Associate Director of Financial Aid
Job description
Job Summary
Central Washington University is recruiting an Associate Director of Financial Aid to join our Financial Aid team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhace the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based (telework-hybrid possibility) position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $57,000 - $64,420 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.
Who we are:
We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.
Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You’ll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing for ~10,000 students, health services, police and public safety.
For the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.
Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A
What we offer:
Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts.
The Role:
The Associate Director of Financial Aid will have a primary focus on federal, state, and institutional compliance and reporting, and will be instrumental in the day-to-day operations of the Office of Financial Aid. This position will have oversight of areas of financial aid administration and support and is responsible for the supervision of staff administering federal, state, and institutional financial aid. The successful candidate will be part of the Student Financial Services leadership team to ensure adherence to compliance practices and policies and will help develop and implement strategies to support enrollment and retention.
All employees are expected to support CWU’s commitment to diversity and to bring and support inclusion into the university environment.
Job Duties
- Responsible for the day-to-day functions of the Office of Financial Aid. This includes but is not limited to customer service; data management; counseling; federal, state, and institutional regulatory compliance; verification process and quality assurance assessment; professional judgment; and Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Assist the Director of SFS in establishing and implementing new regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal policies and regulations
- Develop and maintain procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations
- Develop policies and procedures to ensure the accurate and efficient delivery of federal, state, institutional, and outside aid
- Maintain and disseminate accurate student/consumer information as required by the Federal and State Aid regulations. Ensure information provided to the public regarding financial aid and student accounts is clear and accurate, including information published on the Web and provided in presentations
- Responsible for the standardization and maintenance of the Financial Aid forms, both electronic and in print
- Help establish and coordinate the communications strategy for SFS
- Reconcile assigned Federal Financial Aid programs, including but not limited to: WA College Grant, WA College Bound, WA Passport to College, and TEACH Grant
- Remain abreast of current and emerging issues, trends, and legislation in financial aid delivery and any impacts to services for students
- Remain current and proficient on National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), Common Origination Disbursement (COD), Direct Loan servicing, Federal Student Aid Knowledge Center, the Washington Student Achievement Council web site, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other electronic resources provided at state and federal levels
- Coordinate student enrollment and retention efforts with Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Registrar, Admissions, and Student Success Offices
- Assist in the development of default management strategies for Federal Direct Loans to maintain a low cohort default rate
- Assist the Director with developing the annual budget, policies and procedures, and annual training needs for the Office of Financial Aid and Student Financial Services
- Responsible for developing work teams for accurate and efficient function of the Office of Financial Aid
- In collaboration with Information Services, participate and/or provide input for testing and documentation during upgrades or changes in the Student Financial Services modules(s) of PeopleSoft Campus Solutions:
- Including the interfaces between Campus Solutions, Financial. Management System, Campus Loan Manager (CLM), and University subsystems
- Ensure staff are trained after upgrades or changes are complete
- Review new release guides to determine the impact on system operations and consult with the Director of SFS.
- Actively engages in recruitment and hiring new employees
- Clearly defines performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provides ongoing informal feedback, coaching, and mentoring. Conducts formal performance evaluations
- Ensures employees have necessary resources
- Oversees and directs the work of staff; serves as mentor, coach and leader, and resolves complaints or issues
- Promotes professional development opportunities
- Develops and fosters supportive working relationships, motivation and engagement
- Communicates information to staff on an ongoing basis to influence staff engagement and to be a part of a larger community
- Takes corrective action in a timely manner
- Recognizes and rewards employees for good performance
- Schedules employee work hours/shifts; monitor hours worked; approve payable time and absence requests
- Adjusts leadership style as needed to achieve results
- Recognizes value of and promotes diverse workforce. Values and encourages diverse perspectives, creativity and teamwork.
- Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Management, Counseling, or related field.
- 6 years progressively responsible experience in Financial Aid or Student Accounts Management.
- Experience with Financial Aid awarding in adherence to federal and state aid regulations.
- Comprehensive understanding of financial aid or student accounts computer systems such as PeopleSoft, National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), Common Origination & Disbursement (COD), Washington Student Achievement Council web-based systems or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
- Demonstrated ability and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds and experiences
- OR any combination of education and experience which clearly demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
Preferred Qualifications
- A Master’s degree in a higher education related field.
- Experience developing and implementing financial aid regulatory compliance procedures.
- National Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) credentialed.
- Experience managing large and complex system driven processes that require a large team to accomplish.
- A record of promoting inclusivity in the work environment
- Life experiences that demonstrate an ability to contribute to CWU’s commitment to inclusion and diversity
- Demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for students through various activities
Competencies
- Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines and work schedules.
- Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
- Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
- Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
- Commitment to Diversity: Recognizes the value of diversity and helps create environment that supports and embraces diversity.
Don’t meet every single requirement? At CWU we’re dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. This may be the job for you!
Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule
Salary: $57,000 - $64,420 annually
Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions. It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer work station for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records. Some evening or weekend work and/or occasional travel may be required.
Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit: www.cwu.edu/hr/benefits-perks-discounts .
An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program .
How To Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the on-line application and attach:
- A detailed cover letter clearly demonstrating how your education and experience: (a) meet the required (and, as applicable, preferred) qualifications, and (b) demonstrate the ability to perform the responsibilities as described by the posting;
- Resume including work history, education, training; and
- Contact information for three professional references.
Screening Begins: October 24, 2022
**Priority will be given to applications received by the screening date. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Contact Information
Name: Leslie Hammes
Title: Director of Student Financial Services
Email: Leslie.Hammes@cwu.edu
Phone: 509-963-2091
Website: cwu.edu/financial-aid/
Please contact Human Resources at hr@cwu.edu or 509-963-1202 if you require technical assistance with the on-line application process.
Conditions of Employment
Prior to employment, final candidate(s) will be required to sign a Sexual Misconduct disclosure in pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080 and submit to a background check. All information obtained through background investigations will be strictly confidential and revealed only to those required to have access.
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