Senior Financial Aid Specialist

Senior Financial Aid Specialist

Southwestern Community College District

Work Site: 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910

Department: Financial Aid

District Values
Incumbents in District positions are expected to exhibit an equity-minded focus, responsiveness, and sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, and employees, including those with physical or learning disabilities, and successfully foster and support an inclusive educational and employment environment.

Responsibilities:
Under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid, lead, oversee, and participate in the more complex and difficult work of staff responsible for providing specialized assistance and information to applicants regarding Financial Aid programs; prepare needs analysis and packaging of financial aid applications; coordinate the activities of the programs and make award decisions; coordinate financial aid automation to assure timely and accurate reporting and information retrieval.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

1. Lead, plan, train, and review the work of staff responsible for providing specialized assistance and information to applicants regarding Financial Aid programs; participate in performing the most complex work of the unit including coordination of program activities.
2. Prepare needs analysis and package of financial aid applicants; interpret government and campus policies to determine appropriate award allocation for each applicant; establish student budgets and determine program eligibility; modify awards, budgets and needs analysis for students either individually or using automated batch processes; ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines.
3. Coordinate the implementation of new financial aid software; evaluate, test, implement and upgrade automated office delivery systems; coordinate automated systems to maintain quality and standards; conduct staff training sessions and provide on-going technical software support to office personnel; document new Financial Aid office procedures as a result of on-going software integration.
4. Oversee software and databases to automatically exchange information between various federal agencies and the College; facilitate sending and receiving of student applicant data, disbursement data and federal reports.
5. Compile student data and prepare various reports for internal/external departmental needs including state and federal agencies to fulfill compliance regulations and obtain or maintain program funding; review accuracy of data submitted; prepare annual FISAP and MIS reports.
6. Serve as primary liaison with fiscal services staff to reconcile reports, resolve discrepancies between awards and disbursements and determine financial aid overpayments; coordinate the annual planning of scheduled disbursement dates.
7. Maintain current knowledge of complex regulations and requirements for assigned financial aid and student loan programs and current software trends; attend meetings, vendor seminars and participate in on- and off-campus workshops.
8. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge and Abilities:
MUST HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Federal and State Student Financial Assistance programs including policies, rules and regulations.
• Financial and income tax statements.
• Interviewing and advising techniques.
• Various financial aid software systems.
• Recruitment techniques and methods.
• Public speaking methods.
• Technical aspects of field of specialty.
• Methods and terminology of financial record keeping.
• Principles and practices of record keeping.
• Methods and techniques of comprehensive and technical report preparation.
• Office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and databases.
• Oral and written communications skills.
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy.

MUST HAVE ABILITY TO:

• Lead, organize, and review the work of staff.
• Independently perform the most difficult financial aid processing and award determination functions.
• Interpret, explain, and enforce financial aid policies, rules, regulations and procedures.
• Advise, counsel and interview students from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Implement, coordinate, evaluate and maintain a variety of financial aid software programs.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
• Maintain accurate and complete records and prepare comprehensive and technical reports.
• Understand and follow oral and written directions.
• Work effectively with frequent interruptions.
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
• Meet schedules and timelines.
• Work independently with little direction.
• Work with and exhibit sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse racial, ethnic, disabled, sexual orientation, and cultural populations of community college students.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:
Any combination equivalent to: Bachelor’s degree with major course work in education, counseling or related fieldANDTwo (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in students services or related program including demonstrated experience with PC-based and mainframe financial aid software systems.

Minimum Qualifications: (Faculty and Academic Administrator Positions Only)


Desirable Qualifications:


Salary
Range 29, Steps 1-6, $5,504.01-$6,962.30. Initial placement for external applicants is Step 1. An excellent benefits package which includes medical, vision, dental, retirement, vacation, and generous sick leave package.

Start Date

As soon as the successful candidate is identified and following the subsequent governing board approval.

Screening Deadline
All application materials must be received on-line at https://jobs.swccd.edu. Position is open until filled. Applications received by the first screening deadline of 11:59 p.m. on Friday, September 30, 2022 are guaranteed to be reviewed by the selection committee. Any application received after the deadline is not guaranteed a review.

Work Schedule:
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Approximately). Work schedule may be adjusted to meet the needs of the department.Successful candidate may be assigned to any of the campus sites (Chula Vista, National City, Otay Mesa, and/or San Ysidro).

Additional Information:
We regret we are unable to accept faxed, e-mailed, mailed, or hand delivered application materials. Only complete application materials submitted through SWC online system will be accepted. To complete and submit your application for this position, please visit our online employment website at https://jobs.swccd.edu. All required information must be submitted online before the review date and time indicated on the job posting.

A confirmation number will be assigned if your application packet has been successfully submitted. Assistance with the online application process is available through the Human Resources Office at 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910; telephone: (619) 482-6395 or e-mail to employment@swccd.edu.

It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all application materials are received by the review deadline date. A separate, complete application packet is required for each position for which you are applying for. All materials included in your application packet become District property, will not be returned, will not be copied, and will be considered for this opening only.

Candidates selected for employment with Southwestern Community College District must be fingerprinted by an electronic fingerprinting service (i.e. LiveScan) within 10 days of employment; provide clearance of tuberculosis (dated within the past 4 years and renewed every four years as a condition of continued employment) within 60 days of employment; provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.

In addition to the above, for Faculty/Administrator positions (only), successful candidate must submit official (sealed) college transcripts confirming date degree conferred and/or a valid CA Community College Credential.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to candidates with verified disabilities. Accommodation requests should be made at the time the interview appointment is scheduled.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Southwestern Community College District will make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

The Southwestern Community College District shall not discriminate against any person in employment or in any program affiliated with the District on the basis of age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, national origin, religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or on the basis of these perceived characteristics, or based on association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security Report - Southwestern College is committed to assisting all members of the community in providing for their own safety and security. The Annual Security Report is available on the SWCPD website at https://www.swccd.edu/student-support/safety-and-security/jeanne-clery-act/">https://www.swccd.edu/student-support/safety-and-security/jeanne-clery-act/.

If you would like to receive a hard copy of the Annual Security Report, which contains this information, you can stop by the SWC College Police Department or you can request that a copy be mailed to you by calling (619) 482-6390.

The report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety including topics such as: crime prevention; public safety authority; crime reporting policies; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; the procedures the College will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the College or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

This information is required by law and is provided by the SWC College Police Department.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Plan (DAAPP) - More information about the DAAPP, including the Drug Free Environment and Drug Prevention Program Policy and Procedure and Biennial report can be found in the Health and Safety Section of the campus Consumer Information page ( http://www.swccd.edu/index.aspx?page=1084)

To apply, visit: https://jobs.swccd.edu/postings/3992





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