Director, Financial Aid Systems

About the Role

Performs application development and analysis functions of the Financial Aid Department’s technology and application systems. Creates business processes to meet end-user requirements and Federal, State, District, local, and department regulatory mandates, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Evaluates and personally participates in the functions necessary to implement and sustain the creation, maintenance, and use of financial aid databases and applications.

Responsibilities

• Designs business processes for the maintenance, access, and retrieval of financial aid data; prepares detailed flow charts and diagrams outlining system capabilities and processes; defines data rules and relationships and develops methods for quality control of the database system.
• Reviews and evaluates database access and reporting software applications to streamline and enhance the financial aid enterprise system; creates documentation of processes.
• Troubleshoots, updates, modifies and analyzes information systems to ensure compliance with regulatory needs and changes.
• Designs methods and applications to import/export data for analysis; uses various reporting tools and database applications to retrieve information from databases for financial aid staff and other staff as needed; determines required data and presentation formats.
• Ensures successful storage and retrieval of data across a variety of campus systems; ensures financial aid systems interface with other campus systems.
• Creates complex custom queries and programs for a variety of financial aid management needs and reporting requirements; creates queries to analyze and identify data integrity issues.
• Monitors and maintains data integrity of financial aid tables, fields, reports, and related systems; works with central information technology to execute scripts to correct data issues.
• Provides expert technical assistance and training for financial aid staff on system procedures, system integration, data integrity, and reporting.
• Plans, designs, and creates new databases for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Consults with information technology staff to create views and data blocks for data reporting and extraction.
• Coordinates with information technology, finance, and other college staff to facilitate the resolution of implementing and scheduling new and/or modified business processes and the development of new modified database processes and reporting requirements.
• Acts as the first-line contact person, representing Financial Aid to internal and external stakeholders who need assistance with any application systems module that integrates with Financial Aid.
• In collaboration with the Information Technology department, tests and debugs applications to ensure the accuracy of data and writes related application documentation, including system upgrade testing and end-user documentation.
• Communicates with personnel and various outside agencies as needed to exchange information and resolve issues or concerns.
• Participates with end users and information technology in testing and implementing new computer programs as appropriate, including developing and maintaining related documentation.
• Remains up-to-date with and applies emerging technologies, as necessary, to perform duties in an efficient, organized, and timely manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree. Significant related experience may substitute for education.
• Minimum of six years of demonstrated reporting and database management experience.
• Demonstrated experience effectively making decisions that have major implications on the management and operations within a department.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in a role requiring dynamic and abstract problem-solving methods in adaptive situations.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis.

Skills

• Ability to effectively respond to requests from multiple levels of the College in various departments.
• Ability to independently set goals and determine the best course of action to achieve desired results.
• Working knowledge of Ellucian systems, concepts, practices, and procedures with the ability to use them in varied situations as they pertain to the departmental focus.
• Intermediate project management skills.
• Intermediate skills with Banner System or equivalent program.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Access, SharePoint, website content management systems, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to confidentially and discreetly handle subject matters requiring privacy and sensitivity.
• Ability to collaborate, persuade, gain cooperation, and acceptance of ideas on significant projects.
• Ability to collaborate, negotiate, and resolve conflicts on major projects.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with key contacts to enhance workflow and quality.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent customer service skills and proven ability to develop and sustain productive customer relationships.
• Ability to be creative and exercise initiative.
• Ability to work accurately with great attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize/handle multiple tasks and work with deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to promote collaboration, teamwork, and involve all stakeholders in decision-making processes.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume, and confidential service environment.
• Ability to research and analyze issues and develop solutions.
• Ability to identify and implement efficiencies within daily operations.
• Sensitivity to appropriately respond to the needs of students.

Competencies

• Critical Competencies: Service Focus, Communication, Quality of Work.
• Very Important Competencies: Collaboration, Time Utilization.
• Important Competencies: Adaptability, Continuous Improvement.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions

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; and 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.

Pay

Target starting salary range: $75,000 to $83,000. The final offer for the successful candidate is targeted to fall within this range but will be based upon an assessment of internal equity, the unit’s available budget, and the candidate’s qualifications in relation to the minimum and/or preferred job requirements.

Schedule

Standard college hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Some weekends may be required.