Director of Financial Aid Enrollment Support

Job title:

director of financial aid enrollment support department: financial aid

Salary range: $50,000-$60,000 flsa: exempt

Immediate supervisor: college director for financial aid

Schedule details: full-time/12-month position/psrs

Position summary

The director of financial aid enrollment support has a key role as a member of the financial aid leadership team in the planning, development, organization, and administration of financial aid programs. The director assumes responsibility for managing an assigned functional area(s) and providing oversight of the administration of federal, state, institutional, and external financial aid programs in accordance with all applicable regulations.

This position will assist in managing and supervising the daily operations of the department in alignment with the business and strategic objectives of the college. The individual in this position will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to provide exceptional service to students and their families to enhance student access and enrollment.

Essential job duties

* assist in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of office operations, policies, procedures and compliance activities for aid programs within the financial aid office to ensure adherence to federal, state, and college financial aid regulations.

* participate in strategic planning and policy development to drive departmental goals and objectives. Establish performance goals and measures to evaluate success of assigned areas.

* as a member of the financial aid leadership team, create financial aid operating manuals for routine processes to facilitate and standardize complex procedures. Continuously increase and improve operational efficiency and service and ensure proper controls and regulatory compliance particularly pertaining data systems.

* manage the daily operations of the assigned team and the corresponding workflows, including assisting with the management of workflows across all teams in the department

* facilitate opportunities for staff training on new rules, regulations, procedures, and programs to ensure departmental compliance, cross-training, and staff development.

* provide personnel management direction and guidance to staff, including hiring, onboarding, performance evaluation, coaching, and professional development.

* coordinate financial aid operations in collaboration with other appropriate institutional departments to provide seamless and responsive service to constituents and to support the enrollment and retention of students.

* oversee staff and processes involved in the awarding of state, internal, and external scholarships.

* manage all internal and external customer service aspects for the department, including specialized support for elevated student inquiries from student success representatives, ensuring timely and accurate responses to complex financial aid questions and concerns.

* coordinate financial aid alignment with student success teams, identifying and addressing student experience gaps.

* support onboarding and ongoing knowledge development for front-facing staff, coordinating communication, guidance, and resource consistency.

* execute assigned responsibilities, duties, and tasks according to established college policies, procedures, and standards.

* perform other duties as directed, including internal and external committee assignments, and attendance at college, community, and professional events.

Required knowledge, skills & abilities

* bachelor's degree in a related field and three years of professional experience in financial aid administration (preferably in a higher education setting) with at least one year in a leadership position; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

* knowledge of current department of education financial aid regulations, and title iv and state aid programs.

* demonstrated ability to utilize analytical and critical thinking skills to identify patterns, gaps, research solutions, assess performance, and support implementation of processes, procedures, and policies.

* exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing institutional and regulatory needs

* strong strategic leadership and collaborative skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, and students.

* excellent interpersonal, communication and customer service skills and a student-centered approach.

* ability to manage confidential information with discretion.

Preferred knowledge skills & abilities

* master's degree in a related field and five years of professional experience in financial aid administration (preferably in a higher education setting) with at least three years in a leadership position; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

* proficiency in financial aid management systems and software, with experience in colleague preferred.

* experience with…