Associate Director of Financial Aid & Compliance

FA182

Exempt

Full Time

No

A sensitive position requires a fingerprint-based criminal history check. This is NOT a sensitive position.

No

This position is NOT designated as a Campus Security Authority. A Campus Security Authority (or CSA) is defined as an “official of the institution with significant responsibility for student and campus activities.” A CSA is required to immediately report any crime that is reported to them to the University Police who will then review, evaluate, and investigate the reported crime. Annual training is required by the Department of Education for all personnel who have been designated as a Campus Security Authority.

Yes

This position is a “designated position” meaning this position could potentially be required to work (depending on the event) during an emergency closing.

No

This position does NOT require a Statement of Personal Economic Interest.

No

A restricted position would be subject to availability of funding. This is NOT a restricted position.

Reporting to the Director of Financial Aid, the Associate Director of Financial Aid & Compliance is responsible for the administration of financial aid compliance with regulations and policies at the federal, state, and institutional level. Manages compliance activities related to federal and state regulations, University policies and procedures, and establishes goals and objectives. Responsible for developing guides, training, and assessments for Financial Aid staff in support of effectively administering student financial aid programs and related processes to ensure student success in line with the University Strategic Plan as well as ensure continued compliance.

Training and Compliance

• Assists with the administration of financial aid programs in accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies. Stays abreast of all financial aid regulations. Monitors federal and state regulatory environments and identifies changes and their impact on the workflow for student awarding.
• Assists the director in managing all compliance activities including the development, documentation, updating, and validation of all policies and procedures. Continuously monitoring policies and procedures to ensure continued accuracy in regards to standard operating procedures and that they are based on federal, state, and institutional rules and regulations.
• Will assist Director with implementation of large scale regulatory changes in the office, such as those included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to include, but not limited to system updates, development and implementation of procedure and policy changes as a result of the implementation of the Student Aid Index (SAI) versus the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and the development of and implementation of policy and procedures for the reimplementation of Year Round Pell.
• Oversees the preparation for, implementation of, and subsequent development of policies and procedures related to the reform of state financial aid administration proposed by SCHEV, including changes to policies and procedures related to Virginia Senate Bill No. 1387 (a reenactment and amendment of §23.1-506 of the Code of Virginia by adding §23.1-505.1) which requires that students who meet the criteria to be deemed eligible for in-state tuition regardless of the citizenship or immigration status shall be afforded the same education benefits including financial assistance program administered by SCHEV.
• Supports the director in compiling documentation and files for any audits or other quality assurance reviews conducted on the activities of the Office of Financial Aid. Serves as the secondary contact in the office for federal, state, and internal auditors. Assists in developing responses to potential findings.
• Develops, implements, and maintains multiple levels of proactive internal quality control mechanisms to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional policies and/or regulations; develops action plans for the correction of any violations or deficiencies noted; and provides regular feedback to the Financial Aid team. Continuously develops measures to detect, prevent, and resolve issues that fail to meet federal and state financial aid regulations. These reviews may include ensuring: financial aid packages do not exceed students’ Cost of Attendance (COA) or financial need, loans and other aid are prorated as necessary, student residency and COA/aid match, students have the correct COA for their housing arrangements, students have been notified of aid and related information as required by regulation or policy.
• Subscribes to list-serves, reads all financial aid regulations, policies and procedures that are distributed by federal, state, and institutional sources to ensure the university’s continued ability to meet regulatory requirements and maintain compliance. Networks with other financial aid officers and attends workshops, conferences and seminars to stay up to date on frequently changing regulations. Maintains master operational calendar of all federal, state and institutional reporting dates, including regular processes and activities to ensure the Financial Aid team continues to meet deadlines and goals.
• Manages and maintains consumer information in accordance with federal guidelines to ensure regulatory compliance. Coordinates activities and teamwork between Financial Aid, the Business Office, Admissions, and Registration to ensure all required information is available to students and adequately communicated/distributed.
• Oversees the development and implementation of a financial literacy and communication program to reduce the Institutional Cohort Default Rate with an understanding that high cohort default rates can put institutions at risk of losing federal funding.
• Works closely with the Financial Aid technical staff to ensure that new regulations are properly incorporated in the financial aid systems. Identifies and analyzes systematic problems, proposes solutions, and provides training to address issues.
• Develops and delivers comprehensive training programs including financial aid fundamentals, changes to federal and state regulations and institutional policies, and changes to or reminders of office procedure. Conducts assessment activities to ensure mastery of required knowledge and skills for existing and new staff.
• Assists the Director with maintaining, updating, and developing policies and procedures.

• Supervises four Financial Aid Coordinators.
• Recommends and/or coordinates staff training sessions/workshops/seminars/webinars for the purpose of reducing workload processing errors and improving accuracy of work output. Develops and prepares training sessions within scope of capabilities, experience and knowledge based on findings of quality control and auditing review and analysis.
• Trains staff on new regulations and policies and procedures.
• Schedules regular meetings with direct reports to contribute recommendations and suggestions that affect the improvement in the quality of their workloads and/or to obtain information to determine what types and what subjects of training are needed.
• Responsible for staffing, hiring, termination and discipline, setting performance standards, evaluating staff, and staff development for direct reports.
• Resolves and/or assists in the resolution of problems and/or complaints and initiates corrective action as appropriate.
• Acts as a knowledge source to the student financial services staff.

