Southeastern College Job Description
Director of Financial Aid
OVERVIEW:
The role of the Director of Financial Aid is to ensure the appropriate and accurate processing of student financial aid packages.
BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS:
The Director of Financial Aid oversees a staff of financial aid administrators who work to ensure students are properly funded, packaged, and prepared to start each semester. The Director of Financial Aid accomplishes this through:
- Ensuring staff are up-to-date on current laws, regulations, and financing options
- Reviewing all financial aid packages for accuracy
- Working with the OOED to ensure accurate and timely posting of funds
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Overseeing Student Financing:
It is the responsibility of the Director of Financial Aid to oversee the student financing process and ensure students are packaged and prepared to begin class. To accomplish this, The Director of Financial Aid must:
- Oversee and manage the financial aid process
- Ensure all prospective students are provided with basic overview of financial aid process
- Ensure students are provided with all available options and packed
- Ensure students understand packaging
- Ensure all regulations and laws are followed
- Coordinate with other campus departments
Reviewing and Following-up on Student Packaging:
The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for ensuring that all student packaging is completed accurately and submitted for processing. To accomplish this, the Director of Financial Aid must:
- Review scanned packages for quality and provide any feedback to Financial Aid Administrators as necessary
- Reconcile any complex financing issues
- Submit to Student Financial Services (OOED) for review and processing
- Work with Student Financial Services (OOED) to reconcile any problems
- Work with Bursar to ensure posting of cash payments
Monitoring and Tracking Financial Aid Packages:
The Director of Financial Aid reviews and tracks the financial aid process at the campus level. To accomplish this, the Director of Financial Aid must:
- Review monthly start date reports
- Review monthly account balance reports
- Investigate account balance issues
- Monitor for potential defaults
- Follow-up on potential and actual defaults
- Track Sally Mae, government/private scholarship, grant, and private loan postings
- Track drops and academic dismissals
- Re-package continuing students
Preparing Graduating and Exiting Students (graduating, dropped, and dismissed students):
A critical element to student success is an understanding of their financial obligations once they exit Southeastern College. To accomplish this, the Director of Financial Aid must:
- Ensure exit interviews are conducted
- Ensure any outstanding balances with Southeastern College are cleared
Managing Team Performance:
The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for managing the performance of the Financial Aid Administrators and staff. To accomplish this, the Director of Financial Aid must:
- Motivate staff and reinforce positive accomplishments
- Schedule hours for staff
- Monitor staff activities (phone calls, appointments, student interviews…)
- Monitor student overview discussions/interviews and provide constructive feedback
- Monitor effective use of C2K Campus View system
- Ensure Financial Aid Administrators know/are up-to-date on financial offerings
- Informally touch base with each Financial Aid Administrator on a daily basis
- Provide coaching and training programs for staff development
- Conduct weekly staff meetings
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands are those required in a professional office setting: sitting, working on a computer, using a telephone, communicating with coworkers and getting to and from appropriate campuses.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Professional office setting: moderate noise levels and controlled indoor climate.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
LOCATION:
This position is an onsite position located at your campus unless otherwise determined by the Executive Director and/or designee. Any changes must be reviewed by the Campus President and all final approvals must come from the Executive Director and/or designee.
Job Specification Director of Financial Aid
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:
The Director of Financial Aid role is primarily focused on assisting students with securing the funding necessary to complete their education at Southeastern College. In order to successfully engage students, gain their trust, and get them the financing they need, the Director of Financial Aid must have experience in working with clients and customers on financial issues. The Director of Financial Aid must also have experience in managing a team and be organized and detailed in their approach to work.
Below is an inclusive but not exhaustive list of various knowledge, skills, and other characteristics that are necessary for effective performance in the Financial Aid Administrator position.
-Knowledge:
- Finance and accounting
- State and Federal financing regulations
- Business planning – how to organize legal documents and financial package data, develop and follow a systematic approach, and organize time
-Skills:
- Management – managing a team of counselors and administrative staff
- Goal setting – setting reasonable, yet high targets, and creating a plan for attaining those targets
- Planning – organizing and prioritizing prospecting targets based on campus and program needs/goals
-Experience: Experience in finance and accounting is critical to success as a Director of Financial Aid. Although not exhaustive, work experience in the following areas is highly valued:
- Financial Aid Services
- Mortgage Broker
- Financial Services/Lending
Education, Experience, and Training:
At Southeastern College, the Director of Financial Aid works to ensure prospective and current students are able to acquire the necessary financial aid to help them attain their goal of higher education. A critical part of this endeavor is helping students understand the financial aid process and assist them in making the correct decisions. Thus, it is critical that the Director of Financial Aid has an Associate’s degree and at least 5 years of finance experience as well as the willingness to work with students.
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