The James E. Rogers College of Law is seeking candidates for Assistant Director of Financial Aid (Financial Aid Manager I) to lead and provide oversight of the College’s financial aid student services. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid will report to the Senior Director of Student Resources and will assist with the College’s mission of providing law student support to a population of approximately 500 students.
This leader will need to interpret financial aid regulations (institutional, state, and federal), and implement procedures to ensure regulatory and fiduciary compliance and timely delivery of financial aid. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid manages all aspects of financial aid administration, including planning, implementing, and communicating awarding policies; determines students' level of need and eligibility for financial aid; partners with internal and external partners to strategically allocate funds and maintain institutional reporting requirements; oversees scholarship postings; and assists students from pre-enrollment through post-graduation loan repayment.
This position requires a high level of professionalism and the independent exercise of good judgment. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid must be self-directed, demonstrate initiative, and take accountability for their development in the law financial aid field.
Strategy and Financial Aid Administration
- Provide leadership and oversight for the College of Law financial aid office, serving as the primary escalation point for complex financial aid matters, providing guidance and resolution support for students, prospective students, applicants, and stakeholders while ensuring high-quality service delivery in person, via email, mail, and telephone.
- Lead the planning, administration, and continuous evaluation of financial aid operations, identifying process improvement opportunities, developing operational strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, and implementing solutions.
- Lead the planning, administration, and delivery of financial aid services and programs, and present information to applicants, students, and others with an interest in financing a legal education.
- Develop and deliver comprehensive financial aid programming, operational policies, and initiatives that drive departmental performance, improve student experience, and ensure compliance with institutional and regulatory requirements.
- Provide leadership in the development of educational programming, resources, and outreach related to financing a legal education for applicants, students, and stakeholders.
Student Loan Eligibility, Loan Packaging, and Compliance
- Exercise independent professional judgment and decision-making authority to collect and/or analyze financial data on students to determine aid eligibility under the federal need analysis and process financial aid reevaluation requests in accordance with applicable federal regulations and university policies.
- Oversee financial aid awarding and packaging activities, including scholarships and limited loan programs for students enrolled in College of Law post-graduate programs; provide quality assurance to promote accuracy, consistency, equity, and regulatory compliance.
- Ensure financial aid compliance, identifying potential areas of risk, and ensuring adherence to federal regulations, accreditation requirements, and university policies.
- Carefully monitor and resolve complex financial aid discrepancies, including over awards, under awards, and other circumstances that require professional judgment, analysis, and coordination with university partners.
- Prepare and conduct required entrance/exit counseling sessions and on-going, longitudinal debt management sessions in accordance with accreditation standard requirements.
- Assist students with federal work study eligibility and processes, collaborating with appropriate university partners to address student needs.
Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement
- Represent the College at internal and external meetings relevant to Financial Aid matters, communicating college priorities and advocating for student and program needs.
- Serve as a partner and liaison, working collaboratively with the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid and the Bursar to resolve complex student matters and ensure effective financial aid administration.
- Supervise a program coordinator who handles named student scholarships for achievement in certain areas of law, student summer support, including internal and external funding for internships in public interest and/or rural areas. Provide guidance and mentoring.
- Train the program coordinator to provide certain financial aid functions during peak seasonal times and to provide additional coverage. Build and deliver training.
Data Reporting and Continuous Improvement
- Plan, process, award, reevaluate, and compile reports of financial aid for the students enrolled in the College of Law. Work closely with other offices at the College of Law to prepare comprehensive reports when needed, including with respect to novel issues or problem-solving.
- Develop new approaches, methods, and techniques to improve processes and enhance student satisfaction through collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and university partners.
- Provide data to the Dean and the Associate Dean for Administration to assist with periodic academic accreditation reporting and US News statistical survey compilation.
- Provide data to the Assistant Dean for Finance to assist with the College’s budgeting and financial planning functions.
- Review disbursement reports, federal student aid reports, and collect and compile data for financial aid indebtedness for accreditation agency reporting, or other units by request of the Dean's Office.
Professional Knowledge Development
- Understand and stay up to date with developments in the student loan landscape and all current federal policies. Provide regular updates to College leadership regarding the same.
- Utilize University systems and financial aid tools with excellent proficiency.
- Interact and maintain liaison with college and university staff, faculty, and outside agencies such as student loan lenders and servicers, guarantee agencies, military services, and other agencies in resolving problems/issues for students with these entities, and in facilitating program objectives.
- Serve as liaison for PeopleSoft (UAccess) system changes, issues and updates for the Office of Student Financial Aid COL. Assist in quality control of computer system procedures and reports and assist in testing.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Extensive knowledge and application of principles, theories and concepts.
- Complete knowledge of all job functions and the broad industry best practices, techniques and standards.
- Skilled in identifying and implementing process improvements.
- Ability to resolve complex financial aid issues.
- Ability to work with both student and faculty populations.
