Financial Aid Director - Higher Ed. jobs in Long Beach, CA

Salary: $58,945.44 - $70,837.44 Annually
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: Financial Aid Tec-23
Closing: 2/21/2023 11:59 PM Pacific
Location: Norwalk, CA
Department: Financial Aid Tec-23
Division: Enrollment Services

Description
Equity and Diversity
The District is strongly committed to achieving staff diversity and the principles of equal opportunity employment. The District encourages a diverse pool of applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures or practices. In fact, the college encourages applications from all segments of qualified people.

Closing Date
This position will close on February 21, 2023 at 11:59 PM (or when 150 applications are received, whichever occurs sooner

College Profile
Cerritos College is ranked 14th among the top 100 schools with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States by the United States Department of Education. Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college's district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Enrollment currently averages 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at http://www.cerritos.edu

Department Profile
The Enrollment Services division consists of Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, and School Relations programs and services that meet the needs of a diverse student population. The division offers high touch services and is primarily responsible for providing outreach in the community, applications for admissions and financial aid, placement, registering students, disbursing financial aid, collecting payments, processing grades, evaluating records for graduation, certificates and transfer, and providing official transcripts. Under the supervision of the Financial Aid Assistant Director, the Financial Aid Technician will assist students with financial aid applications and processing of their application and paperwork. The Financial Aid Technician will assist students through the financial aid process as well as creating awareness about financial aid on campus and in the community to current and prospective students, faculty and staff, parents, high school counselors, community organizations.

Summary
Performs specialized customer service and technical duties related to processing and storing information for student grant and other financial aid programs. Maintains student financial obligation records. Provides technical assistance and information to students, staff, and the public.

Distinguishing Career Features
Financial Aid Technicians must apply working knowledge of a range of financial aid programs and demonstrate the ability to verify eligibility, process financial aid documents, and determine award levels.

Job Duties
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serves as first point of contact for the office on phones and at front counter. Disseminates general financial aid information to students and the public.
• Assists students and parents with FAFSA financial aid applications, processing procedures, and interpreting policies of the funding organizations. Explains the different types of financial aid programs, including obligations and payment schedules.
• Instructs students in correct procedures for completion of forms and applications, special requirements and restrictions, and supporting documentation such as tax returns, income and housing verifications, and transcripts. Reviews completed forms for accuracy and completeness.
• Assists students to understand the relationship between financial aid awards and course load, grades, and other student achievement factors.
• Processes applications and calculates awards for local financial aid and grants using established procedures and guides. Enters information into computer databases.
• Interviews students participating in the various loan programs, explaining State and Federal guidelines applying to the programs.
• Explains the approved eligibility, requirements for program qualification and compliance, and program options so that students make informed decisions about their obligations.
• Creates, maintains, and periodically reviews student records to assure compliance with provisions of financial aid and grants. Checks student eligibility for work study and other programs.
• Performs basic troubleshooting of problems associated with financial aid accounts, student status, and computer files.
• May prepare standardized correspondence for/to students, verifying status and other information.
• Performs miscellaneous duties for the office such as updating policy and procedure manuals and award tables, editing student files, replenishing forms and communication devices, collecting data for reports, and preparing general correspondence.
• Maintains currency of knowledge and skills related to the duties and responsibilities.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
  

Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience
The position requires a high school diploma or the equivalent, and four years of related work experience such as in loan origination or servicing, student admissions, financial aid, or basic financial recordkeeping. Additional post-secondary education may substitute for some experience.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience in financial aid.

Supplemental Information
Knowledge and Skills
Requires a working knowledge of the policies and procedures associated with federal, state, and local financial aid programs including grants and waivers. Requires a working knowledge of federal and institutional satisfactory academic progress policies. Requires a working knowledge of regulations and institutional policies relevant to admissions, registration, accounts payable, and financial aid practices. Requires knowledge of and skills with routine office policies, procedures and equipment, including PCs and applicable student information databases, word processing and spreadsheet applications. Requires sufficient English language skill to prepare routine correspondence. Requires sufficient human relation skills to provide general information to students, exercise sensitivity when dealing with students, resolve confrontations, and convey a positive image of the college. Requires sufficient math skills to compute principal, interest, sums, percents, and ratios.

Abilities
Requires the ability to perform financial record keeping, data entry, file maintenance, and report writing duties. Requires the ability to communicate program elements and requirements to students, faculty, and outside agencies/customers. Requires the ability to instruct students on the financial aid application process and to resolve conflict. Ability to perform data entry to automated information systems. Requires the ability to maintain productive and cooperative working relationships with others. Requires the ability to work cooperatively and productively with others.

Physical Abilities
Incumbent performs work of predominately a sedentary nature. Requires ambulatory ability to sit in front of a computer screen for extended periods of time, to move about between work station and customer service counters, and to reach for work materials and files. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard, typewriter or other office equipment. Requires visual acuity to read words and numbers. Requires speaking and hearing ability sufficient to hear over phone and carry on routine conversations.

Licenses and Certificates
May require a valid driver's license.

Working Conditions
Work is performed indoors where minimal safety considerations exist.

Salary/Fringe Benefits

Grade 32 on District Classified Salary Schedule ($4,912.12 -$5,903.12/month).

Health and welfare benefits include District contribution for medical/dental/vision benefits and employee life insurance ($50,000). (Cash in lieu option available on medical insurance.)

Participation in the Public Employee's Retirement System that is also integrated with Social Security

Conditions of Employment
This is a full-time, 12-calendar month classified position
Hours of employment are:
Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 6:30 pm and Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm .
Initial placement of employees on Classified Salary schedule is at Step 1. After six months of successful probationary employment, employee is placed at Step 2.
Employment is to be effective as soon as possible following completion of the selection process.
Individual who is offered employment shall be required to obtain fingerprints for a criminal history clearance through the State Department of Justice and remit the required fee for processing the fingerprints, Federal Bureau of Investigation (no fee if obtained at Cerritos College Campus Police Station), produce an original social security card, and submit negative TB test results (must be within the past four years or within the last 60 days if not previously employed in a school district in California) before employment.

Proof of eligibility to work in the United States and signing of loyalty oath per Government Codes 3100-3109.

Board Policy 2905 requires mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment. The District requires all employees to submit proof of full vaccination against

COVID-19, as defined by the CDC. Full policy details can be found on the website; Cerritos College - Chapter 2 - Board of Trustees. Employees may submit requests for medical or religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate for consideration. Details are available on the District's COVID-19 webpage

**Please note - the District does not provide for immigration sponsorships such as H1B Visas

Application Procedures
Application materials must be submitted by the closing date. Applicants who need special services or facilities due to disability in order to apply or interview for this position must notify Human Resources at the time of application or at least 72 hours prior to the closing date or date of a scheduled interview.
It is the applicant's responsibility to provide copies of all transcript(s) verifying all educational degree(s) and/or coursework required for the position. Transcripts must be from regionally accredited institutions. A foreign transcript must be evaluated by a NACES certified agency. The website address is www.naces.org.

Required Documents needed to apply

Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Cover Letter/Letter of Interest
Transcripts (Must show all coursework completed and conferral date of the degree)

To apply, visit https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/cerritosedu/jobs/3819548/financial-aid-technician

The District ensures that all qualified applicants for employment and employees have full and equal access to employment opportunity, and are not subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of the District on the basis of national origin, religion, age, sex or gender, race, color, medical condition, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or because he or she is perceived to have one or more of the foregoing characteristics, or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. .jeid-490d1102bdcb8448b77c9dd7ac15e72c