University of St. Augustine Hiring for Executive Director, Student Financial Services and Compliance at Dallas, TX Full Time

GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Executive Director, Student Financial Services & Compliance is responsible for ensuring the University meets and maintains its compliance objectives relative to necessary and proper administration of all federal, state and local student financial assistance including scholarships, veterans’ education benefits and military tuition assistance. The Executive Director will also provide strategic oversight and expert-level guidance related to compliance with federal student financial aid regulations, all within a dynamic and changing environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as the internal compliance expert responsible for developing and maintaining the financial aid office’s policies and procedures manual and financial aid portion of the University catalog/student handbook
• Coordinating and working collaboratively with Executive Leadership and Financial Aid Director and team members to enhance existing procedures and implement new procedures, as well as to disseminate essential information.
• Responsible for maintaining an ongoing regulatory training, assuring regulatory awareness and operational effectiveness of the financial aid calendar and requirements to ensure on time reporting.
• Supervise a risk-based quality control program that provides continuous monitoring of financial aid performance to assure compliance with regulatory procedures.
• Collect and prepares student record data for audit testing and work with the Financial Aid administrative team to draft responses to audit findings.
• Direct audit activities with auditors and Financial Aid Director and executes audit plan.
• Responsible for developing, forecasting, and managing the delivery of student financial aid and the financial aid budgets (departmental and cost of attendance).
• Possess a thorough knowledge of Title IV regulations. Participate in local, regional and national professional associations remaining up to date on regulations, rules and pending legislation.
• Provide oversight of Financial Aid Director and team with respect to mandatory reporting and timeframes on disbursements and return of funds to DOE.
• Conduct quarterly internal audits of student Financial Aid records and oversee financial aid administration with any compliance reviews or investigations
• Interface with University Legal & Compliance team to supply data and other information to support University compliance initiatives
• Review and respond to student matters escalated from Financial Aid Director
• Investigate and report on alternative loan options.
• Assure that students are serviced at the highest of standards.
• Assure that all communications to students and staff are correct and timely.
• Familiar with the financial aid and student information systems.
• Ability to communicate technical information to individuals with diverse capabilities.
• Provide leadership with the ability to influence, inspire and motivate individuals and groups to achieve results.
• Demonstrate objectivity, integrity and ethical behavior and continuously acquire new skills and knowledge.
• May perform other duties and responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Travel is required up to 25% of time to the University’s campuses and appropriate conferences.

POSITION IN ORGANIZATION

REPORTS TO: VP, Student Administration and Services

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: Supervise subordinates in performing a full range of financial aid and financial counseling responsibilities to include as appropriate: Financial Aid Director, Financial Aid Advisors, Financial Aid Analyst and Community Service Federal Work Study students.

PROBLEM SOLVING

• Ability to use strategic and critical approaches to decision-making
• Ability to detect and solve problems using good insight, judgment and innovative, creative thinking
• Ability to identify measures that are both relevant and reliable including criteria used for special purposes and qualitative criteria

• Ability to successfully manage several different projects and conflicting deadlines and interest

TECHNICAL, MANAGERIAL, and PEOPLE SKILLS REQUIRED

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Incumbents will be evaluated, in part, based on performance of each essential function. Appropriate reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree required, with a minimum of seven years of experience working in a progressive financial aid office.
• Expert-level knowledge of Title IV regulations and federal student aid programs, including but not limited to Direct Loans, Grants and Federal Work Study.
• Demonstrated experience leading compliance efforts involving Financial Aid and/or Registrar-related functions
• Demonstrated knowledge of all areas of financial aid, including applications, awarding and aid packaging, entrance counseling and federal verification, master promissory notes, exit counseling and repayment
• Must have managerial experience
• Knowledge of PowerFAIDS and Jenzabar preferred

BUSINESS COMPETENCIES

• Collaborates – Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Being Resilient – Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Instills Trust – Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Drives Results – Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Innovation – Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Customer Focus – Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Drives Engagement – Creating a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help the organization achieve its objectives.
• People Leadership – Leads by example when it comes to finding and developing talent, with a focus on talent acquisition strategies, setting performance targets that raises standards and development of high potential talent.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment but may involve exposure to moderate noise levels. Work involves operation of personal computer equipment for six to eight hours daily and includes physical demands associated with a traditional office setting, e.g., walking, standing, communicating, and other physical functions as necessary.