Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships

UC San Diego

Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships

Filing Deadline: Open Until Filled

Salary Range: Commensurate with Experience

 

Under the direction of the Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Director serves as the principal Financial Aid Officer for UC San Diego and as a fiduciary for the state university and federal financial aid programs. In this role, the Director is responsible for operational oversight and management of the internal operations of the FAS Office including fund procurement, management, communications, and timely delivery of aid to students. The Director has responsibility for the supervision of all financial aid processes.

 

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Director must possess an aptitude to anticipate, analyze, and resolve problems, improve work processes, analyze and mitigate risk, communicate clearly and directly, and interpret and apply human resource guidelines and policies. They identify broad objectives and goals, direct significant programs, and function with a high degree of autonomy.

 

The Director works in collaboration with the Associate Vice Chancellor to develop long-range strategic plans, financial aid policies, and fund utilization strategies that meet the continually evolving guidelines of federal, state, and institutional programs and their corresponding regulatory burdens.

 

The Director is responsible for managing an operational budget of nearly $4 million across two fund sources, and for the allocation of human, financial and physical resources for the department. The Director annually leads the execution of over $550 million in financial aid and scholarship programs for over 40,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The Director leads four direct reports: Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, Associate Director of Fiscal and Systems, Associate Director of Scholarships, and an Executive Assistant/Office Manager, and indirectly supervises 32 career staff and student employees.

 

The Financial Aid and Scholarships Director is a member of the AVC EM’s senior leadership team, which establishes short and long-range plans and implements/evaluates resources, systems, and programs to support the EM mission. In this function, the Director projects needs, directs planning to accommodate office functions to meet the needs of the campus in the foreseeable future. The Director independently carries out special projects as assigned by the AVC EM, serves on ad hoc committees and intercampus workgroups and task forces. They write project plans, proposals, memos, and correspondences to campus and constituents as needed; represent the campus to a range of constituents as needed; participate as a thought leader on-campus, in California, and nationally. They represent the campus to a range of constituents, and stand-in for AVC EM as requested.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree and at least ten years of progressive professional experience in financial aid at a college or university is required. Advanced degree preferred.

• Advanced knowledge of policies, regulations, and practices for awarding financial aid, including needs analysis and packaging. Knowledge of extensive procedures and eligibility requirements for federal, state, and university programs. This includes a considerable body of authorizing legislation and regulations which direct the awarding of funds to students based upon need. Knowledge of fiscal management policies and procedures.

• Experience in directing and managing a complex financial aid office, providing a solid background for the analysis and organization of campus wide priorities and goals

• Advanced problem identification, critical thinking, and problem solving skills; judgment and decision-making ability.

• Strong ability to assess processes and implement improvements. Leadership experience in creating innovative approaches to utilizing high-volume student aid programs in support of campus enrollment goals.

• Advanced quantitative analysis and resource management skills. Experience working with Enrollment Management Models.

• Advanced skills in policy and program development. Skill in examining and re-engineering operational procedures, formulating policy, developing and implementing new strategies.

• Experience using complex databases. Strong ability to oversee and define specifications for financial aid systems programming.

• Proven extensive experience with Higher Education policies, processes, and procedures related to budget, accounting, human resources, IT, and student services.

• Strong ability to develop and manage an office through the creative and sustained use of technology to provide services and solve problems.

• Advanced knowledge of techniques for recruitment and retention of students through financial aid. Advanced knowledge of basic university marketing and outreach concepts for effective enrollment management.

• Advanced knowledge of University policies, processes, and procedures related to budget, accounting, human resources, IT, and student services. Knowledge of the annual processing cycle, including specialty programs, planning and preparation processes necessary for effective operation and delivery of student aid, including integrated components with other campus units.

• Skill and experience in project management and organizational effectiveness. Ability to schedule and monitor a multitude of project-related tasks, perform a number of different tasks simultaneously, and respond to inquiries rapidly without sacrificing attention to detail while maintaining accurate records and quality output, and meeting deadlines.

• Advanced written and verbal communication, active listening, persuasion, and negotiation skills.

• Advanced customer service orientation.

• Demonstrated ability to summarize and integrate varying points of view in order to arrive and direct a consensus

• Advanced interpersonal skills including social perceptiveness.

• Advanced knowledge of advising and counseling techniques.

• Management: Demonstrated experience in managerial and administrative practices and principles related to student services; strong and creative organization; analytic, and decision-making/ problem-solving skills. Ability to develop innovative approaches, techniques and procedures to provide more efficient and responsive services.

• Supervisory Skills: Demonstrated experience and skill to routinely monitor production and quality of work being produced by staff and set performance standards, observing behavior, providing objective feedback, counseling, and implementing corrective action as needed to mediate disputes or otherwise help to resolve conflicts and to provide effective leadership/coaching/mentoring. Demonstrated experience and skill to assess staff capabilities and workloads and redistribute when necessary. Demonstrated experience and skill to teach/train staff in all aspects of job duties/responsibilities.

• Demonstrated ability to foster a cooperative work environment and to work in a complex political context.

• Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.

• Knowledge of effective personnel policies and practices

• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities among equally compelling tasks

 

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Duties may require direct contact with children (defined as individuals under the age of 18). Completion of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) form is required.

• Job offer is contingent upon a satisfactory clearance based on background check results.

• Available to work evenings/weekends during peak periods; some domestic travel may be expected.

 

Our employees enjoy competitive compensation packages and educational opportunities in a diverse, stimulating workforce.

 

This position is eligible for full benefits first day of hire:

a) Health/Dental/Vision Insurance.

b) Vacation/holidays (18 vacation days & 13 paid holidays a year).

c) Work/Life Balance.

d) UC Retirement Plan.

 

For more information about UCSD Benefits please visit https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/benefits/index.html and UCSD Work/Life visit https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/benefits/work-life/quality-index/index.html.

 

Apply Online

http://50.73.55.13/counter.php?id=192716

 

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://www-hr.ucsd.edu/saa/nondiscr.html