• Manages the review for accuracy and completeness of all financial aid application materials received, including verification documents, citizenship status documentation, and subsequent ISIRs.
• Ensures that all required verifications are performed in accordance with federal regulations, and assists in conducting verification reviews when necessary.
• In conjunction with the Director, exercises appropriate professional judgment when appropriate, as described by federal regulations. May assist in the review and processing of exceptions to regulatory definitions of dependent/independent student status, modification of financial need through adjustments to information reported on the FAFSA or to the student COA, and appeals for failure to meet or maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
• Serves as a liaison between the Office of Financial Aid and other CNU offices for student status, disbursement of awards, and with external financial agencies.

• Assists in overseeing an effective and comprehensive student financial aid counseling program which maintains relationships with students, parents, faculty, advisors, and university administration so as to provide an avenue for students to seek assistance when needed.
• May serve on various university committees and teams within the financial aid office, as well with other offices across campus, on an as needed basis.
• Designs, develops, implements, and participates (as needed) in outreach activities with an emphasis on financial aid advising and services to current and prospective students to include high school college nights, college fairs, admissions open houses, admitted freshman days, Setting Sail, Welcome Week, Community Captains program and events, and other outreach programs targeted at informing current and prospective students of financial aid availability and application processes.
• Manage the development and maintenance of a comprehensive financial literacy program utilizing staff and other institutional resources, which may include partnering with other office across campus and external partners.
• Coordinates campus postings, email reminders, website maintenance, and develops and maintains general campus financial aid and financial literacy outreach.
• Develop and maintain very positive and professional customer service and/or relations within the office/department and with all constituencies to include students, faculty, staff, guests, and employees. Demonstrate a positive and professional attitude and treat everyone with dignity and respect. Fully support the “Student’s First” value at CNU and routinely goes the extra mile in providing service.

• Accomplishes other tasks and projects as requested by the Director of Financial Aid.
• In the absence of the Director, performs the financial aid duties of the Director.
• Review and communicate safety issues to assure a safe and healthy workplace and a reduction in work related absence.
• This position is designated as a “responsible employee” who has the authority to redress sexual violence, who has the duty to report incidents of sexual violence or other student misconduct, or who a student could reasonably believe has this authority or duty.
• Assumes other duties as assigned.

Strong interpersonal relations skills; demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with a wide range of people, especially students and parents, and counsel effectively. Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to interpret federal, state, and institutional financial aid rules and regulations. Advanced working knowledge of the U.S. Department of Education’s Code of Federal Regulations and Higher Education Act, as amended, with regard to federal aid programs as well as federal privacy laws. Demonstrated ability for student programming and public speaking. Strong management skills; ability to develop rapport; sensitivity skills; listening skills; ability to provide support for others, motivate, delegate, represent others and perceive feelings and situations. Organizational and leadership skills and the ability to initiate new ideas; handle details; manage groups; teach; coach; promote change. Decision making skills; the ability to manage conflict; implement decisions; manage time; meet goals, accept responsibility. Strong administrative and interpersonal communications skills; excellent oral and written communication skills. Strong commitment to customer satisfaction. Ability to partner with others across the University and externally to exchange information, collaborate on projects, share resources, etc. Demonstrated ability to address the essential functions associated with this position including the knowledge of COD, FSA, ELM, and other FA websites. Ability to adapt to change and to learn about and integrate specialized and/or upgraded software packages utilized by the University.

Technical fluency with Banner or equivalent information system; Microsoft Office Professional Suite, and Google mail and calendaring programs; Experience with SQL, Toad, SQL Developer, or an equivalent application.

Master’s degree in a related field; or Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus demonstrated, directly related work experiences that equates to an advanced degree.

Experience in interpreting federal and state financial aid rules and regulations. Experience in managing and administering financial aid programs in a higher education environment. Experience in processing financial aid requests and eligibility determination. Demonstrated experience in dealing with difficult situations and diffusing customer conflict. People management and supervisory experience. Financial Aid compliance and training experience.

Experience in an environment with responsibility for the management of fiscal programs. Familiarity with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s financial aid programs.

Selected by The Princeton Review for The 386 Best Colleges: 2021 Edition, and highly ranked for its quality of life and innovative leadership, Christopher Newport University is a public school offering a private school experience — great teaching, small classes, and a safe, vibrant campus. A “student-first, teaching-first” community, Christopher Newport is dedicated to the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service. The University is located between Williamsburg and the Virginia beaches in Newport News, and enrolls 5,100 students. Academic programs encompass more than 90 areas of study, from biology to business administration and political science to the performing arts. The University has a new and technologically advanced campus, has generated over 7,300 applications for a freshmen class of 1,155 and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges guide as fourth among public regional universities in the South and seventh among all regional universities in the South. In addition, Christopher Newport is ranked third among all public schools for having “the highest proportion of classes with fewer than 20 students.” Christopher Newport is committed to ensuring that all people are welcomed, honored and fully engaged in the life of our academic community. We seek exceptional and diverse candidates and encourage applications from individuals who are underrepresented in their profession. For further details and information about Christopher Newport, visit ”https://www.cnu.edu">http://www.cnu.edu.

AP159P

1

06/28/2021

07/25/2021

Interested parties are requested to submit a cover letter; current resume; and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references at the time of application.

Review of applications will begin July 25, 2021.
Applications received after July 25, 2021, will be accepted but considered only if needed.

Search finalists are required to complete a CNU sponsored background check.

Christopher Newport University (CNU) will make a reasonable effort to accommodate persons with disabilities in the application and/or interview process. Persons with disabilities who require accommodation should contact the CNU Human Resources Office by calling (757) 594-7145.

https://jobs.cnu.edu/postings/11206

Christopher Newport University, an EO Employer, is fully Committed to Access and Opportunity.
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