Assistant Director, Counseling (0307U), FASO Financial Aid Operations - 59192 About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.
The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.
We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , our Principles of Community , and our Strategic Plan .
At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. To find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley, visit grow.berkeley.edu .
Departmental Overview
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO) directly awards or coordinates the awarding of over $850 million from over 700 funding sources to over 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The mission of the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office is to provide students access to an excellent education. Through strategic partnerships and rigorous planning, FASO offers innovative aid programs to make higher education affordable, helps students and parents navigate financial aid processes, counsels students so they understand their options and feel empowered to make the best choices to manage their financial lives. FASO advocates on behalf of students, teaches students about financial wellness, collaborates to help build upon a comprehensive, holistic culture of care that transforms the student experience and helps us recruit, retain, and graduate students and prepare them for success in life, and fosters a sense of community by encouraging alumni and donors to connect with the university and give the gift of access to the next generation of students.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: September 29, 2023, department review anticipated to begin October 9, 2023
Responsibilities
Manages operations of Financial aid and scholarships counseling team, made up of 7-9 professional staff, implementing the highest level of customer service. Utilizes best practices in collaboration with other Financial Aid managers to optimize operations and resources. Aligns goals of the department and division to the management of core counseling services and supports departmental implementation of strategic planning initiatives, including those related to summer session, intercollegiate athletics and education abroad. Develops and monitors appropriate metrics and quantitative and qualitative performance measures. Addresses and resolves issues escalated by subordinate staff or referred by FASO leadership. Makes decisions on performance, salary actions, hiring, and other human resources related issues of managed staff. Provides direction to subordinate supervisors, leads and staff. Participates in the development of policy and strategies for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid programs including recommendation of packaging strategies and policies based on expert level knowledge of state, federal and institutional regulations and priorities. Participates in planning and utilization of federal, state, University, and agency funds for functional area to determine the most effective distribution of funds, given availability, government awarding parameters, and University goals. Manages the implementation and awarding of specialized programs, including summer aid, education abroad, Basic Needs, and intercollegiate athletics. Responsible for internal control structure for key financial aid functions including appropriate norming of budgets, professional judgment decisions, packaging and appeal exceptions made by subordinate staff and developing or changing financial aid forms and managing work flow routing. Utilizes data to track processing and issue resolution across these functions for consistency. Ensures security of private information. Participates in annual financial and programmatic audits including establishment of documentation of testing and other best practices in preparation for regular reviews. Serves as primary contact for Admissions, other campus partners (e.g. Students of Concern Committee, Summer Bridge, Education Abroad, Basic Needs, Athletics), student groups, and external requests for outreach, yield, and training activities related to financial aid. Coordinates appropriate FASO staff to participate in outreach and follow up with customers for quality control. Develops training and tailor content for appropriate audiences including financial literacy materials and other student financial support issues. Ensures compliance of complex financial aid policies and programs with federal, state, University, agency, and donor laws, regulations, policies, and terms. Reviews and maintains counseling unit internal procedures, communications and web content to ensure accuracy. Recommends and manages development of IT systems and interfaces with external systems to effect efficient delivery and reporting of student aid for functional area. Serves as liaison with Intercollegiate Athletics (IA) coordinating the dissemination of individualized financial aid information and general financial aid policies to coaches and student athletes. Provides tracking, reporting and training for IA including recommendations of IT systems and interfaces to support smooth coordination of athletic, federal, state and institutional aid. Maintains current knowledge of applicable rules and standards of the Pacific-12 Conference, the NCAA, as well as other associations and agencies to which the Berkeley Campus of the University of California adheres, and, at all times, avoids any and all violations of these rules and standards.
Required Qualifications
Advanced knowledge of policies, regulations, and practices for awarding financial aid, including needs analysis. Advanced knowledge of techniques for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid. Advanced knowledge of and/or ability to learn University policies, processes, and procedures, related to student registration, aid awards, and payments and to supervising employees. Demonstrated experience in managing or supervising staff from a diverse range of backgrounds in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with a diverse range of internal and external constituents and foster positive working relationships to achieve desired outcomes. Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques. Ability to interpret complex policies and develop procedures to ensure compliance. Advanced problem identification, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; judgment and decision-making ability. Organizational skills and ability to prioritize work for self and others to meet deadlines. Written and verbal communication skills. Project management skills. Active listening, persuasion, and negotiation skills. Student centered, results oriented customer service philosophy and ability to instill same in others. Demonstrated political acumen in higher education setting. Experience leveraging advanced technology to track trends and streamline operational processes. Experience using complex databases. Working knowledge of and/or ability to learn common University-specific computer application programs related to student registration, aid awards, and payments. Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
Salary & Benefits
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $95,300.00 - $136,700.00.
This is a 100% full-time (40 hours per week), career position that is eligible for full UC benefits. This position is exempt and paid monthly. This is a remote-friendly position, eligible for up to 50% remote capability.