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Assistant Director Financial Aid
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Position Number: 5779513
Location: San Diego, CA
Position Type: Financial Aid

Assistant Director Financial Aid

Position Title & Department: Assistant Director Financial Aid; Financial Aid

Posting #: 5063

Department Description:
The Office of Financial Aid (OFA) is responsible for the awarding of Federal, State, and Institutional financial aid to Undergraduate and Graduate students at the University of San Diego. The OFA is also responsible for maintaining Federal, State, and Institutional compliance to ensure proper delivery of financial aid. This includes scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. The OFA determines student eligibility using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the CA Dream Act Application, and the USD Dream Act Application. 76% of USD students receive some type of financial aid.

University Description:
The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Governed by an independent board of trustees since 1972, USD remains committed to a liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Inspired by this centuries old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background. The future success of USD relies on the contributions of those who seek to foster the development of engaged global citizens and an earnest confrontation of humanity's urgent challenges.

Detailed Description:
The Assistant Director Financial Aid manages the Office of Financial Aid for general operations on a day-to-day basis. The Assistant Director is responsible for general training and staff development as well as operational direction. Trains and monitors staff in all phases of processing applications for financial aid. Develops and updates financial aid guidelines and acts as primary resource for other staff members, regarding processing or policy interpretation. Reviews written appeals, using professional judgment and knowledge of state, federal and USD regulations/policies to determine appropriate action or referrals. Contributes as part of the leadership team in formulating packaging and award policies. Acts as a resource to all staff regarding the interpretation of policies and regulations of USD, the state, and the federal government.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Training and Staff Development

Develops procedures and guidelines for Need Analysis, using training and knowledge of annual changes and updates in federal regulations and requirements regarding eligibility;
Conducts training for Financial Aid Advisors and Counselors in Need Analysis functions/philosophy. Serves as primary resource for on-going interpretation/implementation of guidelines and USD policies, using Federal Methodology and USD policy for determination of eligibility for state, federal, and institutional aid;
Coordinates the processing schedule of assignments for Advisors and Counselors to insure that all applications are evaluated, need is determined, and students are awarded within a very "tight" time frame without sacrificing quality;
Anticipates and recognizes need for change or problem-solving as trends and issues arise; determines recommendations to make to the Director which are appropriate to enhanced OFA functioning;
Seeks, supports and promotes training opportunities outside the OFA for all office personnel to enhance job performance;
Conducts training for new Counselors in USD's financial aid procedures, manual packaging and other unique situations.

Application Processing

Reviews, analyzes, and performs ANA and INAS on student records;
Reviews and responds to appeal letters, using professional judgment and in-depth knowledge of regulations and policies to determine appropriate action or referral, takes necessary action;
Re-determines awards and re-packages students' aid manually;
Supervises Form Review process
Supervises and contributes to review of ISIR discrepancy reports
Supervises updating of The Guides to Applying for Financial Aid, all follow-up forms and some award form;
"Trouble-shoots", or investigates problems or issues with INAS, Banner Screens, or other computer programs which interface with other offices, interacting with those offices as appropriate;
Counsels students and families regarding financial aid and related matters.

Leadership Team

Serves as integral part of leadership team in formulating and implementing OFA policies, procedures and philosophy, adhering to USD's mission statement;
Assists the Director in responding to parents and students regarding "crises", or unique situations which need an immediate response or attention with creative, or "gray area" judgments;
Advises students and parents with complicated situations (typically referred by the Counselor of the Day or by department personnel from other offices) on financial aid matters in large and small groups and one on one, using professional judgment, program knowledge, counseling skills and sensitivity to emotional issues which may arise;
Represents the OFA Director at meetings/presentations when scheduling conflicts arise.

Other

Supervises one full-time staff member;
Maintains KnowledgeBase articles for the OFA;
Serves as a back-up Counselor of the Day;
Serves as back-up for creation and maintenance of all eforms;
Serves as back-up for VA/Military benefits awarding;
Creates and makes presentations for workshops and seminars related to financial aid;
Attends state and federal training workshops and state/regional/national conferences relevant to financial aid or other related topics;
Represents the Director at various committee/board meetings as needed;
Serves on committees on campus or in the community as requested;
Other duties as assigned.

Special Conditions of Employment:

Ability and availability to work additional hours at peak processing times
Make difficult and critical decisions
Make independent decisions
Ability to assist emotionally sensitive students and parents with financial aid/other issues
Ability to conduct meetings with various-sized groups as needed to facilitate processing and/or coordinate information among office personnel

Background check: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.

Job Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required
The Assistant Director should have broad experience in federal and state student aid regulations, financial aid policy, need analysis, financial aid packaging methodology, and human relations
Four year's full time experience in financial aid

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree or higher preferred
Some supervisory experience preferred

Performance Expectations - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of need analysis and student aid policies and regulations
Effective oral and written communications skills
Effective organizational skills
Demonstrated supervisory skills
Ability to make independent decisions
Ability to adjust to changing environment
Capacity to listen and respond with knowledge and understanding to students' and parents' situations
Working knowledge of USD's awarding policy and financial aid philosophy
Word processing skills
Extensive knowledge and understanding of Title IV Regulations

Posting Salary:
$6,474 - $7,314 per month; Excellent Benefits

The University of San Diego offers a very competitive benefits package including; medical, dental, vision, a retirement contribution given to you by the University, and access to on-campus Fitness Centers. Please visit the benefits section of our website to view all of the perks and benefits that USD has to offer. USD: Human Resources: Benefits

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Special Application Instructions:
Resume and Cover Letter Required
Click the 'Apply Now' button to complete our online application. In addition, please upload a cover letter and resume to your application profile for the hiring managers' review. If you have any questions or difficulties please contact the Employment Services Team at jobs@sandiego.edu.

Additional Details:
Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: Open until filled

Note: External job postings will be up for at least three days. After that time, applications will be reviewed by the hiring manager/committee throughout the posting period. A candidate may be selected at any time which could then close this posting on a date earlier than listed.

The University of San Diego is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion and is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the campus community.

The University of San Diego is a smoking and tobacco-free campus. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/smokefree.

Advertised: October 11, 2024
Applications close: Open until filled

To apply, visit https://jobs.sandiego.edu/cw/en-us/job/496837/assistant-director-financial-aid