Associate Director of Financial Aid Systems and Operations

Western Washington University with over 15000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school is nationally recognized for its educational programs students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham Washington a coastal community of 90000 overlooking Bellingham Bay the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes Bremerton Everett Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes such as being named one of the top public masters-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success increasing our Washington impact and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship research and creative activity. Westerns greatest strength is the outstanding students faculty staff and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can pursuit of this excellence individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff faculty administration student and external constituents. Further individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic societal environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The Associate Director completes reports and surveys with significant compliance implications for the institution. This leader oversees administration of a number of financial aid programs has significant responsibility for managing disbursement of millions of dollars of federal and state aid for the institution and serves as a member of the Financial Aid Leadership Team.

Duties / Responsibilities:

Systems Team Leadership and Responsibility

• The position ensures the compliant efficient processing of federal state and institutional aid and manages the departments technology strategy and systems integration. Key platforms include Ellucian Banner FA Data Warehouse OnBase NextGen and U.S. Department of Education software.
• Maintains an up-to-date understanding of the functions that financial aid software can provide through training and self-initiated research. Coordinates Ellucian Banner financial aid upgrade activities with Enterprise Application Services Financial Aid staff members and others.
• Performs extensive yearly financial aid systems configuration functions and process flow evaluation and implementation.
• Writes detailed programming specifications for required financial aid forms and reports not provided by the Ellucian Banner or OnBase imaging systems. Serves as a liaison with Enterprise Application Services to test and implement desired programming.
• Determines whether the financial aid software systems meet federal and state aid regulations with the assistance of relevant staff. Informs the Executive Director of major inconsistencies between regulatory requirements and what the systems provide. Recommends proposals for systems resolution to the ED-Fin Aid with rationale (pros/cons) for such recommendations.
• Serves as primary representative/liaison for the Financial Aid office on institution-wide and state-wide technology initiatives.
• Prepares and conducts systems training sessions for departmental staff.
• Coordinates timely documentation of policies and procedures related to using the financial aid software system largely by departmental staff.
• Participates on relevant interdepartmental committees that address technical and data integrity issues affecting administrative and academic departments at WWU and provides input for scheduling system down time and purchase of relevant software.
• Writes database queries using several report writing tools to retrieve data from the financial aid system as well as from other modules within the Western Student System to support awarding of aid problem solving and statistical reporting. Oversees other statistical reporting such as: Common Data Set national college surveys Washington Student Achievement Council requests and requests from constituents within the WWU community.
• Works with the Financial Aid staff to identify and resolve system and process flow problems.
• Responsible for security administration for Financial Aid including maintenance of access and security levels for all Ellucian Banner financial aid forms OnBase financial aid access the Washington Student Achievement Council secure website and portal and Federal Title IV web access (COD CPS and NSLDS).
• Leads the Operations enterprise for Financial Aid. The Operations Team conducts the processing of 19000 active student financial aid applications including student FAFSA retrieval loading data to the Ellucian Banner financial aid system grouping and batch processing intake and upload of documentation to the electronic student files in the OnBase imaging system student notifications and systems tracking of student documentation requirements batch packaging of financial aid awards cancellation of funding transmittal and receipt of Federal Direct Loan Pell Grant and Teach Grant records processing PLUS Loan application matches and revisions monitoring intersession activities and providing Satisfactory Academic Progress monitoring support.

Supervision and Personnel Management

• Leads the Systems and Operations Center which includes the Assistant Director for Financial Aid Operations one Senior Financial Aid Counselor and one IT Business Analyst to provide a team approach to systems cross training process flow analysis and systems documentation.
• Directly Supervises one IT Business Analyst who is responsible for serving as systems backup in the absence of the Associate Director oversees financial aid data transmissions between Financial Aid and the Department of Education servicer Argos report writing and data security for the Financial Aid Department.
• Directly supervises the Assistant Director for Financial Aid Operations. Indirectly maintains oversight of the Operations Team which includes three Program Coordinators one Program Assistant and several student employees. The Assistant Director for Financial Aid Operations is a key member of the Systems Team and a leader in the Financial Aid Department responsible for application process flow and systems configuration.
• Directly supervises one Senior Financial Aid Counselor position. This positions responsibilities include the regulatory oversight and reconciliation for the $17 million Federal Pell Grant program $6 million private alternative loan program $100000 Alaska Loan program and time-sensitive financial aid withdrawal calculations and processing for federal state and institutional aid programs.
• In collaboration of Student and Faculty Systems in Enterprise Application Systems helps coordinate the work of one IT Business Analyst.
• Assists with hiring authority for Systems and Operations Center and has significant responsibility in advising the Executive Director for Financial Aid as to the hiring firing advancement promotion or any other change of status of other Financial Aid employees.

