What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Financial Aid and Support Programs position at Cuesta College?

Salary : $115,584.00 - $127,428.00 Annually

Location : All Campuses or other sites, CA

Job Type : Full Time - 12 Months / 100% FTE

Job Number : FY2425-00110

Division : Student Success & Support Programs

Department : Financial Aid & Records

Opening Date : 01 / 24 / 2025

Closing Date : 3 / 2 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

Job Description Summary

This position may be required to work weekends and evening hours at multiple locations throughout San Luis Obispo County.

DEFINITION

Under the general direction of the area administrator or designee, the Director of Financial Aid and support programs manages, supervises, and administers the daily operations of the Financial Aid Office, and Veteran Services. Key responsibilities include ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, developing strategic plans to maximize the value of financial aid and support programs for eligible students, and delivering equitable outcomes for students from diverse communities.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This position is distinguished from other positions in financial aid by its specific focus on maintaining program and institutional eligibility and facilitation of student financial awards.

Incumbents in this position utilize the Guided Pathways framework, advance the college's Student Equity Plan, support student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness by providing access to financial resources to successfully complete their educational goals. The Director ensures all provisions of services to students are aligned with the District's mission, vision, and institutional goals.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Where You Will Work

Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, Cuesta College has provided comprehensive associate degree offerings, certificates, and community programs to the region since 1964. The main campus is located along scenic Highway 1, west of San Luis Obispo and east of the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Cuesta College has a North County Campus in Paso Robles, and South County Center, in Arroyo Grande.

Who We Are

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our culture and the work we do. Cuesta College is proud to be a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) committed to racial and socio-economic diversity as it reflects our communities and student populations. We actively seek to attract candidates who share this commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of the Cuesta College team, you can expect to be part of a collaborative community of faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners advancing educational excellence with intentional support services leading to student success and completion.

Additional information about the college can be found at https : / / www.cuesta.edu / about / index.html
The college planning documents can be found at https : / / www.cuesta.edu / about / collegeplans / index.html
Our Student Equity Action Plan can be found at
We offer comprehensive benefit options. Information about benefits can be found at https : / / www.cuesta.edu / about / depts / benefits-insurance / index.html

Essential Functions & Qualifications

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Oversee all administrative functions of the assigned programs, including, supervising staff, assigning job duties, conducting performance evaluations, providing ongoing professional development opportunities, and hiring and onboarding new staff;

Demonstrate cultural humility, sensitivity, and equity-minded leadership in working with individuals from diverse communities, model inclusive behaviors, take action to address equity gaps impacting students, and collaborate with staff to ensure a high-performance, student centered, service-oriented work environment;

Monitor proposed and enacted changes in laws, regulations, and best practices impacting financial aid programs; develop and propose strategic objectives to maximize financial awards for all students with an emphasis on ensuring equitable outcomes for minoritized students;

Responsible for maintaining Title IV Program Participation Agreement (PPA) with the U.S. Department of Education; submit new programs for approval of funding and ensure compliance with Title IV aid programs; Institutional Participation Agreement (IPA) with the California Student Aid Commission and ensure compliance with State aid programs;

Lead and ensure timely award year set-up to support accurate and efficient processing of student applications. Coordinates the loading of Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs and CAISIRS) into the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and packaging of federal, state and institutional aid;

Evaluate office operations and identify, develop, and implement policies and procedures to maximize effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in services to students, accuracy in data collection and recordkeeping, and compliance with current legal requirements;

Assess changes in California Community College funding legislation to identify impact of assigned programs on District funding and categorical funding to minimize or enhance services;

Drive a culture of regulatory excellence within the Financial Aid Office by maintaining internal controls and procedures across the District;

Administer satisfactory academic appeal (SAP) evaluation and oversee the appeal process for students seeking reinstatement of financial aid eligibility;

Maintain program data to assure timely and accurate submission of required federal, state, and local reports;

Prepare, write, and submit required state and federal reports; oversee audits and official reviews to clarify policies, procedures, and variances;

Develop and monitor assigned budgets, review and approve expenditures, oversee the development of comprehensive financial reports, and ensure accurate recordkeeping of financial transactions;

Interpret and explain policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and guidelines relevant to assigned programs to multiple stakeholders including current and prospective students, faculty, managers, supervisors, direct reports, peers, and others as appropriate;

Collaborate with Information Technology to maintain the college's student information system and ensure the system's processes and enhancements are up-to-date and user / student friendly;

Oversee outreach and in-reach activities for assigned programs to increase awareness and retention efforts;

Utilize technology resources effectively to automate routine processes and procedures, improve efficiency of operations, and maintain currency with program operational standards; evaluate and recommend changes in technology resources to improve operations; and ensure use of technology resources results in equitable services and outcomes for diverse student communities;

Develop student learning outcomes and conduct Institutional Program Planning and Review (IPPR);

Proactive participation in assigned committees and special projects; cooperate, coordinate, and collaborate with stakeholders as appropriate to advance program strategic objectives and effective operations;

Attend annual professional development, workshops, conferences, and meetings to stay abreast of changes in state and federal regulations;

Collaborate with the Cuesta College Foundation to administer foundation scholarship funds; and

Perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education : Required

Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, accounting, or related field.

