Manager: Financial Aid and Bursaries at University of Fort Hare

Key job functions
MANAGES OWN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

• To effectively manage the UFH Financial Aid Office and improve processing efficiencies of student bursary.
• To contribute to the design and development of the best practice at the Higher Education Sector
• To ensure that effective level of service is provided to students and stakeholders.
• Ensure Financial Aid Office collaborate with internal stakeholders
• Coordinate the implementation of projects
• Monitor all compliance that is related to student funding
• Submit all weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports to executive
• Effectively manage the full institutional utilisation of funds that are administered by Financial Aid

UNIT REPORTING

• Monthly reporting on the work of the Unit.
• Improvement of control environment through implementation of the Internal audit action plans.
• Improvement of control environment through implementation of the external audit action plans
• Implementation of risk management action plans
• Preparation of reconciliations for all Financial Aid control accounts

ORGANISATIONAL UNIT STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Co-ordinate meetings with staff.
• Collaborating with HR leadership on resource planning processes.
• Managing staff, performances, and appointment of staff
• Coordinate training and development of staff

MANAGEMENT OF BURSARY PROGRAMS

• Management of Bursary Programs.
• Ensure all communication of policies and guidelines from donors are communicated to financial aid staff and students.
• To strengthen policy and advisory support to the Director Financial Controls and Operations.
• Developing programs in line with institutional policies & government regulations
• Designing eligibility criteria for financial aid & bursary programs (where applicable).
• Ensure timeous payment of student allowances.
• Assessing programs financial risk
• Collaborating with other functions
• Developing promotional materials for distribution
• Establishing & maintaining relationships with external providers/ donors
• Facilitating the signing of the MOU/contracts for funding.
• Implement ITS module for funders and beneficiaries
• Implement a process to prepare claims to all funders and follow up on payment of the committed funds.
• Drafts compliance reports to senior leadership
• Develop a Stakeholder engagement plan (internal and external)
• Develop a tool for query tracking and the matrix for the satisfaction measurement.

Minimum qualifications and experience:

• Degree/B Tech/Advanced Diploma at NQF level 7 in Finance, Management Accounting or Financial Accounting.
• Eight (8) years’ experience in Financial Aid or Project Finance management. Of the eight (8) years, five (5) years’ experience of that should be at a Managerial/supervisory level.
• Experience in student information systems (ITS) or enterprise resource planning
• Proven computer literacy in the use of MS Office with a particular focus on MS Word at an advanced level and MS Excel and PowerPoint at an advanced level.