Description
Director of Federal Aid
Utah State University
Division Information
The Division of Strategic Enrollment Management at Utah State University is dedicated to overseeing and implementing effective enrollment strategies that help students seamlessly apply and enroll. With a focus on student success and exceptional customer service, the division promotes innovative and data-informed approaches to support student needs. It offers various admissions pathways tailored to different learners, while administering all levels of financial aid to address affordability. By fostering collaboration and staying ahead of trends, the division aims to enhance the overall student experience, guiding individuals from application to graduation.
Department Information
Student Financial Support provides resources to help students pay for school. These resources include Federal Financial Aid, State of Utah Aid, and Institutional Aid. Additionally, The Student Money Management Center provides free, one-on-one coaching sessions to help students create budgets and to discover how they can pay for college.
The heart of our work is to serve students. Recognizing finances is a concern for many students, Student Financial Support diligently strives to provide all sources of funding and coaching that may help a student achieve their educational goals. Because Student Financial Support administers federal, state, and institutional aid, we focus on discretion, accountability, and compliance. Within this framework, we will do everything we can to help students.
Team Responsibility
Within Student Financial Support, we have established different teams to fulfill our mission. These teams include Federal Aid Counseling, Scholarships, Operations, Compliance, Systems & Data, Student Money Management, and Leadership. These teams work closely with each other to collaborate, reduce barriers, and enhance resources.
The Leadership Team works closely to support each other, and the other teams within the office. This team supports university programs that are large in size, scope, and complexities which are embedded within enrollment management strategies at USU. Regardless of position, all team members have the following responsibilities:
Compliance: Administering federal, state, and institutional aid requires team, office, and institutional compliance to different laws, statutes, regulations and policies. All team members have a responsibility to focus on compliance.
Data Privacy: Student Financial Support has access to sensitive data, and this data is protected through different federal laws and institutional policies. All team members have a responsibility to protect data.
Integrity: Being honest and having strong ethical principles is vital. Embracing unity and collaboration is at the core of our culture, fostering a strong work ethic that values the diverse strengths and perspectives each team member brings.
Collaboration: Creating a culture of open communication, respect, and purpose is essential. All team members have a responsibility to contribute to a positive, collaborative team. This includes continuous training, deductive reasoning and problem solving, customer service, willingness to learn and acquire new skills, and commitment to deadlines.
Job Description
The Director of Federal Aid (Associate Director in HR information system) reports to the Executive Director in Student Financial Support. This position is responsible for overseeing Federal Student Aid (Compliance, Operations, Counseling, Auditing, Reporting) and serves as the acting institutional Title IV Federal Aid Administrator.
All team members strive to possess the following characteristics:
§ Friendly disposition and enjoys working with students.
§ Detail oriented, accurate, and self-motivated.
§ Organized and able to work in a fast-paced office as a community-minded team member.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
The Director of Federal Aid will be part of Leadership Team and will work collaboratively with all office staff, including campus partners across the USU system. Duties and responsibilities of this position may include:
Ensure compliance to current federal and state regulations, related to Title IV aid administration, and implementation of changes for Title IV aid processing.
Oversight of Federal Work-Study policies & procedures.
Oversight of default management and required internal procedures to reduce university’s cohort default rate.
Ensure accurate and timely completion of federal reporting, data submissions, and operational calendars.
Lead the recruitment, training, development, supervision, and evaluation of a dedicated team within the Federal Aid Administration.
Represent the institution in addressing Department of Education inquiries and required reporting.
Serve on various institutional, state, and national committees as time and resources allow.
Oversee budget and account management.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of relevant experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge, skillset, or potential related to the specific duties & responsibilities of the position.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in higher education.
Utah State University experience.
Masters Degree.
8+ years of progressive experience at an institution of higher education of similar scope and size as Utah State University.
Experience with state financial aid compliance audits, budget management, or financial aid reporting.
Supervisor/managerial leadership experience.
Experience developing and analyzing data.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Familiarity with any of the following systems: Office 365, Banner, Campus Logic (Student Forms, Campus Communicator, Scholarship Universe), ServiceNow, FSA Partner, NSLDS or similar systems.
Familiarity with USU policies and procedures.
Familiarity with Federal and/or State aid regulations.
Excellent communication skills including oral and written.
Required Documents
Along with the online application, please attach:
Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”. PDF recommended.
Cover Letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application.
