Senior Associate Director, Financial Aid Systems

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Job:

Senior Associate Director, Financial Aid Systems

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Executive Director of Financial Aid, the Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid Systems functions as the technical administrator of all aspects of the financial aid process, which includes development, administration and interpretation of financial aid policies and procedures in compliance with established federal, state and institutional guidelines. The Senior Associate is responsible for maintaining all back-end system processes related to student financial aid life cycle and maintains financial aid data integrity. The individual will also support the Executive Director of Financial Aid with the implementation of new federal, state or institutional initiatives and all reporting requirements, in conjunction with Finance and Institutional Effectiveness.

Job Description:

Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Apply a combination of technical expertise and knowledge of financial aid policies to configure and maintain various integrated financial aid management systems (Powerfaids, Colleague, Technolutions Slate, COD, Netpartner, CSS Profile) for effective and optimal processing of student financial aid. 

• Align technical solutions with department and institutional needs. Maintain a working knowledge of departmental functions and utilize technical knowledge to provide system solutions. 

• Implement and perform day-to-day operations of multiple systems and interfaces including but not limited to Powerfaids, EDConnect, Technolutions Slate, etc. for accurate, consistent and timely processing of student financial aid programs. 

• Establish, test and maintain Powerfaids rules, algorithms and quality control mechanisms. 

• Prepare documents and reports necessary for Title IV audits and program reviews. Design and implement internal quality control systems. 

• Assist in the implementation of the Fiscal Operations Report and Federal Request for Funding, the Common Data Set, COFHE Reports, Petersons, NYSED, and US News & World Report and other reports as assigned. Provide statistical data for forecasting yearly projections. 

• Responsible for year-end closing of student accounts and resolution of open accounts by working with outside organizations, State and Federal agencies and closely with the Finance team. 

• Provide supervision and guidance to the disbursement team for all title IV and institutional funds. 

• Liaison with College’s Information Technology Office (BCIT) to coordinate all system updates to Powerfaids. Troubleshoot all computer related (hardware and software) problems. 

• Define user needs and system requirements for the Financial Aid Office and College offices with which it interfaces, i.e., Registrar, Controller, Bursar, Development and Admissions. This includes programming, developing reports, and interfacing data from different software packages. 

• Provide technical and functional support, consultation, and training to financial aid staff on the appropriate use of programs.

• Attend Department of Education, College Board PowerFaids, and NASFAA update training sessions and conferences. 

• Support the Executive Director of Financial Aid with assessment of the effectiveness of financial aid processes and systems. Recommend improvements to the department’s information needs and determine how those needs are best met through the use of PowerFaids, Slate and Colleague. 

• Ensure integrity of federal databases (COD) with responsibility for timely submission of Pell reports and corrections. Resolve discrepancies between Federal databases, institutional databases and office databases. 

• Work closely with senior financial aid staff to produce standard financial aid operating procedure manuals for routine processes to facilitate complex transactions and to standardize procedures as needed. 

• Work collaboratively with respective teams to design business processes in systems configuration activities including the build, testing, validation, and documentation of financial aid system changes. 

• Other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Financial Aid.

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

 

 Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: 

• Excellent database management skills and experience 
• Demonstrated skill in using computer based software applications for program management.
• Knowledge of electronic payment/disbursal systems for Federal and State aid processing. 
• Strong knowledge of Title IV regulations 
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills. Must be detail oriented, able to work independently, and capable of managing several projects simultaneously 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and writing skills. 
• High degree of professionalism and discretion in contacts with management and team members.
• Ability to address multiple tasks under dynamic and changing conditions 
• Experience troubleshooting and resolving malfunctions/problems of computer programs or systems in a quick and timely manner 
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to translate business process into functional specifications 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree plus 5 to 7 years’ experience in financial aid. 
• Sensitivity to student needs and development 
• In-depth knowledge of federal and state financial aid programs and their requirements
• Knowledge of CSS Profile and Institutional Methodology 
• Knowledge of PowerFAIDS 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Knowledge of Technolutions Slate 
• Previous experience creating efficiencies with current processes 

  

Salary Range: $95, 000 - $110,000 annually

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Full time

Salary : $110,000