A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter must include examples of how your past work experience is applicable to this position.
Job Summary
Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, the Director of Financial Aid directs operations to effect accurate, efficient, and timely delivery of student aid in compliance with regulations and formulates campus financial aid policies and fund utilization strategies to ensure access and affordability of a University of Michigan-Flint education.
The director will provide oversight for all operations in the Financial Aid Office, including but not limited to: Compliance oversight, reporting, analysis of the financial aid budget, administration of the University's financial aid programs, and the integration of technology into the office.
This position provides leadership in the department ensuring student centered processes and procedures are efficiently administered, documented and best practices are followed. Successful incumbents will have an in-depth knowledge of federal and state financial aid programs, compliance processes for those programs, and how to successfully integrate those programs into the financial aid offerings available to the students at University of Michigan-Flint.
Responsibilities
Provide Direction to the Office of Financial Aid (OFA)
- Oversees the OFA
- Supervises the processing of student financial aid according to federal, state and institutional policies, regulations and guidelines
- Develops and recommends policies & procedures for financial aid which support goals and policies of the institution, and which ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Interprets federal and/or state program regulations by engaging in training opportunities, professional literature, and establishes the infrastructure needed to deliver these programs to eligible students.
- Researches and stays up-to-date on new financial aid technologies and responsible for the implementation of new protocols/procedures to address gaps. Manages departmental budgets, ensuring efficient resource utilization
- Prepares and manages annual operating and scholarship budgets; expends federal, state, private, and institutional funds to ensure fiscally sound program administration and the best utilization of funds
- Leads and oversees the preparation and submission of all university, federal, state, agency reporting and audits (i.e FISAP, A-133s) and ensures the universities federal program participation agreement remains current and in effect.
Organizational Development and Employee Management
- Designs, establishes, and maintains an organizational structure and staffing to effectively accomplish the organization's goals and objectives while meeting federal administrative duties
- Works with staff to assess change readiness and provide direct support and coaching through transitions
- Trains new employees and provides leadership and management best practices to develop a strong sense of teamwork, equity, and professional investment among the financial aid team
- Sets clear performance expectations and holds employees accountable; conducts regular check-in sessions and annual employee evaluations based on evidence, observation, and feedback
Leadership, Collaboration and Strategic Assessment
- Serve on the Enrollment Management Leadership team and will be a key member and contributor to our campus-wide initiatives supporting the recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive student body. These efforts will be in close collaboration with campus partners in continuing to build on current strategic planning initiatives and future Strategic Enrollment Management planning efforts.
- Collaborate with key campus partners
- Support Undergraduate and Graduate admissions in overseeing Financial Aids aid notification to students
- Participate in campus events and activities
- Collaborate with Enrollment Management on communications and Marketing to identify ways to improve student (prospective and current) communications regarding financial aid
- Work to promote and enhance work-study infrastructure and job placement
- Work to maximize financial aid functionality in all University systems
- Work with Institutional Advancement on spending scholarships that meet donor and institutional objectives.
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's Degree
- Six years of experience working in a Financial Aid Office as a Director (or Asst/Assoc level) supervising staff, managing budgets, counseling students and families regarding financial aid, and fund reconciliations and audits.
- Two years or more experience utilizing federal financial aid software and campus software tools such as Banner, Peoplesoft, CRM, Imaging product.
- Demonstrated experience working with data (such as tableau, access, excel and SQL Developer) to help make data driven decisions.
- Proven experience successfully working with others (inside and outside of the OFA) to enhance team goals/objectives, and build on cross unit collaborations.
- Experience with recruitment and retention, and how financial aid services are critical to enrollment growth and retention.
- Demonstrated knowledge of aid policies and procedures, as well as the ability to interpret and implement federal regulations and ensure OFA is meeting all regulatory requirements, federal, state and institutional.
- Understanding of leveraging and utilizing scholarships for both merit and need based awarding.
Why Work at U-M Flint?
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future.
Benefits include:
- Generous time off
- A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions after 12 months of eligible service, with immediate vesting.
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance.
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Eligibility for benefits is based on your job group, your appointment percentage and the length of your appointment. Learn more about employee benefits and eligibility and download the Comprehensive Benefits for Faculty and Staff flier.
UM-Flint offers tuition support for eligible UM-Flint staff members. In addition, UM-Flint offers dependent tuition support (DTS) for qualified dependents of faculty and staff from all UM campuses. Information can be found at: https://www.umflint.edu/hr/ benefits/
Information about our vision, mission and values can be found at: https://www.umflint.edu/ chancellor/leadership-mission- vision/