Assistant Director, Financial Aid
Salary range of $91,611 to $104,038 for a 48 week contract on the 2011-2012 HFCC Administrators’ Association Salary Schedule, Grade 2, plus pension supplement. Longevity pay after seven years. Benefits include fully paid hospital-surgical-medical, dental, and optical insurance for employee and dependents; term life insurance; short/long-term disability insurance for employee; 20 vacation days, 5 personal business days, sick leave, and paid holiday leave. Employees are part of the Michigan Public Schools Employee Retirement System or may choose the Optional Retirement Plan offered through TIAA-CREF. If in order to perform the professional responsibilities designated in the job specifications of the position, an administrator works additional hours or days, there shall be no additional compensation for those periods in accordance with the current contract.
Academic Preparation
Master’s degree required with a concentration in management, business administration, finance, accounting, management information systems, higher education administration, or related field from a regionally accredited institution required.
Professional Experience
Minimum of five years administrative experience working in a post-secondary financial aid office is required, including at least three years of related supervisory experience. Extensive experience and knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations is required. Experience developing and implementing office policies and procedures is required. Experience working with an integrated administrative computer software system is required (Datatel Colleague experience preferred).
Personal Qualifications
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
- A systematic, customer-service, approach to management
- A capability to develop quantitative and qualitative analyses of the financial aid process
- Strong analytical and organizational skills
- The highest level of personal and professional integrity
- A student-centered philosophy to his or her daily work
- A high level of interpersonal skills including conflict resolution
- Strong communications skills (listening, speaking, and writing)
- An ability to foster teamwork among staff members
- Strong mentoring and coaching skills
- The ability to delegate work appropriately, set clear direction, and manage work-flow of staff
- An ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams
- An ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with College personnel and students in a multi-cultural environment
The Assistant Director of Financial Aid reports to and works collaboratively with the Director of The Welcome Center and Financial Aid developing and implementing policies and procedures reflecting the strategic direction of the office. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, planning, leading, organizing, evaluating, and improving all day-to-day functions and operations of the office in compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations. As the direct supervisor of the Client Services Coordinator, Systems Manager, and Loan Manager, as well as the indirect supervisor of all other office staff members, is responsible for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each staff member, coordinating training for all staff members, and working with staff to set and meet specific objectives and expectations.
Primary Functions
Plan, lead, organize, evaluate, and improve all day-to-day functions and operations of the office, in compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations. Work collaboratively with the Director of the Welcome Center and Financial Aid setting and implementing policies and procedures reflecting the strategic direction of the office. As the direct supervisor of the Client Services Coordinator, Systems Manager, and Loan Manager, as well as the indirect supervisor of all other office staff members, assess the strengths and weaknesses of each staff member, coordinate training for all staff members, work with staff members to set and meet specific objectives and expectations, and assign/reassign work assignments and staff as necessary.
Directly Responsible To
The Director of Financial Aid
Specific Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions of the Job):
- Work closely with the Director on all departmental issues.
- Assume the role of Director when needed.
- Manage the operation of the Financial Aid Office. Supervise, schedule, evaluate, monitor, and train personnel.
- Analyze and interpret federal and state legislation relative to the financial aid function.
- Maximize the use of integrated software for office operations and service to students.
- Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state laws.
- Complete and submit, in collaboration with the Director, governmental agency fiscal reports and applications for future funding.
- Compile monthly reports for supervisory review identifying relevant data that track students from application for financial aid, to completed awards, to enrollment and payment of tuition and fees. Compile data on funds awarded, students served, and processing time required to issue awards from initial application to award. Report data historically over a five-year period.
- Develop and present programs on financial aid processes, regulations, and operations to both internal and external groups as appropriate.
- Monitor, participate in, and complete, both internal and external audits relative to the Financial Aid Office, in collaboration with the Director.
- Work closely with Welcome Center, Enrollment Development, Admissions, Registration, Records, Cashiers, Accounting Services, Human Resources, and the Foundation Office to meet the overall mission of service to students.
- Maintain and monitor existing budgets. Spend or approve expenditure of pre-approved budgets in the Financial Aid Office.
- Work closely with Welcome Center and Financial Aid staff to develop and manage a system for responding to in-person, telephone, e-mail, and other on-line inquiries in a prompt and courteous manner.
- Serve as leader or member on projects and committees that impact the department and the college.
- Supervise the Client Services Coordinator, Systems Manager, and Loan Manager.
- Develop and maintain, with the assistance of all financial aid managers, a Financial Aid Office Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Monitor work-flow efficiencies; make changes when needed.
- Supervise the development and implementation of financial literacy and default aversion initiatives as necessary.
- Serve on College/departmental committees and project teams, as needed, taking a leadership role where appropriate.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
The deadline for receipt of application materials is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 5, 2012. Interviews are planned for July 17, 2012. The application packet must include ALL of the following: cover letter, detailed resume, copies of all academic transcripts (official transcripts required before interview), names and contact information for three current professional references, and a statement of applicant's financial aid philosophy (no longer than 500 words) and should be sent to:
Dr. Cynthia M. Eschenburg, Director of Human Resources
Henry Ford Community College
5101 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128-1495
