Assistant Director Financial Aid Operations

UMass Boston • Boston, MA

8d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid Operations will provide data, technology, and financial systems support to the Financial Aid Office. Working directly with the Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations, the incumbent will assist with systems processing and reporting aspects of PeopleSoft; and will provide support to other office technology, such as, but not limited to, Document Imaging, Campus Logic, and transactions with the Department of Education. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid Operations will focus on areas of data integrity, system troubleshooting, operational problems, testing system upgrades, data distribution, electronic file imports/exports, new-year set up, documenting policies and procedures, working with financial aid staff, and staff training. The incumbent will also be responsible for counseling a caseload of students.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three-five (3-5) years of progressive experience in an automated financial aid office, preferably in a higher education setting, required.
• Applied knowledge of regulatory requirements governing the financial aid programs required.
• Knowledge of Title IV regulations surrounding federal verification, student eligibility, aid applications and other aid requirements required.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends, as requested

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of and experience with PeopleSoft software preferred;
• Background and/or experience in counseling techniques preferred;
• Experience with, or willingness to learn SQL, advanced excel formula, query, Oracle Business Intelligence, or similar report writing application preferred.
• Knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Access, Excel, Outlook) applications;
• Ability to deal effectively in high stress situations;
• Demonstrated skill in planning and project management;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and complete simultaneous projects with minimal supervision;
• Strong commitment to student and customer service

Responsibilities

• Assist with financial aid systems setup, maintenance, enhancement, project management, financial aid data retrieval query), report writing, and analysis;
• Assist the Senior Associate Director with weekly and annual packaging processes, resolving c-flag/ISIR issues, packaging set-up and monitoring, and awarding on an individual/population level basis;
• Assist with documenting financial aid processes and creating training materials for end users, including maintaining an up to date financial aid operations manual;
• Work collaborative as part of an office’s operation team; adapt to competing priorities; and help develop solutions to streamline office processes;
• Manage and troubleshoot the Document Imaging system, including the preparation of documents for daily shipment to the third party vendor, monitoring nightly data uploads, clearing error queues, answering staff questions, intermittent manual document scanning, completing system updates, and helping plan long term strategic direction;
• Process documents through Image-Now Printer for staff members on an as-needed basis, including during peak business periods;
• Provide back-up to other members of the operational staff responsible for pre- and post- packaging quality control, including c-flags, federal eligibility, ISIR suspense, grade level changes, and data entry;
• Complete projects as assigned by the Senior Associate Director and other senior staff on an ongoing basis
• Counsel a caseload of students in all aspects of financial aid including, but not limited to, applying for aid, determination of need, packaging policies, disbursement, appeals process, changes to aid package, loan borrowing and student employment
• Responsible for keeping abreast of new federal and state initiatives and making recommendations regarding implementation; maintain auditable records of aid awards, aid adjustments, appeals requests and documentation, in accordance with state and federal regulations
• Responsible for counseling students and families to achieve desired outcomes within the boundaries of financial aid regulations and institutional policies;
• Collaborate with Information Technology, UITS, and other external agencies to assist with testing, implementation, and enhancements on a regular basis;
• Attend and present at conferences and events on and off campus;
• Represent the Student Financial Aid Services office on university committees, at recruitment events, and other events, as assigned;
• Perform other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level