About the role#
The Director of Student Financial Support provides leadership and direction for graduate student financial support at UC Santa Barbara. This role manages the Graduate Student Financial Support unit, overseeing activities across 45 academic departments. You will serve as a strategic advisor to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean, guiding decisions on funding, policy, and long-term fiscal sustainability. This position directs campus-wide authority on graduate academic appointment policy and ensures labor contract compliance.
What you'll do#
- Lead the development of student financial support programs and budget strategies.
- Manage a fellowship support budget exceeding 28 million dollars.
- Oversee the distribution of over 7 million dollars in non-central endowment and extramural funds.
- Administer the campus-wide graduate student fee remission program, which totals over 30 million dollars.
- Supervise the Graduate Appointment Policy Analyst and the broader financial support unit.
- Provide stewardship for financial support information systems in collaboration with campus IT.
- Act as a liaison with various campus units, including Financial Aid, the Registrar, and Accounting Services.
What you'll need#
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent training and experience.
- 7 to 9 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, budget administration, or financial analysis.
- 4 to 6 years of supervisory experience.
- Experience with fund accounting or restricted and sponsored fund management.
- Proficiency in spreadsheet and database software.
- Ability to build financial models and conduct scenario analysis for multi-year planning.
- Experience advising senior leadership on high-consequence resource decisions.
- Broad knowledge of financial systems, accounting, and regulatory compliance.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work across all levels of an organization.
- Preferred: 1 to 3 years of experience in higher education, public sector, or complex nonprofit environments.
- Preferred: Working knowledge of academic labor agreements and their financial implications.
Location & details#
- Location: Cheadle Hall, UCSB Campus, California.
- Work Modality: Hybrid, requiring an on-site presence of 3 days per week.
- Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.
- Employment: Full-time career position.
About UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara is a public university focused on research and education. It operates from a campus on the California coast. The institution employs over 10,000 people. Its primary activities include instruction and academic research.
How to get in at UC Santa Barbara
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