Project Manager, Student Financial Aid

Department: Financial Aid Admin

Location: 3 positions available: Metropolitan Campus, Eastern Campus and Western Campus

Reports To: Campus Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships

Recruitment Type: External/Internal

Requisition ID: req4911

Employment Type: Administration and Professionals

Union Position: Non-Union

Work Schedule: STANDARD COLLEGE HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY 8:30-5:00 OM. SOME EVENING AND WEEKENDS MAY BE REQUIRED.

Number of Openings: 3

Job Description:

SUMMARY

Responsible for effectively managing the daily operations of the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships and Enrollment Center at the assigned campus including accurate, consistent, and timely processing of financial aid programs and documents that determine financial aid eligibility. Supports data that is associated with effective communications to assist with the processing of student financial aid.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manages the daily functions and assigned staff at the assigned campus
• Trains assigned staff on SARS scheduling and reporting
• Monitors and evaluates phone calls and chats for the assigned staff
• Manages financial aid advising and enrollment center service functions, including office scheduling, staffing rotations, master scheduler for student appointments, and assigned workshops to ensure efficient and effective office staff support
• Supervises daily financial aid services and provides oversight to ensure members of the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships team comply with financial aid regulations and financial aid audit compliance
• Oversees public benefits and community resources initiatives provided by Student Financial Aid Advisors and Peer Financial Coaches
• Provides training for the Project Go! program
• Serves as a backup to the Benefits Navigator for the Basic Needs program and assists students in the completion of the application for public benefits
• Provides leadership to peers and financial aid advisors for ongoing training on financial aid procedures and systems
• Serves as a trainer for Student Financial Aid Advisors, Enrollment Center Representatives, Peer Financial Coaches, and other campus constituency groups
• Selects, supervises, trains, and evaluates the work performance and learning development of assigned staff
• Processes drop for non-attendance requests for registration support
• Interprets and accurately applies federal, state and institutional rules, regulations and policies, which result in making independent judgments that carry substantial fiscal consequences for students and the institution
• May serve as acting in charge as instructed by the Campus Director
• Participates in the training and development of enrollment center representatives
• Ensures efficient processing of federal and state financial aid programs through effective planning and assessing both in-person and online student services
• Develop and initiates programs to evaluate, monitor, and improve the effectiveness of financial aid services provided to students
• Assists with the Registered/Incomplete Financial Aid weekly report
• Assists Enrollment Center team with change of major requests after the 15th day of the term
• Performs necessary research, gathers materials and data, prepares updates and routine reports
• Collaborates with campus-specific and College-wide work groups to ensure records maintenance and fiscal controls for federal financial aid compliance
• Serves as the campus contact for federal work-study processing
• Performs other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
  • Significant related experience may substitute for education
• Minimum of five years of direct, progressive financial aid experience
• Demonstrated experience with automated student information systems
• Demonstrated experience supervising, planning, assigning, scheduling and ensuring the quality of the work of others
• Demonstrated experience forecasting, planning, maintaining, preparing, and monitoring a business area’s budget
• Demonstrated experience effectively making decisions that have major implications on the strategy, management and operations within a department
• Demonstrated experience in a role requiring diverse problem solving methods in a variety of situations

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES

• Possess comprehensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, theories, concepts and practices with the ability to apply in complex, difficult and/or unprecedented situations as it pertains to the departmental focus
• Possess strong commitment to providing excellent customer service
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic and changing work environment requiring flexibility and teamwork
• Demonstrated ability to manage relationships, create opportunities and solve problems
• Possess strong organizational, time-management skills, and is results-oriented
• Possess excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Works accurately with great attention to detail
• Ability to effectively accept direction from multiple levels of the College in various departments
• Ability to effectively complete work assignments independently
• Demonstrated intermediate Project Management skills
• Demonstrated intermediate proficiency with Banner system (or equivalent program)
• Demonstrated intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access
• Ability to confidentially and discreetly handle subject matters requiring privacy and sensitivity
• Ability to collaborate, persuade and gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas on significant projects
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with key contacts to enhance workflow and quality
• Possess sensitivity to appropriately respond to the needs of a diverse population

COMPETENCIES

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES

• Service Focus
• Collaboration
• Quality of Work

VERY IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Adaptability
• Time Utilization

IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Communication
• Continuous Improvement

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Master’s degree in Student Personnel or related field
• Demonstrated experience with the Banner system
• Financial Literacy/Education Certification
• Financial Education/Personal Finance Certification

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES

• Skills in interpreting and applying rules and regulations to a variety of individual student situations and circumstances
• Ability to understand how automated financial aid systems affect individual student records

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS
(The demands described here 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 functions.)

• The work is performed in a normal, professional office environment;
• The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated;
• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the duties of the job and will perform repetitive motions with hands/fingers using a computer mouse and keyboard to type. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, files, pamphlets, books, etc.;
• Work may also require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the worksite;

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Cuyahoga Community College is committed to attaining excellence through the recruitment and retention of a qualified and diverse workforce. Cuyahoga Community College is an equal employment/educational opportunity institution.

Special Note:

Special Instructions to Applicants: During the application process, you may be required to attach a cover letter and/or resume. It is recommended that you have these documents ready to be attached electronically to the online application. This system accepts only MS Word or PDF attachments. Any employment with the College is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check and drug screen.

Affirmative Action Statement: Cuyahoga Community College is committed to attaining excellence through the recruitment and retention of a qualified and diverse workforce. Cuyahoga Community College is an equal employment/educational opportunity institution.