Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations and Technology

Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations and Technology

Job Summary

Financial Aid and Scholarship Office is seeking an Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations and Technology to provide leadership and management for technology-supported services used in the administration of student financial aid programs. As a member of the office’s administrative team, this position oversees financial aid operations, customer service initiatives, technical systems, regulatory updates, and the development and implementation of automated financial aid processes.

The position also provides leadership to Operations Team members and technical staff and assists with the development of policies, procedures, training, and operational communications.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the implementation and administration of technology-supported financial aid services
• Participate in the CMS Instance Management Team and represent the campus at CSU Financial Aid Module meetings
• Manage electronic processes and data transfers involving EDConnect, the California Student Aid Commission, Department of Education, and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD)
• Oversee technical processing and reporting for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs
• Develop and implement office-wide technical goals, policies, processing protocols, and procedures
• Manage financial aid communications throughout the application cycle and coordinate student messaging with Enrollment Services
• Serve as security administrator for the People Soft financial aid module and ensure appropriate system access and compliance with FERPA and campus security protocols
• Create reports and provide detailed financial aid data to Student Affairs and other campus stakeholders
• Coordinate and troubleshoot imaging and workflow systems and support continuous process improvement

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner
• Working knowledge of, or the ability to develop proficiency in, the appropriate and ethical use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), in higher education and administrative contexts
• Ability to apply emerging technologies to support operational effectiveness, data-informed decision-making, and service delivery to students, faculty, and staff
• Demonstrated ability to support continuous improvement and organizational learning through the responsible application of technology within assigned areas of responsibility
• Ability to evaluate potential applications, promote responsible, ethical, and equitable use, and ensure alignment with institutional policies, regulatory requirements, and strategic priorities
• Thorough knowledge of operational management practices and the ability to manage staff
• Thorough knowledge of student information systems with the ability to learn People Soft student financial aid modules
• Thorough understanding of admission practices
• Ability to interpret, apply, and explain federal and state reporting regulations for the financial aid reporting
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the general public
• Possess knowledge of public administration principles, university infrastructure, practices, and methods
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions, and to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with multiple abstract and concrete variables
• Ability to compose and appropriately format correspondence and reports
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and…