Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations

Job No: 533794
Work Type: Management (MPP)
Location: Pomona
Categories: MPP, At-Will, Full Time, Student Services

Type of Appointment: Full-time, Management Personnel Plan (MPP II)

Anticipated Salary Range: $54,996 - $90,000 annually (Commensurate with qualifications and experience)

Recruitment Closing Date: Open Until Filled

First Application Review Date: January 2, 2024

REQUIRED- All candidates must submit the following:

• Application
• Cover letter
• Resume or CV
• Three References

THE DEPARTMENT:

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is an organizational unit of the Division of Academic Affairs, which strives for excellence through a student-centered philosophy.

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships supports the University's mission, vision, and strategic plan goals. We provide financial aid services to students and customers, including counseling and outreach activities designed to promote awareness and facilitate solutions related to meeting the cost of education at Cal Poly Pomona. Our office follows the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct established by the National Association of Student Aid Administrators and the Principles of Excellence established by Presidential Executive Order. We provide access to federal, state, university, donor, and other types of financial resources to assist students in their enrollment, retention, and graduation. We strive to effectively communicate, counsel, and ensure these resources are delivered in a timely manner. This mission is accomplished by:

• Promoting successful enrollment and persistence through timely delivery of financial aid.
• Offering support through counseling, outreach, and effective communication.
• Promoting academic success through monitoring of academic progress and collaboration with student support offices and faculty.
• Promoting financial success through delivery of information on financial literacy and debt management.
• Cultivating campus relationships with faculty, staff, and students.
• Creating an office culture of service and knowledge that is empathetic to student needs by providing training and opportunities for good morale.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

LEADERSHIP & PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Provide leadership and direction for a student focused, solution-based customer service model - emphasizing Service Excellence in the delivery of services and development of solutions.

• Foster and promote a culture of service excellence. Establish and manage key performance indicators related to service excellence. Ensure adherence to servicing standards created to drive increased customer satisfaction; implement best practices related to all aspects of customer interaction.
• Directly manage and develop staff to continually increase skill levels and commitment to excellence.
• Review and analyze various reports, tools, and customer feedback regarding delivery of service. Evaluate internal resources, documentation, and process needs and provide strategic direction to enable more effective and consistent customer communications and service.
• Provide leadership and coordination for financial aid services in Bronco Advising Center. Plan, organize, and direct the day-to-day financial aid operations and supervise personnel who carry out these duties.
• Promote the development of new methods and processes to improve customer service access to general, time sensitive and personally relevant financial aid information. Shares best practices, new solutions, and ideas to improve processes and policies in or to create a culture of innovation.'
• In collaboration with the Bronco Advising Center Leadership Team, lead team training, meetings, and/or department focus groups to evolve the service levels and support activities of the Bronco Advising Center In-Person & Virtual service teams.
• Mentor and develop Counseling team and nurture an environment where they can excel through encouragement and empowerment.
• Collaborate with departments across campus to maintain excellent customer service to students.
• Serve as point of contact for support and information to university personnel on complex financial aid issues.
• Serve as contact point for customer concerns; taking ownership and following problems through to resolution.
• Work closely with a number of campus partners including the CARE Center, Advising, Student Success Center and student organizations, Information Technology, Directors, AVPs, and other CPP staff in the context of scholarship & financial aid system support, communication, training, and process evaluation.

PROGRAM PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION

Provide leadership through short-, medium- & long-term planning, direction, coordination and driving of activities in Quality and Operational Excellence.

• Work collaboratively with other members of the Financial Aid Leadership Team to advocate, develop and implement innovative and creative strategies for achieving short- and long-term organizational goals and meeting organizational needs that are aligned with the vision and mission of the department and university.
• Implement and incorporate evidence-based principles, strategies and tools into management activities. These principles, strategies and tools support continuous quality improvement to achieve better outcomes for individuals and enhanced productivity for staff.
• Provide focused leadership to advance change initiatives. Provide direction for overcoming adversity and resistance to change.
• Manage and lead continuous improvement strategy. Drive continuous improvement initiatives in an inclusive manner with all team members.
• Express positive expectations of how staff members will develop their skills over time. Develop and coordinate educational opportunities to support the goals, growth, and development of new and current staff.
• Empower and motivate staff. Help staff increase their capabilities, maximize their potential and recognize their options while encouraging cross-departmental collaboration for the good of customers, university, and team. Provide constructive feedback and support.
• Develop a training curriculum with appropriate metrics for use during employee assessment periods as well as for remedial purposes as necessary.
• Oversee ongoing and timely performance management. Effectively use the university's method of performance evaluation. Ensure that evaluations are timely, accurate, frequent, collaborative and based on clear, job-based criteria.

OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATION

Ensure effective, up to date, and accurate operations in financial aid and increase educational access for students.

