Student Engagement Specialist-Budget & Operations

$62,901 - $78,626/Yr

Anne Arundel Community College - Arnold, MD

Full-time

Arnold, MD

Educational Services

About the position

The Student Engagement Specialist for Budget and Operations is a pivotal role within the Office of Student Engagement at Anne Arundel Community College. This position is responsible for administering and supporting all aspects of student allocation budgets, which total approximately $750,000. The specialist acts as a liaison between the Business and Financial Resources office and the Office of Student Engagement, ensuring that all financial processes related to student clubs and organizations are managed effectively. This includes overseeing the coordination and approval process for programming funding requests and travel arrangements for student organizations. In this role, the Student Engagement Specialist will assist student leaders in the fiscal management of their club and organization funding. This involves facilitating training sessions for both advisors and students to ensure compliance with all spending policies. The specialist will also provide administrative support to the Director of Student Engagement, helping to streamline operations and enhance the overall student engagement experience. The position requires a strong analytical mindset, as the specialist will monitor available funds, maintain account records, and prepare budget transfers as necessary. They will generate and interpret financial reports to assist in developing monthly budget projections in collaboration with the Business and Financial Resources Office. Additionally, the specialist will manage the purchasing process for all object codes within student allocation accounts, ensuring that all transactions are accurately recorded and processed in systems such as Colleague, Unimarket, and the Nest. The Student Engagement Specialist will also play a key role in training student leaders and faculty/staff advisors on budget policies and procedures, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and compliant with college regulations. This position requires a proactive approach to problem-solving and the ability to handle multiple priorities effectively, all while maintaining a high standard of work quality and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Monitor available funds for all student allocation and related accounts ($750,000).
• Maintain account records and prepare budget transfers as needed in Colleague, Unimarket, and the Nest.
• Generate and interpret reports to assist with developing monthly budget projections in collaboration with the Business and Financial Resources Office.
• Monitor and maintain tracking system for renewals and oversee purchasing of necessary office supplies.
• Communicate with the business office to ensure accuracy of accounts.
• Manage purchasing process for all object codes within student allocation accounts and Office of Student Engagement.
• Establish requisitions, receive the product/service, and process invoices for payment.
• Track and manage payment of all office licenses, memberships, and subscriptions.
• Review and process all student clubs/orgs-related budget and purchase requests in collaboration with the OSE Specialist for Leadership and Involvement.
• Initiate and reconcile club and office event purchases using a procurement card.
• Act as a liaison between the Director of Student Engagement, other departments, and external vendors.
• Serve as the primary fiscal manager in the student engagement platform (The Nest).
• Establish student organization budgets in the Nest and enter transactions and deposits to keep available funds current.
• Assist students through workshops, private meetings, and training to address problems that may arise due to purchase requests and budgeting concerns.
• Evaluate and suggest improvements in the Nest and its processes on an ongoing basis.
• Host annual training of student leaders and faculty/staff advisors on budget policies and procedures, purchase request procedures, and general operating procedures.
• Arrange travel, transportation, and lodging for student club/org members and director as needed.
• Reconcile monthly procurement card expense statements as submitted.
• Provide administrative support to the director, acting as a delegate for the generation and submission of expense reports.
• Process tuition waivers, stipends, and reimbursement forms for applicable staff and students and maintain records of professional development expenditures for student allocation accounts.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher.
• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, accounting, payroll, purchasing, or personnel work.
• Ability to interpret and apply institutional accounting guidelines and procedures.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, time management abilities, and communication skills (both oral and written).
• Demonstrated proficiency in composition, editing, proofreading, punctuation, and grammar skills.
• Ability to handle multiple and sometimes competing priorities and provide excellent outcomes within the required time frame.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including prioritizing workloads and developing efficient workflow systems.
• Ability to instruct, direct, assist, guide, and share information with technical and non-technical personnel.
• Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with students, faculty, staff, governmental agencies, vendors, and the public.
• Advanced proficiency with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
• Knowledge of Colleague and the NEST is also required.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and pay close attention to details, deadlines, and accuracy.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience using Unimarket or a similar eProcurement system preferred.
• Experience using Colleague, Nest, or other student engagement platforms.
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Accounting, Finance, Student Services, and Student Affairs.
• Experience working in a post-secondary institution or community college setting.