Title: Associate for Finance Policy & Innovation
State Role Title: Policy Planning Spec II
Hiring Range: $75,000.00 - $80,000.00
Pay Band: 5
Agency: State Council of Higher Educ
Location: JAMES MONROE BUILDING
Agency Website: https://www.schev.edu
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
About SCHEV
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is the coordinating body for the nation’s preeminent system of postsecondary education. Among its primary responsibilities are: the development of a statewide strategic plan for higher education; the facilitation of collaboration among postsecondary institutions that enhances academic quality and operational efficiency; and the development of system-level recommendations on budgetary and policy matters.
The Council and its staff play multiple, statutory roles in financial, budgetary and policy matters related to Virginia higher education, including: (i) developing policies, formulae and guidelines for the fair and equitable distribution and use of public funds among the public institutions of higher education; (ii) providing periodic updates of base-adequacy funding guidelines; and (iii) calculating each public institution's basic operations and instruction funding need for each year of each biennium and making that calculation available to the Governor, the General Assembly and the public colleges and universities. To fulfill these duties and expectations, SCHEV requires expertise in not only finance, accounting, budgeting and policymaking, but also in the management of higher-education-related financial information and data.
SCHEV aspires to be a great place to work. It is an environment of public servants committed to developing an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive and coordinated system of higher education in Virginia. We value honesty, quality, diversity, inclusion, growth-orientation, personal well-being, equity, transparency and accountability. And we seek team players that will advance these values through their work and engagement.
About the Position
This position is an ongoing role in SCHEV’s Finance Policy and Innovation (FP&I) section, reporting to the Director of Finance Policy and Innovation, or designee. The position presents an opportunity to work alongside FP&I’s professional staff in a collegial atmosphere, while adding unique skills and abilities to the section’s capabilities and expanding its capacity to work with higher education data and policy. SCHEV’s offices are located in downtown Richmond, VA; limited teleworking is possible but not guaranteed.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Maintain finance policy records, datasets and other resources used in making policy assessments and recommendations and then shared with external stakeholders.
• Assist with the review and revision of the agency Fact Packs.
• Review guidelines and process institutional equipment program requisitions.
• Report and verify data to SHEF and SREB.
• Prepare research and policy analyses to be included in ad hoc reports and presentations to stakeholders.
• Assist in the production of budget summaries.
• Report yearly expenditures for institutions.
• Support fiscal and operational planning and performance at the state and campus/institutional levels, including six-year plans, a biennial planning process for institutions and state government, and the institutional performance standards.
Special Requirements:
Occasional intraday travel will be required. Overnight travel, while infrequent, is likely.
Minimum Qualifications
• Demonstrated experience analyzing public budgets and producing clear, actionable summary documents.
• Advanced spreadsheet expertise, including managing and analyzing large data sets.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify correlations, perform temporal and peer comparisons, and develop hypotheses based on data patterns.
• Experience conducting research and drafting quantitative and qualitative summaries, along with recommendations to support policy decisions.
• Skilled at presenting financial data clearly and effectively to diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently on deadline driven projects within politically sensitive environments.
• Knowledge of higher education issues including enrollment, finance, affordability, academic programs, workforce alignment, and emerging sector challenges.
• Experienced in interpreting and evaluating statistical information.
Additional Considerations
• Experience demonstrating knowledge of public budget management or administration.
• Experience with Microsoft Office suite required, as well as experience desired in cloud services (SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams) and AI machine learning tools.
• Experience in using Statistics Software such as SPSS, Stata and data visualization tools like Tableau or Power B1.
• Knowledge of institutional reporting requirements is strongly desired.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and/or of access to reliable transportation for travel to job-related activities.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Cover letter and resume are preferred.
State applications will only be accepted as submitted online by 11:59 pm on the closing date through the Recruitment Management System (RMS). Applications submitted via email, postal mail, fax, or in person will not be considered. Applicants are expected to fully represent qualifications and work history on the State applications and or in resumes. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided in the application, resume, or other relevant documents provided; therefore, it is essential for applicants to supply detailed information. Applications should include complete work history and periods of unemployment if applicable.
Submitting an incomplete state application/resume, or a state application/resume lacking in detail, may impact your interview eligibility. This website will provide a confirmation of receipt when the application is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your RMS Account to check the status of your application for this position.
State employees who have been affected by Policy 1.3 Layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card) must submit the card BEFORE the closing date for this position. The card may be scanned and attached to the application or faxed to (804) 371-7401. Please include your name and the position number on the fax cover sheet. You may apply for this position at http://jobs.agencies.virginia.gov . Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AMERICORPS, PEACE CORPS, AND OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE ALUMNI ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
Contact Information
Name: Taris Harmon
Phone: 804-292-6482
Email: taris.harmon@dhrm.virginia.gov
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.