The Director of Financial Aid will provide overall leadership and vision to Central Lakes College’s financial aid programs. The primary responsibility is to plan, develop, organize, implement, direct, supervise, administer and maintain a comprehensive student financial assistance program and delivery system that is highly automated for the two sites of Central Lakes College. The Director is responsible for the development and implementation of financial aid policies and procedures that are fair and equitable that will be in compliance with all federal and state statutes and regulations as well as meet the needs of the clientele served by creating and maintaining a strong customer service model.
Minimum Qualifications (must have to enter job)
Preferred Qualifications (desired but not expected to have to enter job)
Minimum Qualifications (must have to enter job)
- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- Minimum of 3 years administrative work experience in financial aid or 5 years professional financial aid experience that demonstrates supervisory experience and leadership skills.
- Knowledge of financial aid regulations and policies, and the ability to develop policy and formulate rules which fall within these guidelines.
- Knowledge of various software packages used in the operations of the Financial Aid Office, such as ISRS, Workday, Direct Loan Tools, Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, etc., with computer skills sufficient to enter and retrieve data accurately and efficiently from a variety of software programs
- Ability to make difficult decisions and problem solve under pressure, while still being empathetic to student concerns.
- Ability to accurately and effectively communicate complex rules and regulations to diverse stakeholder groups. Strong written and verbal communication skills sufficient to write, prepare, and edit materials, and ability to effectively present information to others.
- Ability to demonstrate accuracy and the ability to work with confidential materials and information, adhering to the Financial Aid Office Code of Conduct.
Preferred Qualifications (desired but not expected to have to enter job)
- Master's degree in Finance, Higher Education Administration, or related field.
- Experience in conducting both long-range and short-range planning.
- Competence in conducting research, analyzing and interpreting data reviewing processes and making adaptations in anticipation of or in reaction to changing regulations and requirements.
- The ability to exhibit intercultural competency and ability to work with diverse populations.
- Ability to delegate and to hold others responsible in a way that instills confidence and self-respect on the part of the employee.
- Great sensitivity to all facets of the college community and/or multi-campus setting, including the needs of various groups that comprise it.
- Previous experience in financial aid in a college or university, preferably within the Minnesota State system.
- Demonstrated high level of cultural competency and ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, aligning with CLC’s Culture of Caring environment.
