Associate Director of Financial Aid

Primary Function

The Associate Director of Financial Aid is responsible for day-to-day management of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office. The Associate Director serves as a lead administrator for areas of high impact such as Institutional eligibility for federal Title IV and Illinois Student Assistance Commission ( ISAC ) programs; academic program eligibility; academic program development and accreditation; consortium agreements and partnerships with other institutions; outreach; assessment; development of strategies to ensure institutional compliance; effective student service; and to maximize enrollment and retention, and cash flow in a manner consistent with the University’s mission and strategic enrollment plan. The Associate Director coordinates workflow, communications, and operations directly with the Colleges, Records and Registration, Chance, Orientation, Admissions, and the Provost Office and serves as the NIU representative to ISAC and many university partners. The Associate Director reports directly to the Director of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office ( FASO ) and is a member of the FASO administrative staff. This position is second in command and makes decisions and represents the office in the absence of the Director. This position is responsible for assisting the Director in all facets of program administration, office management, supervision, personnel and with overseeing various federal, state, and institutional programs and their budgets. This position requires a high ability to synthesize and analyze complex regulatory, financial aid, and technical information to support staff, processes, and enrollment.
Duties and Responsibilities (generally)

The Associate Director works to:
· Operationalize FASO and University access and affordability initiatives,
· Create, update and supervise a robust staff training and development program,
· Develop outreach tactics to build enrollment and student satisfaction,
· Guide strategic use of data analytics,
· Develop internal quality control methodologies to ensure processes meet the university’s administrative capacity requirements, manage risk, and meet student service goals,
· Interpret and operationalize new regulations,
· Provide guidance to other areas of operation and manage a full-time staff of 22.

The AD establishes and directs policies and procedures for satisfactory academic progress; transfer monitoring; need analysis; student eligibility; professional judgement evaluations and overrides; Pell Grants; all state grant, scholarship and waiver programs; and awarding methodologies.
Minimum Required Qualifications for this position

1. Bachelor’s degree.

2. Three (3) years (36 months) of experience in working with student employment, student financial aid/loans, student admissions/recruitment, scholarship/grant programs or other closely related work experience
Specialty Factors (Additional Required Qualifications)

Education and Experience Preferred

Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience in a financial aid office or Master’s degree and 3 years of progressive experience in a financial aid office.
List the knowledge, skills, and abilities critical to the performance of this position.

This position requires extensive knowledge of expertise in the processes and services of student financial aid, automated data processing systems and state and federal regulations.
Working Hours
8:00am - 4:30pm
Minimum Pay Rate (Hourly or Monthly)
$5,000/month
Hiring Rate Information

Actual hiring rate is commensurate with experience, education, and internal equity; position includes a robust benefits package to eligible applicants.

Posting Date
10/12/2021
Closing Date
11/25/2021
Priority Review Date

Special Instructions to Applicants

• Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position, however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience.

• If you have education and/or training in excess of what is required, we encourage you to upload your unofficial transcripts.

• After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this particular position.

• Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from jobs@niu.edu and CivilServiceTesting@niu.edu. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.

• We STRONGLY recommend that contact information used in your online profile be personal use, not professional/work information: personal email address, home address, and phone numbers. The information you provide is used to make contact on search updates, department referrals and interviews, etc. We must be able to relay sensitive and important information in a way that protects your privacy concerning job search activity, now and in the future.

• The Civil Service examination for this classification is a Credentials Assessment, and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.

• Once this position has been filled, all names will be removed from the employment register in accordance with State Universities Civil Service System rule.

• If eligible for Veteran’s Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application in order to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.

• Click on Program Director for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.

• Please click Human Resource Services – Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University’s benefits package.

• Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Application Procedures

Link to Department Homepage
Financial Aid & Scholarship Office
Physical Demands

EEO Statement

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 230
TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu
815-753-5560
Is Background Check Required
Yes
Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education ( AAEOE ) at ada@niu.edu .

Clery Act Information

NIU provides information regarding campus security, personal and fire safety, including topics such as: crime prevention, emergency response procedures and crime reporting policies, in addition to crime and fire statistics for the most recent three calendar years. The Annual Security Report containing security and safety information is available at www.safety.niu.edu/clery or by contacting the University Police Department and Public Safety Department at 815-753-9628 to receive a hard copy. The Annual Fire Safety Report is available at www.niu.edu/clery/fire_report.pdf or by contacting the Environmental Health and Safety Department at 815-753-0404 to receive a hard copy.

Quick Link
https://employment.niu.edu/postings/59674
Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * If applicable, have you attached a copy of your DD214, DD215, NGB22, or DD256 for consideration of Veterans Preference Points? The copy submitted should reflect the status of discharge in order to be considered.
   • Yes
   • No
   • Not Applicable
2. * Please rate your level of professional work experience in working with student employment, student financial aid/loans, student admissions/recruitment, scholarship/grant programs.
   • Work experience not directly related to the job function described
   • Work experience at a minimum level of competency relevant to the job function described, requiring some assistance and guidance.
   • Work experience at a high level of competency relevant to the job function described, performed independently.
3. * Please provide the name of the employer and the dates of employment where you gained this experience. Please note that this information must be verified on an NIU application and/or résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response.)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   

Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter
3. Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
4. List of at least 3 References

Optional Documents

1. Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)
2. Transcripts #2 (unofficial with official required at hire)
3. Transcripts #3 (unofficial with official required at hire)