Assistant Director, Financial Aid

Job Summary

The Assistant Director, Financial Aid is responsible for supervising, evaluating, training, and coordinating the activities of a team of financial aid advisors while collaborating with the supervisor on the implementation of institutional policies and procedures for all financial aid programs. The Assistant Director will oversee the administration and management of the Department of Education’s Federal Verification process. This role ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations while providing leadership and guidance to the financial aid team. This role requires strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills, as well as a deep understanding of financial aid processes and regulations.

Job Description

Typical duties may include but are not limited to:

• Supervises, evaluates, trains, and coordinates the work of assigned team of financial aid advisors.
• Establishes performance goals and measures to evaluate success of assigned area of responsibility.
• Participates in the strategic planning for assigned areas and assists the Director in developing and implementing the overall departmental strategic plan.
• Works closely with supervisor on the implementation of institutional policies and procedures for all financial aid programs.
• Interprets state and institutional regulations and recommends financial aid policies and procedure changes necessary for program compliance.
• Assists with the administration and management of the Department of Education Federal Verification process. Maintains expertise in verification by attending workshops and webinars and by studying federal resources.
• Assists in the development of institutional policies and procedures for the administration of the verification process. Develops guidelines and processes for making necessary corrections, updates, and adjustments to student application data. Assists in form creation to collect required documentation.
• Serves as the liaison to third party servicer for verification. Responds to inquiries from third party servicer consultants and monitors third party servicer verification dashboard.
• Assists with evaluating the technical needs and enhancements used in the verification process and recommends improvements and modifications when appropriate.
• Prepares and delivers presentations to various stakeholders, as required. Represents the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships on various institutional and professional organizations.
• Responsible for awarding, processing, and disbursing funds as appropriate.
• Provides personalized counseling to students and parents, offering guidance on financial aid options, eligibility, application processes, and resolving discrepancies or issues, ensuring clear understanding of awards, responsibilities, and financial planning for education.
• Responsible for ensuring that all programs, activities, and series comply with university, state, and federal regulations.

Other Duties:

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
• Serves as back up to all other financial aid areas and programs including but not limited to front desk, document management, and outside scholarships.
• Serves as primary back-up for the third-party call center. Monitors, reviews, distributes and resolves escalated tickets received from the consultants.

Additional Job Description

Required Qualifications:

• This position requires either ten years of directly related full-time experience or, as an alternative, a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in an appropriate area of specialization and six years of full-time experience directly related to the job functions.
• Any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience, and/or certifications may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge and understanding of management principles, practices, and standards, as applied to public institutions.
• Employee development and performance management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and customer service orientation.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze, summarize, and effectively present data.
• Skill in examining and evaluating operations and developing and/or redesign operating strategies, systems, and procedures.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment and work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to supervise and train assigned staff.
• Ability and skill in data analysis and metrics.
• Ability to thrive in an organization that values the diversity of its student body and work