Associate Director, Financial Aid Technology

Job Summary

Manages information technology support for the financial aid department which administers student financial assistance programs including scholarships, grants, loans and student work arrangements. Support services include new system testing, information processing operations and liaison with campus and external IT support organizations. Responsible for setting employee goals, assessing employee performance and providing feedback, and working with HR on pay recommendations.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Leads system testing/implementations for OSFA including student information system and all related technologies
2. Supervises and coordinates daily system operations including loading and transmission to and from external entities
3. Confers with the Office of Information Technology and external service providers on OSFA technology related issues
4. Maintains system documentation and procedures.
5. Supervises assigned IT staff to including training, planning and organizing activities and monitoring performance
6. Develops, maintains, and assesses BANNER based rules and management queries to ensure compliance and achieve efficiencies and effectiveness
7. Leads and supervises OSFA's Technical and Systems unit and serve as a member of OSFA Leadership Team
8. Serves as OSFA's primary liaison with University System technical teams
9. Serves as Data Security Officer for data received and stored by OSFA
10. Coordinates all system develop and discovery efforts in close collaboration with OSFA Leadership Team and Campus partners
11. Implements and manages records policies and procedures focused on student success
12. Coordinates all student processes that relate to the department's functions
13. Execute reports related to record audits, interprets results, delivers analysis and resolutions
14. Actively engages with the department leadership and proposes ideas and solutions for successful progress of the operation
15. Leads meetings regarding financial aid projects, especially technology related projects
16. Provides leadership and support to department, division, and university stakeholders
17. Develops, trains, implements, maintains, and communicates services and programs to relevant stakeholders
18. Ensures compliance with all federal, state, NCAA, USG and Kennesaw State rules and regulations
19. Contributes and participates in the strategic planning process and future direction of the department and/or division

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in related field

Required Experience
Eight (8) years relevant experience with an extensive working knowledge of and experience accessing data in Banner (Ellucian) and experience with reporting and query tools and coding in SQL (or gathering data from other related database systems)

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
NASFAA Credentials

Preferred Educational Qualifications
An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a related field

Proposed Salary

The budgeted salary range for this role is $80,000-$97,000 annually. Offers are based on relevant experience.

Comprehensive benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, 13 paid holidays, vacation, generous retirement plans, tuition waiver, wellness options, and more!

Visit- https://hr.kennesaw.edu/benefits/index.php

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Able to maintain compliant records of all transactions between the University and outside reporting entities.
Able to prioritize problem resolution based on business need, timelines, and scale of impact
Proactively search for improvement opportunities
Able to work in partnership with, staff, faculty, administrators, federal/state entities, and servicers to ensure student success
Possess the ability to identify source causes for data quality issues
Supports the creation and maintenance of standard operating procedures including process documentation such as workflows, specifications, and responsibility assignment
Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time meeting assigned deadlines

KNOWLEDGE
Working knowledge of and abide by the regulations of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Higher Education Act (HEA) as amended
Possess knowledge of SQL and ORACLE PL/SQL
Familiarity with HTTP, XML; Toad.
Experience in creating and analyzing detailed reports and providing effective presentations
Extensive knowledge of Banner (Ellucian Banner ERP), enabling individuals to understand/recognize system needs, troubleshoot, and adequately resolve concerns.
Extensive working and tested knowledge of State Program rules and regulations, as they pertain to Financial Aid in the State of Georgia and Title IV rules and regulations, as they pertain to Federal Student Financial Aid
Demonstrated experience leading compliance efforts involving federal, state, and institutional financial aid
Demonstrated understanding of the revenue impact each function has in the Financial Aid Office and the ability to address performance and operations to eliminate any negative effect to the University
Successful track record in planning, coordinating, and completing large scale, detail-oriented projects and events

SKILLS
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem solving, independent judgment, technology, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management and presentation skills
Advanced analytical thinking and creative skills to find compliant solutions to complex situations
Self-motivated with the ability to learn new and enhanced concepts quickly
Conflict management and resolution skills, high level of empathy and ability to deal with difficult and confidential situations
Gather and organize data and information to inform decision-making
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite, Ellucian Banner Financial Aid Module, USG GA Modifications to Banner, Common Origination and Disbursement, Central Processing System, Surfer, and the National Student Loan Data System) and knowledge of all relational databases
Strong attention to detail and follow up skills
Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette