The Associate Director of financial aid assists the Director in the day-to-day operations of the Office of Financial Aid to coordinate and manage the operation and execution of Title IV program(s). The Associate Director will assist in ensuring that policies and procedures reflect current federal regulations, and that they are effective, efficient, and student-centered. This position is directly responsible for developing, maintaining, and enhancing the financial aid management system(s), and plays a key role in the oversight and functionality of secondary systems integrated with or supported by financial aid operations.

Additionally, this position will be responsible for data collection and aggregation to support annual reporting requirements, including but not limited to: Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE), Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP), Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), New York State Education Department (NYSED) reporting, and all internal requests for data.

The Associate Director will also support the packaging and disbursement of student financial aid, and provide assistance with counseling and general processing tasks as needed to support front line staff..

This position is based out of the university's home office in Albany, NY with the option of considering remote candidates. Remote employees will have mandatory occasional travel for meetings, conferences, and professional development opportunities. Remote employees are expected to be available during work hours 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Eastern time. The University will supply necessary equipment to perform the essential functions of this job (e.g., Laptop, docking station). Employees are responsible for having a workspace where they can participate in virtual meetings without multiple interruptions and noise.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

•  Administer Title IV program (s) for the University including, but not limited to awarding, verification, disbursement and assisting with reconciliation.
• Remain current with and ensure compliance with all Federal Title IV regulations; develop and maintain policies and procedures in addition to editing any required forms and publications.
• Stay current with knowledge and use of financial aid software, i.e. PowerFAIDS EDConnect, COD/NSLDS.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance financial aid management system(s); Oversee and support secondary systems integrated with financial aid.
•  Manage data collection and aggregation for federal, state, and institutional reporting.
• Work in collaboration with the Director to prepare for and engage in the annual SFA audit.
• Will be required to present within the enrollment management unit as well as key units across campus.
•  Work to promote academic success, increase retention, decrease time toward graduation, and improve the overall educational experience of students.
• Support the development of the whole student by providing excellent customer service and resolution of issues through telephone, email, and preparation of written correspondence for financial aid.
•  Participate in ongoing professional development along with the encouragement of the growth of colleagues.
•  Engage in and support the development and administration of Student Financial Services.
• Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned in support of the needs of the financial aid office and the students we serve.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This position requires a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3 years' experience in a financial aid office.
• Candidate must demonstrate expertise in student financial aid regulations, financial aid data management system and proficiency with Microsoft Word & Excel. Strong communication skills, attention to detail and strong problem-solving skills are essential.
• The ideal candidate will have experience with PowerFAIDS financial aid management system and demonstrate an interest in promoting distance learning higher education to a diverse adult student population.

The hiring salary range for this position is $61,000.00 - $66,000.00. The hiring salary range above represents the University's good faith estimate at the time of posting.