Senior Associate Director

Summary:

The Senior Associate Director will supervise, evaluate, and train financial aid staff members; setting goals and objectives and completing performance reviews.  The incumbent will work with staff implementing policy and procedure of the Department and governing agencies to ensure compliance. The successful candidate will provide updates regarding changes in institutional, federal and state guidelines.  The Senior Associate Director will evaluate aid applications invoking professional judgment in special circumstances, meet with students and parents to review financial aid eligibility and planning. The Senior Associate Director will also coordinate all marketing and communications aspects of the Office of Financial Aid.

Accountabilities:

1.) Coordinate all marketing and communications of the Office of Financial Aid

– Develop marketing strategies that will reach prospective and current students and their families

– Use market research to make recommendations to Director; will direct the implementation of new initiatives

– Develop and maintain financial aid communications portfolio, such as email blasts, financial aid award letters and the use of social media to reach students and their families

– Understand the Banner Relationship Management system, including working closely with the Enrollment Services Center; provide direction on how to create/manipulate a wide variety of email campaigns and coordinate the scheduling of all messages

– Maintain the Communications Calendar and ensure that communications are sent in a timely manner

– Manage and update a wide variety of print and electronic messages

– Serve as the direct liaison with the University Communications and Public Affairs Office

2.) Manage one or more staff at the Assistant, Senior Assistant and Associate Director level

– Train and develop performance expectations for staff members in the Financial Aid Office

– Complete annual performance appraisals and make salary recommendations to the Director

– Provide opportunities for staff to attend outside workshops and conferences that would benefit their job performance

– Conduct weekly counselor meetings with Assistant Directors to ensure compliance with federal regulations and office goals

– Ensure the proper distribution of tasks within the office

– Run and evaluate daily reports to monitor progress of staff duties; ensure work is being completed in a timely manner to align with Office goals

3.) Assist Director of Financial Aid

– Make recommendations for ways to improve operation of the office and delivery of Student Aid

– Collaborate with the Director to provide strategic vision and direction regarding staffing, customer service approaches, communication plans and institutional policies and procedures

4.) Determine financial aid eligibility

– Implement Federal and State mandated regulations as well as institutional policies and procedures to prevent Federal, State and Internal Audit exceptions

– Review Federal Tax Returns to ensure proper forms were filed with the Federal Government, as well as verify accuracy of information reported on Financial Aid Applications

– Review and analyze non-custodial information and business/farm documents to determine appropriateness of manual need-analysis adjustments in compliance with Institutional policy

– Determine appropriate use of professional judgment for special circumstances: debt, expenses, income fluctuations, family status and assets

– Monitor files and make changes throughout academic year to ensure Federal and Institutional regulations are being met

– Authorize release of funds to students and prepare required records and reports

5.) Ensure compliance of Federal Regulations

– Resolve problems flagged by Federal Government regarding Financial Aid issues

– Ensure proper handling of confidential student, parents and/or Alumni files and records in compliance with FERPA Regulations

– Attend seminars regarding policy changes and updates

– Administer the satisfactory academic progress policy as determined by the Federal Government by monitoring students’ grades and the number of credits passed each semester to qualify for Title IV Funds

– Review and analyze individual student budgets and aid packages to ensure that Students are not awarded over cost

– Complete verification on all recipients including: household size, number in college, adjusted gross income for parent and student, taxes paid for parent and student, and untaxed income for parent and student; verify student’s citizenship by requesting and analyzing appropriate federal documentation

6.) Communicate appropriately with all constituents

– Educate students and families regarding needs analysis and the determination of Financial Aid eligibility based on Federal, State and Institutional Regulations

– Represent Lehigh Community by conducting Financial Aid presentations both on campus and at High Schools and Community Centers

– Confer with individuals and groups to disseminate information and answer questions relating to financial assistance available to students enrolled at Lehigh

– Meet with visiting prospective, as well as current students and families to provide counseling, including strategies for preparing to pay for college utilizing current income, assets and strategic borrowing scenarios

– Advise and counsel prospective and current students on the Financial Aid Application and process and/or problems related to their application of Financial Aid eligibility

– Participate in creating and designing departmental literature ensuring accurate information is provided to both prospective and current students and families, through promotional materials, presentations and electronic communications