Associate Director of Financial Aid

at  Adelphi University

JOB SUMMARY:

Under general supervision of the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Director’s primary areas of responsibility include management and oversight of the University’s Federal Title IV, State and institutional grant, loans and work programs.
The Associate Director will actively lead several OS|FAO managers, including the Senior Assistant Director of Processing, the Associate Director of Student Loan Programs, Systems & other operations teams to meet management objectives and ensure the smooth and compliant operations of the department. Providing leadership and direction for the financial aid staff which includes student employees. Serves as a member of the One-Stop executive management team. May represent the office in national, statewide, and campus-wide meetings and conferences as needed.
Similarly, when designated by the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Director represents the office and the Director of Financial Aid to external constituencies on their behalf. The Associate Director plays a key role in managing the office and ensuring that it is running smoothly and that the financial aid office staff are adhering to the myriad of laws, regulations, and policies governing the delivery of student financial aid at the federal, state and university level. In the absence of the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Director assumes full management responsibility for the One-Stop|FAO when necessary, ensuring continuity and an unbroken chain of management. In this capacity, the position directs the office operations and staff.

REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Typically a Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, finance, accounting or an allied field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Incumbent will be expected to continue upgrading knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to keep abreast of regulation/policy changes.
3. Minimum five years’ experience in student financial aid in progressively responsible positions.
4. Leads by example and demonstrates strong leadership skills that foster a productive, cooperative, harmonious and respectful work environment across all areas of the office.
5. Adept at working with and motivating a diverse staff.
6. Demonstrated superior customer service skills, including demonstrated experience defusing difficult and sometimes emotion-filled and/or heated situations and interactions.
7. Ability to demonstrate empathy while maintaining professional decorum and adherence to policies, regulations and rules.
8. Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive student and human resources issues and situations.
9. Superior understanding of laws, regulations and policies governing the delivery of student financial aid.
10. Superior understanding of financial aid cash management rules and regulations.
11. Demonstrated project management experience to respond to both short and long-term projects, meeting deadlines with initiative and imagination; ability to successfully lead complex projects either independently or by leading a team.
12. Skilled at finding new, creative and different workable solutions to difficult problems and situations.
13. Superior written and oral communication skills to articulate complex information and issues clearly, concisely, and persuasively; written communication skills must be sufficiently advanced such that little or no further revision by others is usually required.
14. Strong interpersonal skills to work harmoniously and effectively with staff at all levels in the office and across the campus.
15. Solid analytical and accounting skills.
16. Highly developed organizational skills.
17. Ability to apply judgment and political acumen necessary to represent the Director of Financial Aid and OS|FAO effectively in relationships with other offices and other higher education institutions and agencies.
18. Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.
19. Highly proficient with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel) in a Windows environment. Experience in Higher Ed ERP software.
20. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

EDUCATIONAL/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 5 years comprehensive financial aid
2. Experience in a fast-paced customer-service oriented higher education environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

N/A.