Reporting and Budget Responsibility

• Responsible for meeting high-stakes high-risk reporting requirements on behalf of Western Washington University defending and justifying our continued use of millions of dollars of federal and state aid.
• Oversees the production and filing of the annual State Unit Record report which summarizes all aid received by Western Washington University students who received any funding during the year and the Federal IPEDS report.
• Oversees the accurate and timely compilation and filing of the FISAP as well as quarterly and annual reports for funds including the Washington College Grant/College Bound Scholarship/Passport to College/Washington State Bridge Grant. These reports serve as requests for supplemental funding and substantiate disbursements to eligible students.
• Creates runs resolves and/or oversees discrepancy reports that ensure accurate delivery of aid for example: Class level vs. Loan limits Repeat Coursework Report Late Starting Classes Report Offered not Accepted Aid by Fund and Accepted not Paid Aid by Fund. Oversees fund re-awarding projects and fund switching for reconciliation.
• Completes surveys including but not limited to IPEDS the Common Data Set U.S. News and World Report Petersons College Board-Big Future College and Princeton Review.
• Serves as a member of the departmental Leadership Team which plans and organizes department-wide work to ensure the accurate and timely delivery of financial aid to Western students.
• Collaborates with the Counseling Team and provides input for changes to review processes.
• Responsible for non-Title IV Federal emergency funding policy analysis awarding communications and reporting. Maintains an up-to-date knowledge of awarding criteria associated with non-Title IV federal emergency funding and identifies students who are eligible for such funding via collaboration and systems retrievals among multiple areas including but not limited to Financial Aid the Registrars Office and Student Business Office. Provides clear communications to students that outline eligibility requirements and notifies students of their awards. For 2021-22 non-Title IV Federal emergency funding exceeded $16.1 million to an estimated 9000 students and former students from a population of approximately 26000 eligible students and former students.
• Responsible for policy analysis awarding and communications associated with administration of Washington State Bridge Grants disbursed to approximately 2000 low-income students annually totaling an estimated $900000.
• Budgetary responsibility for Aid Funds: Federal Pell Grant approximately $17 million to over 3000 students annually; Federal Direct Loan Programs approximately $40 million to over 4500 students annually; Washington State Grant/Scholarship Programs approximately $23 million to over 4000 students annually.

Miscellaneous

• Serves as a representative on inter-office committees and meetings not listed above attends office and division meetings monitors list-serve postings including but not limited to BFINAID BPOST BGENERAL Ellucian E-Communities IFAP and NASFAA reads regulatory postings attends trainings conferences and webinars and completes other special projects as assigned by the Executive Director and/or ESS leadership.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Bachelors Degree
• Minimum 1 year of experience with support and maintenance of any Student Information System (SIS) Financial Aid Module
• Demonstrated experience working within Student Affairs/Services at a college or university
• Experience working in a college or university Financial Aid office
• Demonstrated experience learning and applying new technology
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and familiarity with the privacy and protection of sensitive data
• Demonstrated relational database experience writing data queries and reports using query tools such as MS Access and SQL Developer
• Minimum 1 year supervisory or lead experience with demonstrated ability to effectively plan organize prioritize and delegate tasks to meet deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to accurately interpret and apply regulatory guidance to systems design
• Demonstrated commitment to support a workplace culture in which diversity and differing opinions are honored respected and celebrated
• Excellent communication customer service and interpersonal skills

• Masters Degree or 5 years of direct mission-critical software oversight within student affairs/services office(s)
• Proficiency with Ellucians Banner Financial Aid module
• Working knowledge of OnBase or other imaging software
• Proficiency with Evisions Argos Report Writer or other report writers
• Project management experience

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted for finalists.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity compliance with applicable laws WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race ethnicity color national origin age citizenship or immigration status pregnancy use of protective leave genetic status sex sexual orientation gender identity gender expression marital status creed religion veteran or military status disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law in its programs or activities including employment admissions and educational programs. See WWUs Policies onProhibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance Title IX and ADA Coordinator Western Washington University Old Main 126 (MS 9021) 516 High Street Bellingham WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay);

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation please contactHuman Resources Disability Services 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Westerns campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use crime prevention the reporting of crimes sexual assault and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at . The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.