Associate Director - Financial Aid

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open—access college. Southwest has 6 campuses/centers from which it offers over 100 programs and over 20 technical certificate programs.

We foster student success, transform lives, and increase the educational level of a growing community in Shelby County. Southwest is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

We invite you to become a part of the Southwest Team!

Title: Associate Director - Financial Aid

Employee Classification: Other Professionals

Institution: Southwest Tennessee Community College

Department: Financial Aid

Campus Location: STCC - Multiple Campus Locations

Job Summary

This is a full-time, fiscal year, permanent position reporting to the Director of Financial Aid. The Associate Director assists and provides leadership for the oversight of all aspects of Financial Aid.

He/she may work some evenings and weekends as needed; must have the ability to travel between the two main campuses, site locations to provide leadership for financial aid staff; and travel mostly within the state for attendance at professional meetings.

Job Duties

• Ensures the integrity and regulatory compliance of all Federal, State and Institution Financial Aid programs administered through Southwest Tennessee Community College.
• Assists with managing and supervising professional and support staff in the Financial Aid area in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include:
  • Assisting with the interview processes, hiring, ongoing training and cross training of employees
  • Planning of annual work processes timeline so that staffing needs are met to support office activity, assigning and directing work
  • Appraising performance
  • Rewarding and disciplining employees according to institutional policy
  • Addressing complaints and resolving problems
• Demonstrate discretion in communications and staff evaluation and visible interaction for ongoing feedback.
• Assists with managing all fund accounts for Federal, State and Institution Financial Aid funds which includes performing semester and fiscal year end reconciliation.
• Assist with preparing the FISAP report each year with supporting documentation for continued participation in Title IV programs.
• Carries out all reporting functions at the Federal, State and Institutional level including certification of payments to the college by Federal and State agencies.
• Assists with updating and maintaining all policies and procedures required for participation in Financial Aid programs annually as well as maintain all supporting documents outlined by Federal and State Agencies for the participation in aid programs.
• Assists with designing and implementing quality internal and external control mechanisms for all technology tools and systems used in the administration of federal and state financial aid programs including federal and state agency software and the Banner Records management system.
• Ensures office and staff compliance with the NASFAA Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals as well as following a standard of "Best Practices" as outlined by the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators.
• Collaborates with Financial Aid Director to maintain the same levels of quality service at all campuses.
• Assists in the development, support and implementation of departmental goals and objectives in support of the goals and strategic plan of the college.
• Prepares periodic reports, maintains comparative financial aid data and uses the data to assess all departmental activities.
• May perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Financial Aid.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a four (4) year college or university; master's degree preferred.
  
• At least five (5) years experience managing a student finance process within a higher educational environment with evidence of ability to provide supervisory leadership to financial aid personnel.
  
• Current Drivers License.
  
• A background check will be required for the successful candidate.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Banner software

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of Federal, State and Institution Financial Aid funds.
  
• Knowledge of NASFAA Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals as well as the standard of "Best Practices" as outlined by the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators.
  
• Knowledge of database software, internet software, spreadsheet software, and word processing software; and the ability to learn the student information system.
  
• Establishing Focus:
  
  • Ability to develop and communicate goals in support of the business' mission.
    
• Empowering Others:
  
  • Ability to convey confidence in employees' ability to be successful, especially at challenging new tasks; delegating significant responsibility and authority; allowing employees freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.
    
• Managing Change:
  
  • Ability to demonstrate support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve the organization's effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and implementing organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational change.
    
• Developing Others:
  
  • Ability to delegate responsibility and to work with others and coach them to develop their capabilities.
    
• Managing Performance:
  
  • Ability to take responsibility for one's own or one's employees' performance, by setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against the goals, ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.
    
• Stress Management:
  
  • Ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain self control in the face of hostility or provocation.
    
• Personal Credibility:
  
  • Demonstrates concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable, and trustworthy; respects the confidentiality of information or concerns shared by others.
    
• Analytical Thinking:
  
  • Ability to tackle a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach; ability to perform mathematical tasks including computing rate, ratio and percentage and interpret statistical information.
    
• Customer Orientation:
  
  • Ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying one's external and/or internal customers.
    
• Communication:
  
  • Ability to express oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others
    
  • Ability to express oneself clearly in business writing
    
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations
    
  • Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manual
    
• Must be able to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
  
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
  

Physical Demands / Working Conditions

• Ability to sit and talk or hear
  
• Ability to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms
  
• Ability to occasionally stand, walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
  
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
  
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.
  
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Candidates who are called for an interview must notify Human Resources in writing at least five (5) days in advance of any reasonable accommodation needed prior to the date of the interview.

First consideration will be given to current Southwest Tennessee Community College employees who meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

In order to be considered for the position, the following items must be uploaded:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Unofficial Transcripts

A summary of our benefits can be found below: 

https://www.southwest.tn.edu/hr/benefits-overview.php

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a TBR and AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities.