| Responsibilities: The Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, Systems and Operations leads operational processes for Student Financial Services. Reporting to the Senior Director of Financial Aid, the position is a key partner in all critical business processes, development of policies and strategies and focuses on implementation and administrative systems in service of the objectives for Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM). The position is a vital role to all SEM systems and operations.
This position provides guidance and direction on systems, operations, processes and regulations with regards to Financial Aid and Student Accounts to the Registrar, Admissions and Student Success offices as well as other critical stakeholders at the university (i.e., Finance & Budget and Institutional Research). Additionally, the position is a key collaborator and architect with University Information Technology (IT) in strategic planning, improvements and implementations of all SFS systems and processes. The incumbent will identify current and potential issues with the utilization of the various systems, devises solutions, and automates financial aid and student account processes in collaboration with senior colleagues. The Senior Associate Director trains staff and provides leadership in the implementation, development, and maintenance of the student information system, customer relations management software, messaging systems, aid application processing, document management systems, payment systems, and additional software.
The role directly oversees a technical manager and must be able to work in a team environment as well as independently manage project initiatives, meet deadlines and be able to respond to ever-changing business needs, regulatory practices and technology to meet the goals of the university. This position requires excellent organizational, planning and project management skills, as well as versatility, flexibility, and problem-solving ability. It requires a combination of strong user-facing skills and an understanding of both business needs and the underlying technologies to support them in a higher education environment. Play key role in regulatory compliance with the institutional, state, and federal regulations
Leads efforts to ensure compliance with institutional, state and federal regulations to mitigate risks
Designs and automates processes to establish best practices across Student Accounts and Financial Aid
Leads the process to implement predictive modeling for graduate and undergraduate degree programs to expend university scholarship funds strategically and responsibly to meet net tuition revenue goals
Chief architect for SQL rules and jobs directly for SFS and SEM for the auto-packaging, authorization, and disbursement of aid for both admitted and continuing students Determines complex rules, queries, and scripts for IT to implement or correct database issues
Oversees the test plans, testing, and upgrades of the Financial Aid and Student Accounts ERP modules, including reviewing resolution reports from vendors, upgrade guides, object lists, and testing and training IT and staff on the upgrades and procedures
Directs the distribution of award letters, disbursement notifications, and other notifications comprising over 50,000 annual letters/emails for SFS
Quality management surrounding project initiatives, system reviews, disbursement and reconciliation processes annually according to university enrollment goals
Directs federal processing of student aid, including loans, verification, Pell, return of Title IV, private loans, and federal work study operations across multiple systems both internally and externally
Oversees the workflows and reports for the payment and reconciliation of student accounts
Trains staff on new procedures and policies related to the changes in systems and operationsMinimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in related field, or equivalent experience. Demonstrated strength in critical thinking to identify and lead system solutions for changing/evolving business requirements.
Direct experience managing staff; excellent communication, presentation and facilitation skills.
Strong technical background in Enrollment Management Systems (student information systems, customer relations management software, messaging, ticketing, and application processing, etc.) Knowledge of business functions in admissions, financial aid, and registration.
Advanced knowledge of computer security tools, best practices and policies including demonstrated experience securing server-based software.
Ability to troubleshoot issues across various platforms and such as computers, VOIP, cabling issues
Advanced knowledge of PCI DSS compliance and FERPA. Experience integrating internal and external systems, including the use of secure file systems such as G5, TD Client, and EdConnect.
Knowledge of conceptual database design and documentation of policies and procedures.
The ability to understand and develop complex reports involving in-depth data analysis including an understanding of topics such as revenue modeling and disbursement.
Flexibility to adapt to late night or early morning work required ensure processes function correctly as intendedPreferred Qualifications: Experience with Banner, Workday, payment processing, ETL Tools (Hyperion/Tableau), Languages (SQL, HTML5), and CRM system integrations preferred. Other scripting languages such as including Javascript/Google Scripts/Perl.
Demonstrated skill in managing and collaborating with technical staff across the University.
Experience with vendor management including negotiating and onboarding vendors. |
