Assistant Director, Financial Aid Operations MFRESFA

Overview

The College of DuPage is a comprehensive community college located 27 miles west of downtown Chicago, connected to our local area for over 50 years. We prepare students for lifelong learning on our 273-acre campus with nine associate degrees and a wide variety of professional and technical certificates. Many credentials prepare students to articulate into baccalaureate programs of our higher education partner institutions.

The College of DuPage is committed to student success and values an inclusive and welcoming community environment. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workforce.

• Oversee the daily management of the electronic financial aid process, including retrieval, posting, and reconciliation of data from sources (e.g., ISIRs, COD, NSLDS).
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Financial Aid staff, ensuring performance expectations are met.
• Maintain and monitor the U.S. Department of Education s Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) process with federally approved entities (e.g., CPS, NSLDS, COD), including processing ISIRs, corrections, and reporting.
• Collaborate with the IT department to coordinate annual financial aid setup, including document tracking, rule maintenance, and communication codes.
• Ensure accurate data exchange between the financial aid office and external agencies (e.g., NSLDS, COD) and manage internal office reporting.
• Develop, update, and enforce office policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations.
• Coordinate reconciliation processes between the Financial Aid office and other institutional departments (e.g., Finance, Enrollment Services).
• Manage the Return of Title IV (R2T4) process and ensure accurate implementation of procedures.
• Oversee the federal Direct Loan and Pell Grant closeout process with the Department of Education.
• Maintain and ensure proper configuration of the student information system to meet financial aid regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for IT-related support for the financial aid office.
• Monitor and ensure daily quality control of the Ellucian Colleague student information system and troubleshoot account control issues.
• Generate special reports as requested by the Director and conduct research to address unique reporting needs.
• Assist in the collection and compilation of data for annual financial aid reports and institutional audits.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Director of Student Financial Assistance.
• Ensure smooth communication between the financial aid office and internal departments to maintain efficient processing workflows.
• Review and recommend improvements to financial aid processes to increase efficiency and reduce processing errors.
• Provide support and training to staff and other departments on financial aid processes and systems.

• Education
  • Bachelor s degree in a related field required.
  • Additional course work in computer science area preferred.
• Experience
  • Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in financial aid operations, including experience with electronic data exchange, federal aid programs, and financial aid management systems.
  • Proven experience with Electronic Data Environment (EDE), Elm Resources, and Department of Education programs.
  • Strong knowledge of Ellucian Colleague or other student information systems is required.
  • Experience managing teams, including hiring, training, and performance evaluation.
  • Solid understanding of federal and state financial aid regulations, as well as institutional financial aid policies.
  • Ability to interpret complex financial aid data and regulations and apply them effectively within the department.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality control.
  • Relevant financial aid certifications preferred (e.g., CASFA, NASFAA).

• Regular use of standard office equipment including computers, printers, calculator, and telephone.
• Office setting with high-volume student services.
• This position requires a background check and drug screening.
• Must not be in default on federal student loans to have authorization to access Federal Student Aid databases (NSLDS, COD, FAAaccess).

• Hybrid Remote Eligible:
  Yes
• Hiring Range:
  Salary starting at $75,131 based on experience; competitive pay dependent on education and experience. Generous benefits include paid time off, tuition discounts for employees and dependents, medical, dental, vision from day one, and retirement benefits.

College of DuPage is an equal opportunity employer. The College of DuPage does not discriminate in employment opportunities, programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or other protected classes as provided by law.