Financial Aid Manager

Overview

Our Financial Aid Manager helps change student lives every day while serving as the Financial Aid and Default Management expert for the campus. The successful candidate will be a self-disciplined person who can cultivate positive, supportive relationships with Financial Aid team members, lending institutions, guarantee agencies, and regulatory entities as well as build strong ties between the campus and corporate home office. The work is faster-than-average and requires a confident leadership style that encourages results-driven, task-oriented collaboration. Must have the ability to engage, motivate and build an effective team using a lively and inclusive communication style. She/he must also be able to react and adjust quickly to changing conditions and come up with practical ideas for dealing with issues while collaborating in a customer-focused manner with other campus departments like Admissions and Student Services. Success in this role is measured by the student experience, leadership development, and timely receipt of student funding.

Responsibilities

• Manages the Financial Aid function including interviewing, hiring, and coaching of team members; providing technical training and ensuring professional development of team; and providing team with the motivation, expertise and knowledge to complete assigned tasks and meet department goals.
• Monitors various departmental processes to ensure: financial aid packages are processed and funds received; award processing (grants & Perkins) is accurate and utilizes institutional allocations without overextending; and all Stafford/PLUS/UNSUB and Alternative loans are processed accurately and timely.
• Monitors and administers functional department budget.
• Actively participates in programs targeted to improve retention, customer satisfaction and show rates.
• Collaborates with campus and home office Financial Aid functional/management teams to improve financial aid processes.
• Establish/maintain a high performance team of professional, motivated and engaged staff utilizing effective training, performance management and career-development activities while leading them to achieve established business results and performance metrics. 
• Recognizes and rewards employee contributions and achievements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education / Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred
• Previous management experience
• Three years experience in an administrative position in the Financial Aid office of a public or approved private post-secondary school

Skills

• Ability to develop and instill in team a “customer centric” model for service delivery.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills both verbal and written.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment where deadlines are essential.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Good judgment, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Extensive knowledge of financial aid regulations and procedures.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional decorum.
• Ability to answer complicated student financial aid questions accurately and in detail
• Ability to develop processes and controls build a high performing financial aid department
• Knowledge of personal computer software applications including Word, Excel, and Access.

Abilities

• Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 5 pounds or less 5% of the workday
• Must be able stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl 5% or less of the workday
• Must be able to talk, see, hear, concentrate, think, learn and reason for all of the workday
• Must be able to sit and walk or otherwise move around for prolonged periods throughout the workday.
• Must be able to use a keyboard and do manual tasks for prolonged periods throughout the workday.
• May require overnight travel.

Work Environment

• Work is performed indoors in a climate-controlled environment.