Staff Specialist I - Higher Education

Program Manager – Need Based Grants and Legislative Scholarships

Staff Specialist I – Higher Education (0300)

Maryland Higher Education Commission

Grade 17

Nancy Grasmick Education Building

6 N Liberty Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

The Staff Specialist I – Higher Education serves as the Program Manager - Need Based Grants and Legislative Scholarships and provides professional level services to the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) in the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). The position will be responsible for supervising the administration of OSFA’s legislative and need based scholarship programs and reports to the Director of Student Financial Assistance. The Program Manager’s specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide supervision, oversight, and subject matter expertise of eight state legislative and need based financial aid programs totaling nearly $100 million in FY2015, and ensure that the processing of applications and appropriate verification of documents are in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, and Commission regulations and policies.
• Interpret, apply, and clarify MHEC policy, and relevant sections of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland and Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) for diverse internal/external constituents.
• Recommend, develop, and implement Commission policies, and procedures.
• Develop budget projections based on annual legislative appropriations and historical award data, and track expenditures and other data to maintain an awareness of program budgets.
• Establish and maintain relationships with institution financial aid directors to identify and resolve programmatic issues.
• Serve as an auditor of Maryland postsecondary institutions to ensure fiscal compliance with the agency’s policies and procedures.
• Provides operational direction and supervision to four program specialists within the unit performing personnel functions such as recruitments, employee evaluations & relations, etc.
• Assist in the preparation and delivery of financial aid resources to a diverse community of students, parents, and the financial aid stakeholders.
• Complete special projects at the direction of the Director and Associate Director of OSFA.

Education:  Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.  

Experience:  One year of administrative or teaching experience in post-secondary education programs.  

Notes:  Possession of a masters or doctoral degree may be substituted for the required experience. 

The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator in financial aid operations and should have experience working in a fast-paced, results driven, operational environment. Competitive applicants should possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience supervising staff, developing and applying policies and regulations, creating and monitoring budget projections, be detail oriented, and a self-starter. Additionally, applicants should have experience with working independently on multiple projects with fixed deadlines, working collaboratively as part of a team, and have potential to lead interagency work groups.

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

For education obtained outside the U.S. you will be required to provide proof of the equivalent American education by a foreign credential evaluation service.

Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the employment (eligible) list for at least one year.

The examination will consist of a rating of all candidates’ education, training, and experience related to the requirements of this position.  Therefore it is important that applicants provide complete and accurate information related to this position.

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS  

Submit application, and cover letter/resume (in a consolidated PDF or Word document) via Jobaps. Online applications are STRONGLY preferred. Papers applications may be faxed to 410-332-0275. Questions may be directed to Mr. Greg FitzGerald at gregory.fitzgerald@maryland.gov.  

As an equal opportunity employer Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity.  

TTY  Users: call via Maryland Relay

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The Maryland Higher Education Commission is Maryland’s postsecondary education coordinating board responsible for the management of statewide financial aid programs, and the establishment of statewide policies for public and private colleges and career schools to support students’ postsecondary pursuits. For more information, visit our website at https://www.mhec.maryland.gov.