- Ability to work well in a fast-paced and team-oriented environment.
- Ability to exercise independent professional judgment to evaluate and resolve financial aid discrepancies.
- Ability to lead and support staff effectively.
Organization
As Arizona’s First University, founded in 1885, the University of Arizona now serves nearly 46,000 students, from undergraduates to doctoral candidates. A public land grant university, we work together to expand human potential, explore new horizons, and enrich life for all.
We constantly strive to be a best-in-class place to learn, research, and work. We educate innovative, adaptive learners and problem solvers who are prepared to lead meaningful lives and improve society in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy. Our Strategic Plan details how we intend to drive social, cultural, and economic impact, in Arizona and across the world.
As a Research I university and member of the Association of American Universities, the University of Arizona hosts two medical schools as well as the only veterinary college in Arizona. More than 16,500 faculty, staff, and graduate students produce over $687 million in research annually, ranking us among the top 20 public research universities in the nation.
Transdisciplinary research excellence – the true seamless integration across disciplinary university-community boundaries – is an undergirding philosophy deeply rooted in our history. Notably, our BIO5 Institute brings together scientists from agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, basic science, and engineering to treat disease, feed humanity, and preserve livable environments.
We strive for excellence in all our 200-plus undergraduate majors and 150 graduate programs. Our faculty are renowned for ground-breaking research in astronomy and planetary sciences; climate, environment, and solar energy; cancer and biotechnology; optical sciences; electrical and computer engineering; and management information systems. Research us yourself on our interactive FactBook.
As Arizona public employees, we enjoy comprehensive benefits. Among these are a choice of retirement plans, high-quality medical insurance subsidized at 85% of cost; and dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance plans. An unusually generous qualified tuition reduction program is one of the benefits our employees, their spouses or domestic partners, and children value most.
Who We Are
Our core values proclaim who our Wildcat community is and what we stand for:
Integrity: Be honest, respectful, and just.
Compassion: Choose to care.
Exploration: Be insatiably curious.
Adaptation: Stay open-minded and eager for what’s next.
Inclusion: Harness the power of diversity.
Determination: Bear down! (Yes, there’s a story here.)
Where We Are
Our Main and Health Sciences campuses are located near downtown Tucson. In addition, we operate a College of Applied Science & Technology in southeastern Arizona, a Biomedical Campus in Phoenix, a Veterinary College north of Tucson, and extension offices in every Arizona county. Despite a metro population of 1 million people, Tucson retains the feel of a small town where everyone knows one another. Ringed by mountains, blessed with abundant sunshine, and recognized as a bicycle-friendly city, Tucson is ideal for outdoor exploration. The second largest city in Arizona also offers cultural, artistic, and social amenities to feed your insatiable curiosity. Emblematic of the desert Southwest, the Sonoran Desert is a region steeped in Native American and Latina/o culture.
Diversity Profile
Our Commitment to Inclusive Excellence
The University of Arizona sits on the homeland of the Tohono O’odham, the Desert People. In 1775, the Spanish Presidio San Agustín de Tucsón displaced the Native people from the floodplain of the Santa Cruz River. With Mexican Independence in 1821, Tucson became part of the Mexican state of Sonora, and might still be so but for the 1853 Gadsden Purchase.
The University of Arizona takes advantage of our unique location and history through initiatives from cross-border collaborative research in arid lands and water management to workshops for women entrepreneurs in Sonora.
The Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office serves as a liaison between Native nations and the research arm of the university, focused on building capacity and research support for tribal community development.
The university of Arizona is proud to be a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution and one of 9 US institutions to receive the inaugural Seal of Excelencia for demonstrating positive Latina/o student outcomes. We rank No. 1 for the number of doctoral degrees awarded to Native American students, and No. 9 for the number awarded to Latina/o students.
Student success, particularly educational equity for historically underserved groups, is an institutional priority. We have more than 10,000 First Cats (first-generation college students). The Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center is nationally recognized for its innovative and successful academic support programs for students with learning and attention challenges.
The University of Arizona has many student cultural clubs and organizations. View the list on the Equity, Inclusion, and Title IX website.
These are some of our cutting-edge centers and programs:
Arizona Hispanic Center of Excellence (AZ-HCOE) works to increase the number of Latina/o physicians, enhance health research serving Latinas/os, and improve the cultural competency of health care services in Latina/o communities.
Binational Migration Institute (BMI) is an association of US and Mexican scholars researching the consequences of immigration enforcement policies on Latina/o communities.
Institute for LGBT Studies develops curriculum, promotes research, and presents public programming addressing the histories, politics, and cultures of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Institute for the Study of Religion and Culture (ISRC) serves as a research and outreach center focused on the role of religion in international politics.
Native American Research and Training Center (NARTC) conducts health-related research and training projects to help improve quality of life for Native Americans.
Native Nations Institute (NNI) conducts policy analysis and research dedicated to building capable Native nations.
