Job Opening: Vice President, Scholarships & Programs (S&P) Programs – Washington, DC

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Job Summary

The Vice President for S&P Programs will provide active oversight and management of the day-to-day operations related to a portfolio of Programs within the S&P Division. These topics and outcome-based programs provide students’ access to college, students’ retention through scholarship support, and students’ knowledge for their personal success and academic development. Additionally, elements of the programs specifically serve UNCF’s 37 member institutions and the students who are enrolled there. S/he will ensure alignment with UNCF’s strategic priorities, with the overall Scholarships & Programs division’s mission and will cultivate positive client service relationships with donors, students, university and college staff and faculty, and with UNCF leaders, peers, staff and stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Provide senior staff leadership and oversight, as well as active management where required for a portfolio of Programs within the S&P Division so that the Programs meet their donor agreed guidelines, timetables, budgets, reporting and expectations as described in the agreements.
  • Guide program innovation and the growth and sustainability of the program areas, while working closely in concert with UNCF’s fundraising teams to maintain and attract investors and grantors to each of the program areas.
  • Work with each Program Director to maintain and iteratively update comprehensive data related to each Program area and leverage the data to assure UNCF meets donor agreed guidelines, timetables, budgets, reporting and expectations as described in the MOUs. She/he will also use the data to comprehensively set goals, report on UNCF’s accomplishments, and to assess lessons learned and opportunities for improvement.
  • Work with each Program Director to track end-to-end scholarship, stipend and fellowship awarding to assure that student awards of all types are effectively managed, do not exceed budget and are made on a timely basis.
  • Develop and maintain an overall calendar of the Program’s activities, assuring that the division has the ability to provide the necessary human capital, auxiliary support and fiscal resources to achieve the goals within and between each of the Programs.
  • Work closely with the Senior Director leading the development and editing of new and renewal MOUs to determine program timelines consistent with donor goals, the academic calendar and Program portfolios.
  • Work closely with the Senior Vice President, Senior Director leading the development and editing of new and renewal MOUs, and Program Directors as a team to create new Programs and update existing Programs.
  • Provide oversight to the Program Directors and serve as the secondary liaison with UNCF’s Accounting division to assure all Program budgets are current and that all appropriate indirect expenses are accurately captured on a quarterly basis and assure the Programs do not exceed their annual budgets.
  • Serve on the Scholarships & Programs (S&P) leadership team with the Directors, Sr. Directors, VP and the SVP to establish and carry out divisional and UNCF policies.
  • Contribute to the development, editing and maintenance of an S&P divisional policy manual.
  • Represent the Programs and, when necessary, the S&P division at internal and external meetings with current and prospective Board members, UNCF HBCU Presidents, donors, affiliates and staff members.
  • Regularly convene the Program leaders for unit meetings.
  • Assess and provide individual and collective staff guidance, development and training at the Directors’ level and serve as a mentor and role model for staff members at levels below the Directors.
  • Contribute to a quarterly report and newsletter for the members reflecting the status of Programs, featuring opportunities for student engagement.
  • Produce a monthly report on the performance of the Programs.
  • Contribute to regularly scheduled newsletter/updates/training sessions to Development and the organization.
  • Review and edit annual Program reports to grantors for consistency in donor reporting.
  • Work in ways that demonstrate UNCF’s core values; trust, responsibility, accountability, collaboration, integrity and impact.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Across the growing Program portfolio, he/she will have responsibility for the overall supervision of five (5) direct reports and more than twelve (12+) employees. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies, performance guidelines and applicable laws.

Qualifications and Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from 4-year College or University required; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
  • Requires at least 7-10 years of substantive experience in program administration and management, staff development and people management, resource and budget management and a strong record of achieving outcomes and goals with a highly collaborative, team-driven and values-oriented work style. Experience working in post-secondary education with undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral academic programs; scholarship/internship programs management; and/or other non-profit setting supporting student development and strategic partnerships is strongly preferred. Experience or knowledge of technology and/or online programming.
  • Language Skills  – Excellent written and oral communication skills in English with the ability to be a persuasive, credible, and polished communicator; ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to develop and write reports, business correspondence, power point presentations and procedural guidelines. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Dual language ability in one of more of the major other languages spoken in the U.S. is a highly valued skill.
  • Mathematical Skills – Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Ability to recognize inconsistencies in data patterns and resolve outliers. Skills in using software applications such as Microsoft Excel for data analysis and budgeting a plus.
  • Budgeting Skills – Ability to develop, manage, monitor, analyze, forecast and report on new and existing short-term and long-term budgets. Ability to define business goals and to identify costs related to maintaining business operations. Ability to monitor and report on cash flow related to scholarship and program operations, assuring that an initiative does not exceed its budget. Ability to review and forecast against an existing budget to determine if it will meet its goals with the available resources, and to make recommendations related to the findings. Ability to understand UNCF financial compliance rules and regulations and the role these play in program management at the individual program and overall unit management. Ability to write and format budget reports, evaluate business performance from a financial perspective, allocate money for projects and manage resources effectively. Ability to track several streams of income and expenditures with an ability to identify the budget remaining at any point in an accounting period. The ability to contribute accurate information to a budgetary audit.
  • Reasoning Ability – Ability to apply critical thinking skills to solve practical problems dealing with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
  • Management Abilities – Position requires a leader with a high degree of interpersonal relational skill building in a fast-paced environment. Must be a team player who can collaborate and work effectively with diverse groups of people at all levels of the organization. Ability to handle a variety of stakeholders, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a complex environment with multiple priorities while exercising an exceptional attention to details. Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; takes responsibility for subordinates’ activities; makes self-available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates’ skills and encourages growth; solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); fosters quality focus in others; improves processes, products and services; continually works to improve supervisory skills.
  • Strong organizational skills; Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and use of social media platforms; willingness to embrace ambiguity and work within established guidelines to resolve unique challenges. Strong planning skills and the ability to multi-task; outstanding human relations and managerial skills; demonstrative initiative; the ability to be a self-starter who works with minimal supervision, but who engages leadership in shared decision-making. Strong ability to be creative in exercising problem-solving skills.

Work Environment 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Compensation and Benefits 

  • Medical, Dental & Vision
  • Vacation, Sick & Personal Leave
  • Life Insurance (Basic & Optional)
  • Flex Spending Accounts
  • 403(b) Retirement Account
  • Holiday Savings Plan

Salary Range: $164,800.00 To $185,400.00 per year (Salary is commensurate with experience.)

UNCF is EOE M/F/D/V

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About UNCF

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization, has been an engine of minority educational achievement for more than 75 years. UNCF’s mission is to build a robust and nationally recognized pipeline of black students who, because of UNCF support, become highly qualified college graduates. UNCF is committed to closing the educational attainment gap between African Americans and other populations by increasing postsecondary access and success for students from underrepresented groups, particularly low-income and first-generation students.