• Create, fine-tune, and manage workflow, staffing patterns and schedules so they maximize the effectiveness of the team and delivery of services.
• In collaboration with the Director and Associate Director of Compliance, help create a team approach to the integrated delivery of services.
• Coordinate workflow processes to ensure the smooth and timely delivery of financial aid to new and continuing students.
• Leverage optimal techniques such as process mapping and other process improvement / data analysis techniques to analyze, and/or develop and implement effective/strategic solutions through research and analysis of data and business processes.
• Support short and long-term operational/strategic business activities - by developing, enhancing and maintaining operational information, processes, and documentation, and models.
• Works with the systems teams (EMS, IT, etc.) to ensure seamless integration and testing of software and technologies. Maintain an understanding of the current computer systems and assist with testing in order to make recommendations for process improvements.
• Promotes enhancements to student self-service functionality in support of institutional goals. Advises the Director on the need for and priority of information system and customer services support enhancements and develops proposals and plans to meet the needs.
• Manage innovative business process improvements resulting in measurable gains (customer satisfaction, delivery time, accuracy, reduction in manual workarounds).
• Provide general oversight of campus scholarship programs. Work with campus partners to ensure compliance with program rules and financial aid regulations.

STUDENT SUCCESS & COMMUNICATIONS

Coordinate and manage office outreach activities, student communication, web-based/online presence, and customer service (phones, counselors, and support requests).

• Lead the development, planning and implementation of financial aid outreach policies, strategies, and activities aimed at increasing student success and access to financial aid programs and services.
• Provide direction and oversight of the delivery of outreach activities; provide feedback on performance, and support the continued development & refinement of skills.
• Serve as a member of the EMS & BAC Communication Advisory Group, fostering student success through communications.
• Create, implement, monitor, and measure the success of a comprehensive communications plan for the Financial Aid Office.
• Work in collaboration with other on campus offices to ensure accurate financial aid and scholarship information is provided in their publications and to coordinate a presence at recruitment activities.
• Monitor emerging web and social media technologies in order to recommend and implement relevant communication and messaging strategies.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent training or work experience
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in financial aid/student financial services work experience
• Three (3) years of financial aid experience leading, training, and evaluating professional staff
• Experience in a large diverse public university system
• PeopleSoft/Campus Solutions experience
• Excellent supervisory and organizational skills
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Experience providing leadership in coordinating call center, front-line operations and/or web-based customer service tools (i.e. online chat) services
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Institutional policies and procedures as they relate to Financial Aid
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to diversity
• Experience coordinating outreach programs
• Experience in evaluating, testing, and training on new software functionality or processes

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in planning and administering financial aid policies and operations
• Knowledge of higher education issues
• Proficiency in the use of PeopleSoft Student Administration software
• Experience working with federal software such as NSLDS, COD, etc.
• Strong team orientation
• Knowledge of the CSU system
• Ability to lead and motivate staff
• Experience with data analysis

Out of State Work

The California State University (CSU) system is a network of twenty-three public universities providing access to a quality education through the support of California taxpayers. Part of CSU's mission is to prepare educated, responsible individuals to contribute to California's schools, economy, culture, and future. As an agency of the State of California, the CSU's business operations almost exclusively reside within California. The CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California. For more information, go to https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/10899725/latest/.

Background Check

Cal Poly Pomona will make a conditional offer of employment to final job candidates, pending the satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check). The conditional offer of employment may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. In determining the suitability of the candidate for the position, Cal Poly Pomona will give an individualized assessment to any information that the applicant submits for consideration regarding the criminal conviction history such as the nature, gravity and recency of the conviction, the candidate's conduct, performance or rehabilitation efforts since the conviction and the nature of the job applied for. For more information, go to https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/13813878/latest/.

Employment Eligibility Verification

Cal Poly Pomona hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. 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 form upon hire. For more information, go to https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents.

Conflict of Interest

This position is a 'designated position' in the California State University's Conflict of Interest Code. The successful candidate accepting this position is required to file financial interest disclosure forms subject to state regulations. For more information, go to https://www.cpp.edu/eoda-hr/departments/hrpar/coi.shtml.

Outside Employment Disclosure

Executive and Management Plan Personnel employees must disclose all current outside employment at the time of hire as a precondition of hire and at the following times after hire: annually in July, within 30 days of accepting outside employment, and upon their manager's request. For more information, go to https://www.cpp.edu/eoda-hr/departments/hrpar/outside-employment-disclosure.shtml.

Child Abuse/Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. See policy at https://calstate.policystat.com/v2/policy/10927154/latest/.

Security & Fire Safety

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Cal Poly Pomona's Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report are available for viewing at: https://www.cpp.edu/pdfs/annual_security_report.pdf and https://www.cpp.edu/housing/documents/fire_safety_report.pdf.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

As a federal contractor, Cal Poly Pomona will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. For more information, see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision poster.

Reasonable Accommodation

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu. For more information, go to Employment Notices.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cal Poly Pomona is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workforce. The university subscribes to all state and federal regulations that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and veteran or military status. We engage the talents of all qualified workers, regardless of their background. More information is available at Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Other Notices

For other important employment notices, we invite you to visit Cal Poly Pomona's Employment Notices web page.


Advertised: November 14, 2023 (9:00 AM) Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Open Until Filled

To apply, visit https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/po/en-us/job/533794/associate-director-of-financial-aid-operations









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