Associate Director of Financial Aid

About the role

The Associate Director of Financial Aid supports the Director in the leadership, administration, and strategic oversight of the Financial Aid Office. This position ensures the effective delivery of financial aid services by overseeing daily operations, maintaining compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, supervising staff, and providing guidance to students and families regarding financial aid programs.

Responsibilities

• Aid Director with general operations of the office, data analysis, and report development and analysis for use by internal constituencies and regulatory compliance partners.
• Execute key Financial Aid Office functions, including packaging and awarding federal, state, and institutional aid; interpreting and applying federal financial aid regulations; and ensuring accurate and compliant financial aid processing through PowerFAIDS.
• Manage the Federal Work-Study program by partnering with students, Human Resources, and Payroll to ensure accurate eligibility determination, onboarding, payroll processing, reconciliation and compliance with federal regulations.
• Manage and reconcile state grant funds.
• Supervise Staff.
• Produce and analyze information, data and reports that respond to the information needs of the institution and its regulatory compliance partners.
• Counsel students, prospective students, families, and alumni regarding financial aid issues.
• Develop and maintain thorough working knowledge of Federal, institutional and alternative financial aid programs, and effectively communicate such knowledge through publications, presentations and individual counseling.
• Develop and maintain thorough working knowledge of issues pertaining to availability of various types of aid, debt management (budgeting, credit counseling, repayment options, etc.) and effectively communicate such knowledge through publications, presentations and individual counseling.
• Provide a welcoming environment for students seeking financial aid guidance.
• Counsel veterans on the use of VA benefits.
• Perform regular student issue follow-up including composing discrete comments in PowerFAIDS software to keep financial aid staff up-to-date about individual student situations.
• Provide cross-departmental support to assist in the execution of overall Division of Student Affairs & Student Life goals.
• In partnership with the Office of the Dean of Students:
• Assist with academic advising of students with particular emphasis on assisting Dean of Students and Assistant Director of Student Affairs & Student Life with students identified after 1st year as being at risk of failing the bar examination on the first attempt.
• Assist Office of Dean of Students with summer orientation program and follow-up programs throughout the academic year.
• In partnership with Office of Career & Professional Development:
• Assist with advising upper-class students under the direction of Assistant Dean for Career & Professional Development with particular emphasis on students identifying as interested in careers in public service/non-profit sectors.
• Assist with programs on campus with particular emphasis on programs relating to careers in public service/non-profit sectors.
• In partnership with Office of Admissions:
• Financial Aid/Financing presentations at on-campus events scheduled throughout the year.
• Assist with advising prospective and accepted students on available financial aid and financing opportunities.
• Attend occasional off-campus recruiting events.
• Maintain professional expertise through memberships and participation in local state and national professional associations.
• Maintain professional level expertise about past, current and future financial aid policies and developments.
• Maintain professional relationships in local, state and national associations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and three or more years of experience in Financial Aid in higher education, or other closely related work experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Master's Degree preferred.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Student advising in higher education.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life/AD&D insurance (MHSL pays for)
• Optional Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits (MHSL pays for)
• Generous Holidays and Winter Break
• 403(b) Retirement plan (Generous MHSL match)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Competitive compensation package