Financial Aid Program Manager

Job Goal

To advance the college's mission, vision, principles, values and strategic initiatives through continuous improvement decisions.

General Job Summary

This position plays a key role in enacting the College's commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive and accessible environment to a diverse group of students seeking to learn and grow at Kirkwood. Financial Aid Program Managers create and maintain structures for their programs that lessen barriers for students while ensuring required compliance. This position requires a high degree of independent judgment, initiative, organization, and problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate collaborates with staff and faculty in order to identify and remove barriers to student success, and provides education and outreach to student-facing staff.

Universal Core Competencies

• Advocate for Continual Improvement- empowering each other to identify opportunities for excellence.
• Collaborate with Mutual Accountability- working together with a willingness to take ownership and account for our actions.
• Champion Service- anticipating needs and create a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment.
• Perseverance- commitment to excellence even in the face of adversity or delay in achieving success.
• Lead- regardless of title, through positive influence.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Maintain up to date expert knowledge of federal and state Financial Aid regulations.
• Is responsible for one or more of the following:
  • State Awarding and Reporting
  • Loan Processing
  • Default Management Program
  • Work-study coordination
  • Direct Loan and Pell Reconciliation
  • Financial Aid Communication
  • Other Financial Aid Programs
• Manage appropriate financial aid program or programs by:
  • Reconciling disbursements monthly
  • Completing required federal or state reporting
  • Ensuring all regulations are followed to prevent financial loss to the college
  • Being the point of contact for staff inside and outside the Financial Aid Office
• Exercise Professional Judgment regarding financial aid eligibility.
• Provide support to staff regarding financial aid questions.
• Advise and assist students regarding high level financial aid topics. May assist with other financial aid questions as needed.
• Assign correct budgets, completes financial aid files and awards financial aid.
• Complete detailed reports as required by the Federal and State Government.
• Maintain working knowledge of degree audits to determine if a student is making satisfactory academic progress.
• Serve on the financial aid appeals committee.
• Periodically review processing procedures to determine their effectiveness and efficiency.
• Gives financial aid presentations to various groups as required.
• Performs other related work duties as assigned.

Performance Expectations:

• You possess a strong attention to detail and an ability to complete complex tasks without errors.
• You possess the ability to comprehend and interpret financial aid regulations.
• You are committed to the ethical compliance of financial aid requirements.
• You are a self-motivated individual with excellent time-management and organizational skills.
• You express yourself clearly and effectively thorough oral and written communications with attention to audience-awareness.
• You possess the ability to understand and interpret complicated financial aid situations.
• You possess the ability to communicate complicated situations to individuals that do not have an understanding of the process.
• You are able to be positive and helpful under stressful situations.
• You demonstrate a commitment to working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences while fostering an inclusive and respectful environment where all people feel valued.
• You are committed to your own professional development, always seeking to learn and improve.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the essential job duties/responsibilities and performance expectations of the job, which should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Activities With/Without Reasonable Accommodation

Position involves working in an office setting. Occasional (10-33%) standing, pushing, pulling and grasping. Frequent (34-66%) reaching and viewing a computer and other types of close visual work. Constant (67-100%) sitting, walking, repetitive motion, talking and hearing. The position involves occasional (10-33%) driving to events and meetings away from KCC's main campus.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience in Higher Education or related field

Preferred Qualifications, Licenses, Certifications, or Registrations:

• Three years of financial aid experience
• Experience understanding and explaining complicated regulations
• Program management experience
• Experience with Ellucian Colleague

EEO/AA Statement: It is the policy of Kirkwood Community College not to discriminate in its programs, activities, or employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, religion, and actual or potential family, parental or marital status. If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy, please contact the Vice President, Human Resources and Institutional Effectiveness (employees) or the Vice President of Student Services (students), 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, 319-398-5572, equity@kirkwood.edu, or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, Telephone: (303) 844-5695 FAX: (303) 844-4303, TDD 800-877-8339 Email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov.

Why Kirkwood: Kirkwood Community College prides itself on fostering a diverse workforce and values unique perspectives throughout its campus community. The college is a convenient, innovative, visionary educational leader striving to remain affordable and accessible. With more than 140 majors and programs, Kirkwood boasts 16,000 annual college-credit students while maintaining one of the lowest tuitions in the state. All degree-seeking students are eligible for federal financial aid and the college offers more than $3 million in scholarships each year to students from all walks of life.

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.