Federal Student Aid Compliance Auditor

West Coast University•Irvine, CA

About The Position

The Federal Student Aid Compliance Auditor provides internal quality assurance by implementing and conducting on-site compliance audits across multiple locations of American Career College and West Coast University. The audits provide objective, independent assessments of control processes against Federal Student Aid (FSA) guidelines and regulatory requirements. The role plans and executes an annual audit plan focused on FSA and Title IV compliance, reports findings and recommends corrective action, and follows up to confirm compliance. The auditor works with campus and corporate staff to address audit findings, tracks compliance through reporting and data analysis, updates audit checklists as requirements change, and maintains knowledge of relevant regulatory and accreditation standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher.
3–5 years of experience in Title IV administration or public accounting with single auditor experience.
Strong knowledge of Title IV regulations and Department of Education audit standards.
Knowledge of state, federal, and local laws and regulations relating to programs, governmental compliance, and other regulatory standards related to Title IV.
Ability to comprehend and apply multiple sets of regulations to an individual situation.
Ability to respond in a timely manner to requests for approvals, audits, or surveys.
Ability to promote and maintain a cooperative work environment.
Ability to understand compliance and regulatory issues in a highly ethnically and culturally diverse student and associate community.
Effective oral and written communication, including complex proposals and presentations, and effective listening skills.
Effective interpersonal skills, follow-through, and attention to detail.
Creative facilitation and conflict-resolution skills for difficult and sensitive issues.
Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
Ability to analyze data, prepare reports, and evaluate and analyze program effectiveness and resource utilization.
Ability to self-direct, self-pace, multitask, and function under deadline pressure and conflicting priorities.
Ability to work with individuals at all levels of the organization.
Good judgment.
Willingness to work a flexible schedule.
Ability to travel or drive locally weekly, daily, or as needed.

Nice To Haves

Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Public Administration.

Responsibilities

Perform regulatory compliance audits of schools and prepare written reports of results, including recommendations for corrective action related to federal laws and regulations focused on Title IV and institutional aid programs.
Plan and execute an annual audit plan focused on FSA and Title IV compliance, including high-risk areas such as Return of Title IV, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Verification, Professional Judgment, packaging and over-awards, disbursement controls, and cash management.
Perform follow-up audits within specified time periods to ensure regulatory compliance.
Communicate audit results to school and corporate management verbally and in writing in a timely manner.
Keep internal compliance management informed of audit progress, schedule changes, regulatory issues requiring immediate or detailed attention, and other issues that arise.
Work with applicable campus staff and departments to ensure audit findings are understood and corrective or preventive actions are developed and completed.
Track qualitative and quantitative compliance areas through reports and data analysis, and recommend corrections or preventive measures for policies and procedures.
Develop or modify audit checklists as regulatory requirements change.
Maintain knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards and requirements.
Participate in professional development and organizations to maintain understanding of the current regulatory environment.