Director, Enrollment Services - Financial Aid
Sierra College is committed to Guided Pathways to increase student achievement and timely goal completion and to close equity gaps. In that spirit, the Director is responsible to ensure areas of oversight afford an inclusive educational and employment environment and are focused on equitable outcomes for all. Under administrative direction of assigned Dean, this position provides leadership for providing financial aid services that increase student enrollment, retention, persistence and completion. The Director of Financial Aid oversees financial aid staff who work to ensure students are properly funded, packaged, and prepared to start each semester. The Director of Financial Aid accomplishes this through:
• Overseeing student funding
• Reviewing and following-up on student packaging
• Monitoring and tracking student financial aid packages
• Preparing graduating and exiting students
• Managing team performance.
This position establishes and reviews internal policies and procedures as it relates to financial aid and student success, ensures compliance with Title 5, District policies as well as other applicable State, Federal laws and regulations, performs the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned areas of responsibility.
Examples Of Functions and Tasks
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.
1. Assists in the development, implementation, evaluation and improvement of student financial aid services that contribute to increased student enrollment, success, goal attainment, and successful transition into the workforce or on to a 4-year college or university.
2. Plans, implements, prioritizes, assigns, supervises, participates and collaborates in the work of staff responsible for the administration of federal, state and local student financial aid programs; identifies resource needs and makes recommendations to allocate resources accordingly.
3. Assist with the development of strategic direction and sets priorities for financial aid efforts in accordance with the District’s goals and changing student needs.
4. Coordinates with the Centers and other departments providing enrollment, retention and completion services to ensure the implementation and intentional delivery of services District wide and serve as primary contact for financial aid in the District.
5. Authorizes prepared award packages in conformity with applicable federal, state, and local regulations; establishes and monitors for satisfactory academic progress of student financial aid recipients to ensure compliance with applicable requirements; oversees application of student financial aid probation and termination policies and procedures.
6. Assists in the development of short and long-range plans and goals to effectively and intentionally deliver student financial aid; develops and implements strategies to effectively integrate financial aid services with other District organizational units; modifies and/or revises policies and procedures as needed to ensure equity-mindedness, on-going compliance with Title 4 and 5, and other applicable regulations.
7. Develops and implements financial aid programming, services, and staff training that is culturally-responsive to the populations being reached and utilizing the principles of universal design to meet diverse student needs.
8. Coordinates with IIT and others as appropriate to help implement and maintain effective district technology solutions for the delivery of financial aid services.
9. Prepares and maintains records, files and reports regarding departmental operations; maintains audit trail of financial transactions; compiles and maintains program statistics; coordinates preparation of District requests for federal student financial aid funding.
10. Coordinates the development of internal documents and publications used in the administration of student financial aid programs and ensures that the documents/publications are culturally responsive to the populations being reached.
11. In collaboration with other stakeholders, provides leadership to deliver effective and innovative financial aid services and activities to improve student enrollment, success, goal attainment, and/or degree completion;
12. Attends and participates in professional group meetings; maintains awareness of new trends and developments regarding guided pathways and other community college initiatives
13. Performs related duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
MINMIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
The following describes the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities required to enter the job and successfully perform the assigned duties.
Education and Experience Guidelines:
A bachelor’s degree in any subject matter field, Master’s degree or the equivalent preferred, and four years of progressively responsible management experience related to the duties of the positions is preferred. One year of progressively responsible management experience related to the duties of the position is required.
Knowledge of:
• Guided pathways tenets;
• Current strategies for student financial aid services to increase student enrollment, retention and success;
• Methods to successfully support individuals with varying backgrounds, which includes person with disabilities, various gender identities, sexual orientation, individuals from historically underrepresented communities and other groups.
• Financial aid trends, issues, strategies, regulations and compliance in the state, regionally, nationally, and internationally;
• Methods and techniques of federal needs analysis and student financial aid award packaging;
• Database management, student information systems, statistical data interpretation, and the application of information technology to financial aid services to contribute to student enrollment, success, retention, and completion;
• Collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution techniques;
• Accounting and budgeting methods, audit procedures, statistics, and data interpretation;
• Management concepts and practices, including change management, organizational and motivational techniques;
• Personnel management practices and techniques of supervision and staff evaluation;
• Employment processes, collective bargaining processes, data collection, and report writing;
• Laws, regulations, and legislation relevant to assigned program areas;
• Safety practices;
Ability to:
• Envision, develop and maintain short and long term strategic plans;
• Coordinate and direct financial aid services for historically underrepresented and underserved student populations;
• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, policies and procedures for providing financial aid services
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals;
• Apply an equity-minded practice and ensure programs, services and processes are designed and delivered to meet the varying needs of all students;
• Participate in the preparation and administration of assigned budgets
• Promote comprehensive solutions involving a diverse body of stakeholders;
• Conduct ongoing research and evaluation of best practices;
• Identify and respond to sensitive organizational issues, concerns, and needs;
• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate the work of assigned staff;
• Compile data and prepare accurate reports;
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community
• Adhere to critical deadlines while working with frequent interruptions;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships;
• Commitment to equity and student success;
• To interact and work effectively with a diverse population utilizing exceptional interpersonal and intercultural skills;
• Perform consistently under the pressure of deadlines and other administrative demands;
• Plan and manage in an environment of shared governance;
• Demonstrate integrity and consistency;
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing;
• Effectively coordinate group work efforts;
• Effectively utilize social/interpersonal skills;
• Utilize listening and negotiating skills;
• Interact effectively with District faculty and staff, and the community;
• Set priorities and establish goals and objectives;
• Organize work and manage time effectively;
• Conduct effective meetings.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting.
Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally walk, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents; and to operate assigned equipment.
Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.