Assistant Director, Financial Aid

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid supports the Director of Financial Aid in the operations of the Office of Financial Aid; provides guidance to staff related to financial aid awarding,  serves as a Program Specialist for specific financial aid programs; reviews Title IV. compliance and ensures the department is providing quality customer service.

Responsibilities

Financial Aid Administration, Compliance, and Reporting

• Knowledgeable with Federal and State (CA) financial aid policies, procedures, and guidelines and able to effectively communicate them to staff and campus partners.
• Assist with all audits and regulatory compliance for the Office of Financial Aid and the University regarding federal, state, and institutional financial aid eligibility.
• Compile, analyze, and report on data to various audiences for various reasons.
• Monitor and interpret new and updated regulations.
• Maintain the Net Price Calculator

Awarding and Counseling

• Exhibits and models excellent customer service with all audiences, including students, colleagues, prospective students, and parents.
• Advises students, as needed, regarding policies and regulations related to federal, state, and institutional financial aid, including students taking a leave of absence, studying abroad, considering withdrawal, or moving off-campus by discussing financial circumstances causing review/revision of award.
• Analyze financial aid applications, as needed; determine eligibility, and award various types of financial aid in accordance with changing federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies, including exercising professional judgment to select cases for further review and resolving conflicting information.
• Provide backup as needed for office functions related to awarding and counseling.

Program Management

• Oversee all State awards administered by CSAC (California Student Aid Commission), including awarding, reconciliation, and eligibility.
• Serve as liaison with Advancement and oversee Endowed and Current Use scholarship awarding.
• Each semester, assist with completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress review of student records, including checking records for compliance, sending notifications to students as needed, and updating records as appropriate.
• Complete processing for withdrawn students, including performing Return of Title IV Funds calculations and sending appropriate notifications.
• Serve as the administrator of all aspects of the Federal and Institutional Work-Study Programs, including by not limited to the awarding of Federal Work-Study while maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations, communicating with Human Resources documentation for students to begin working, monitoring Work-Study earnings to ensure that students are not exceeding limits, notifies various departments if students may exhaust their Federal Work-Study awards.
• Assist with Unit Discrepancy as needed.
• Manage other needed office functional areas as requested.

Supervision and Leadership

• Represent the Office of Financial Aid on various campus committees.
• Staff training related to updated/new federal, state, and institutional policies and procedures and areas of responsibility as needed.
• Represent Dominican and the Office of Financial Aid by presenting financial aid information to various audiences on and off campus.
• Serve as a backup as needed based on staff vacancies for various reasons in the Office of Financial Aid.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum four years of Financial Aid experience, including specific experience with various Financial Aid systems and previous supervision experience (CSAC)
• Strong Interpersonal Skills: Understand conflict resolution; maintain confidentiality; and listens to others and exhibit objectivity and openness to others’ views; does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnic group identification, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic condition, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, or sexual orientation. 
• Strong Customer Service Skills and Experience.
• Strong understanding of Federal Compliance and Consumer Information
• Excellent oral/written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex issues clearly and communicate clearly and interact effectively with students, faculty, and staff from a broad range of programs and disciplines
• Ability to work independently and manage timelines in a deadline-driven environment.
• Worked with confidential information and understanding of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Team player
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Must be willing to consent to a background investigation and be able to obtain clearance to access Federal systems (valid Social Security Number, not in default on any federal loans, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Experience with Colleague or other Financial Aid Management Systems
• Experience leading and supervising staff
• Experience administering at least one Federal Student Aid Program or State Program (i.e., Cal Grant, Federal Work-Study, Veterans, etc.)

Additional Position Information

• Open Until Filled
• Must be willing to consent to a background check

Dominican University of California is an independent, international, learner-centered university, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. Dominican has a 1:10 teacher-to-student ratio, an average class size of 16, with a small-town feeling in a park- like campus. We blend interdisciplinary core courses, real-world studies, and small classes with close and supportive academic advising and mentoring.

Dominican University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity, and takes pride in its multicultural environment. We are committed in thought, word, and deed to recruiting and retaining a workforce that values the diversity of its student body. The University actively promotes an institutional culture that practices equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of all under-represented groups in higher education.