Experience : Required

Two years of experience in management or administration in a financial aid office setting;

Three years of direct experience in financial aid in a higher education setting with increased responsibility over time;

Knowledge of Federal and State Student Financial Aid Programs;

Experience administering Federal Direct Student Loan program, including data submission to Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system.

Preferred

Five or more years of experience in providing supervision or leadership to a financial aid office in a higher education setting.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Expert knowledge of state and federal financial aid programs and regulations;

Read, interpret, and apply laws, regulations, and guidelines impacting the effective, efficient, and equitable performance of financial aid programs;

Knowledge of applicable California Education Code provisions and Title V requirements;

Demonstrate sensitivity to, understanding of, and respect for the diverse socio-economic, ethnic, religious, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, cultural backgrounds, and learning abilities of community colleges students, faculty and staff;

Financial aid software (e.g., EdConnect, COD, NSLDS, Banner Financial Aid, etc.);

Fundamental of accounting, budgeting, and fiscal reporting;

Define issues, analyze problems, evaluate options, develop sound conclusions, and make appropriate recommendations in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and rules;

Provide administrative guidance within area of responsibility, including direct training and supervision as needed;

Learn from errors, determine appropriate corrective action, and prevent repeat occurrences;

Application and use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote) and Adobe software;

Correct usage of English, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary;

Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with all people contacted in the performance of duties;

Skills in excellent customer service practices, including effective interpersonal communication skills, using tact, patience, and courtesy; and

Strong organizational skills and ability to develop, implement, and maintain appropriate procedures and controls.

Physical ability to :

Read and comprehend printed matter and text and data on computer monitors;

Communicate intelligibly and effectively via speech, telephone, written correspondence, and / or email;

Sit or stand for extended periods of time;

Lift and / or carry 25 pounds;

Exert manual dexterity sufficient for keyboard and other office equipment operation; and

Work at a desk, conference table, or in meetings of various configurations.

License and Certificates :

Required

Valid driver's license and eligible to obtain California driver's license upon hire.

Additional Information

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY

Candidates will be required to submit ALL of the required documents below when applying for this position. When uploading documents, PDF uploads are preferred.

Cover letter;

Resume;

Reference List (see further instructions below);

Diversity statement (see further instructions below).

Diversity Statement Instructions : Cuesta College is committed to building and maintaining a workforce that reflects and honors the diversity of our students. It is important to us that our faculty, staff, and administrators demonstrate an understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious backgrounds as well as sexual orientation and abilities of all constituents in the Cuesta College community. In 500 words or less, with consideration to our Mission Statement and our values expressed above, please explain how you will demonstrate your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in this position.

Reference List Instructions : Your reference list must include three professional references, their contact information, and their relationship to you.

Completed online applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by the closing date for this position . LATE, INCOMPLETE, FAXED, MAILED OR EMAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

SALARY SCHEDULE

Below is the full salary schedule range for this position, steps A through E. Per Cuesta College's policies, new employees are placed at Steps A through C, which is the anticipated hiring range also listed below. The bargaining agreement also includes step and longevity increases. For a full salary schedule, please see our website :

Salary Schedule Range : $9,632 - $11,708 per month.

Anticipated Hiring Range : $9,632 - $10,619 per month.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Cuesta College will not sponsor any visa applications.

San Luis Obispo County Community College District ("Cuesta College") is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), age, disability (physical and mental), genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law in admission and access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities at any of its campuses. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Cuesta College also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

In compliance with California law, all prospective staff and students are entitled to read the Annual Security Report, published each October by the Cuesta College Department of Public Safety. This report contains information about our emergency and crime reporting procedures, as well as crime statistics for the past 3 years. You may request a copy of this report at one of our two Public Safety Offices : on SLO campus at Building 6600A or on North County Campus at building N1021, during campus business hours. You may also access the complete text of this report at the following website address :

Cuesta College uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. For further information, visit :

Interview Process Information

Selected applicants will be invited to attend a Zoom interview on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Second interviews will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, March 27, 2025.

TO : New Employees

FROM : Human Resources

SUBJECT : Benefits for Classified & Management Employees

Cuesta College's Benefits website :

Employees who work half-time or more are entitled to receive fringe benefits. The fringe allocation is money from the District to help cover the cost of insurance. Employees working half-time or more are eligible to participate in the District's medical, dental and vision insurance.

Employees with a work assignment of 50% to 74% of full time will receive one-half of the above stated fringe allocation.

If your insurance rate exceeds your fringe allocation, the balance will be deducted from your monthly payroll check. If the insurance plans selected cost less than the fringe allocation, any excess amount will be returned to the District. For more information about how fringe benefits are determined please refer to the collective bargaining agreement between SLO Community College District and Cuesta College Classified United Employees (CCCUE) or the Board of Trustees policy regarding management employees.

If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at 805-546-3129 or hr@cuesta.edu.

Each open position has specific attachment requirements in order to be considered by the hiring committee. If the attachment directions are not followed, your application will not be considered.

The required attachments for this position are :

Cover Letter;

Resume;

Professional Reference List (see instructions in Additional Information section);

Diversity Statement (see instructions in Additional Information section).

Have you attached the correct required documents to your application?

Required Question

Salary : $115,584 - $127,428

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