Associate Director, Finance Policy and Programs

Application Due Date:  Open until filled. Preference given to applications received by August 2, 2024.
Position:  Full-time state position
Location:  Frankfort, KY, with limited telecommuting
Travel: In-state and limited out-of-state travel
Retirement:  TIAA
Compensation:  $76,000 to $82,500 depending on education and experience

About the Council on Postsecondary Education

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s coordinating body for postsecondary education and is committed to strengthening the commonwealth’s workforce, economy, and quality of life through ongoing improvement and efficient operation of a high-quality, diverse, and accessible system of higher education.

Function of the Position

This position reports to the Director of Finance Policy and Programs. This person will work with other finance unit colleagues, CPE Executive Leadership, and campus chief budget officers to help develop the Council’s biennial budget recommendation for postsecondary education, formulate staff’s annual tuition and mandatory fee ceiling recommendation, and facilitate the review and approval of interim capital project, Endowment Match Program, and asset preservation funding requests.

Duties and Responsibilities

Capital Projects

• Assist the Finance Director in developing agency and postsecondary institution biennial capital project recommendations.
• Acquire an in-depth working knowledge of statutes, administrative regulations, and Council policies and practices governing the funding and administration of postsecondary capital projects.
• Review postsecondary institution interim capital project requests and prepare staff recommendations for review and action by the Council.
• Assist the Finance Director in developing the agency’s six-year capital plan and in identifying system wide capital planning priorities.

Trust Funds

• Work with the Finance Director, CPE Executive Leadership, and campus officials to develop biennial budget recommendations for trust fund programs, such as the Endowment Match and Workforce Development Programs.
• If requested funds are authorized, assume a leadership role in developing or updating applicable trust fund guidelines that will govern use of program funds.
• Assist the Finance Director with review and approval of Endowment Match Program funding requests and monitoring and reconciling fund distributions.

Financial Transparency and Accountability

• Upon request, collect audited financial statements and other finance and accounting related data and conduct analyses to assess the financial health of selected Kentucky public and private postsecondary institutions.
• On an annual basis, work with campus CBOs and IR directors to validate IPEDS finance survey data and conduct "stress tests" to identify market risks faced by Kentucky public and private postsecondary institutions.
• Work with the Finance Director and CPE Executive Leadership to identify criteria and establish thresholds for designating institutions in distress and develop protocols for responding to such situations.

Policy Analysis and Evaluation

• Use best practice approaches to determine the effectiveness and impact of existing and prospective policies and programs in higher education finance and student financial aid related areas.
• Make presentations to Executive Leadership, Council members, and state policymakers as requested, regarding the efficacy and continuing utility of current policies or programs and the feasibility and anticipated impact of prospective policies or programs.
• Engage in secondary research, perform environmental scans, and contact content experts as needed to support policy analyses and evaluations.

Data Collection and Reporting

• Assume a leadership role in collecting, validating, and maintaining higher education finance and financial aid data obtained from Kentucky postsecondary institutions, KHEEA, and multiple external data reporting organizations.
• Coordinate the completion and submission of annual tuition and fee and higher education finance related surveys, including the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) and Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) surveys.
• Assemble, update, and maintain policy relevant data used to support the Council’s annual tuition and fee setting and biennial budget development processes.

Tuition Reciprocity

• Assume a leadership role in periodic negotiations of reciprocity agreements, including agreements between Kentucky and Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
• Coordinate the exchange of data between Kentucky and neighboring states and keep all stakeholders to the reciprocity agreements informed regarding possible changes.

Special Projects

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Finance Policy and Programs or the Vice President for Finance Policy and Programs.

Qualifications – Education and Experience

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Political Science, or related field
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

-- and either --

• Three to five years of experience in finance, accounting, or budgeting in a state agency or in higher education

-- or --

• Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, or related field
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills

Preferred Experience

• Experience with federal, state, or postsecondary institution policy in the areas of budgeting, tuition and fee setting, performance funding, or student financial aid
• Working knowledge of GASB and FASB advisory statements, particularly in the area of financial reporting
• Certification in data visualization software, such as Tableau or PowerBI

Application Process

Interested applicants should send a letter of application specifically addressing the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, a resume, and the names, titles, and contact information for at least three professional references to CPE.HR@ky.gov