supervisory or management experience.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet critical deadlines in a complex institutional environment.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience working with financial or student information systems.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and staff management abilities.
• High degree of accuracy, integrity, and attention to detail.
• Excellent financial and analytical judgment.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex policies and regulations.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to individuals with varying levels of financial knowledge.
• Discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential student and financial information.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across academic and administrative departments.

Annual Salary Range: $66,300 – $80,000

Benefits Offered for Full‑time employees include: 401(k) retirement plan, 401(k) matching, Medical, Dental & Vision insurance, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Account, Employee assistance program, Employee Tuition Waiver, Paid time off (Holiday/Vacation/Sick), and Referral Program.

Some searches may be conducted through an outside entity as noted in the posting. Please follow specific guidelines within each post.

Applicants requiring an accommodation or assistance in the application process should contact the Human Resources Department at 914-831-0353 or the entity conducting the search.