Director Of Financial Aid

Overview: Touro University California (“TUC”) is a private, professional, and graduate degree awarding institution located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area city of Vallejo, California. Established in 1997, TUC offers its 1,500 students an innovative education in one of several disciplines including osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, nursing, public health, and education. Nestled on 44 acres of the former Mare Island Naval Military Base and a proud member of the Touro College and University System (TCUS), TUC is passionate in pursuing its mission of educating caring professionals to serve, to lead, and to teach within a foundation of social justice.
POSITION DESCRIPTION:The Director Financial Aid serves as the TUC Title IV Financial Aid officer and has primary responsibility for managing the daily operations of the TUC Financial Aid Services. The individual needs to have federal financial aid expertise and must be accurate, results oriented and very organized with attention to detail. The position requires that the individual be able to manage multiple projects as well as complete complex administrative tasks in a dynamic environment.
The Financial Aid Director is responsible for creating student cost of attendance, financial aid advising, financial aid record maintenance, development support and enforcement of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and program length policies, communication with students about personal finances, their academic records, registration activities financial needs; and certifying student needs analysis, awards, scholarships. This position oversees the Federal Work Study (FWS) program and reviews student personal situations, such as unforeseen medical needs, that might require a professional judgement.
The Financial Aid Director position coordinates, and/or performs work with highly sensitive and confidential matters and is expected to maintain appropriate confidences and work in an environment with a high degree of trust and integrity. The Financial Aid Director must enjoy a fast paced, flexible environment with a focus on high quality, accurate data produced in a timely manner. The Financial Aid Director should be an expert user in a student information system database (Banner is preferred); be proficient in submitting data for institutional reports as well as be highly skilled and adept in using Excel and Microsoft Office Suite and other similar type of software program(s). This position has a strong dotted line to the system financial aid office and communicates regularly with dotted line managers regarding daily, weekly, semester, and annual data and reports to ensure the financial aid office runs smoothly and efficiently.
The Director of Financial Aid manages the information technology related to financial aid records and provides leadership in maintaining a Title IV compliant financial aid program and monitors the systems to enhance the integrity and efficiency of financial aid recordkeeping.Responsibilities:SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:Recurring Tasks:

• Functions as a Student Affairs Team Leader and participates collegially and cooperatively with TUN and the TCUS Financial Aid Directors and leaders
• Creates annual campus financial aid Cost of Attendance using historical or survey instruments.
• Collaborates, coordinates and reviews student data with Bursar and Registrar in collegial and solutions-oriented manner
• Creates, maintains and updates student financial aid electronic and other records
• Administers and implements university rules, regulations, policies and procedures for the Title IV federal financial aid and its student record keeping and processing.
• Responsible for ensuring Title IV and all regulatory compliance.
• Serves as primary supervisor for development and maintenance of Federal Work Study (FWS) program system and oversees the audit of FWS timesheets, job descriptions, and contracts for accuracy to ensure compliance
• Manages the packaging and awarding of federal Financial Aid.
• Certifies student eligibility.
• Reviews Financial Aid impact(s) for change of student academic status requests such as, but not limited to, leave of absence, academic suspension, transfer, etc.
• Reviews Financial Aid impact(s) for proposed academic program changes regarding program length, number of credits, changes in delivery modality, etc.
• Responds to annual audits as well as legal and other inquiries regarding student financial aid records.
• Assures responsiveness of the Financial Aid staff to the functions of the overall needs of the university, students, faculty, and administrators.
• Oversees Military and Veterans Affairs benefits to student financial aid awards
• Creates and compiles a variety of reports for institutional research, campus departments, as well as federal, state, and regional accreditation processes, Department of Education reviews, audits as well as system wide student financial aid records audits by outside agencies

Periodic Tasks:

• Participate in Student Affairs major events such as, but not limited to, new student orientation, white coat ceremony, commencement, etc.
• Participate in university committee work.
• Travel to Touro system campuses for training and system wide collaborations (currently this person travels to NYC and Nevada approximately once a year)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position supervises the following positions: Assistant Director of Financial Aid Advisor and Financial Aid Administrative Assistant(s)Qualifications:QUALIFICATION(S):

• Baccalaureate degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Demonstrated record of financial aid leadership and compliance expertise.
• Experience and enthusiasm in working with a diverse student, staff, and faculty population
• Ability to work independently or collaboratively as the situation demands; managing competing priorities in a professional and positive manner.
• Experience working with graduate and/or first professional degree students is desired

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Must have in-depth database skills such as Banner, Datatel or Jenzabar; Banner is highly preferred
• Must have working knowledge of Title IV regulations and ability to train and assist faculty, staff, and students in understanding the Title IV requirements
• Ability to create and maintain collaborative and productive work relationships
• Ability to implement successful practices in financial aid document maintenance.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• High level of conceptual, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Ability to be innovative
• Must be detail-oriented and accurate
• Proficient with various computer applications and programs.