Associate Director of Financial Aid Communications

If you're looking for the chance to learn, grow, and make a contribution to the community, look at employment opportunities with Full Sail University. You'll find your choice of career opportunities, great benefits, an environment that welcomes and values creativity, and a work experience that is both challenging and rewarding!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Behave as a Full Sail University ambassador embracing our unique educational model, while maintaining the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and customer service.
• Responsible in assisting in ensuring institutional policies and procedures are adhered to in daily processes
• Assist in ensuring accurate and timely communication with students regarding financial aid needs and requirements as it applies to awarding packaging and loan repayment.
• Assist in overseeing the Exit Interview process and default resolution outcomes.
• Assists in the innovation of efficiencies in the financial aid department.
• Ensures financial aid compliance with all federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures as applicable to Student Advising and Student Loan Management.
• Maintains leadership work schedules including assignments, job rotation, training, vacations, paid time off, and cover for absenteeism.
• Administrative Workday responsibilities, including timecards, payroll, recruiting, and termination for direct reports.
• Oversees the assignment of workflow activities to designated teams and/or designated employees as directed.
• Works with Leadership and Human Resources staff to recruit, interview, complete reference checks, and select, hire, employ, and retain an appropriate number of employees.
• Leadership training and development.
• Create, update, and archive approved policies, procedures, and training.
• Provide effective performance feedback for the leadership team through recognition, rewards, reviews, calibration, and disciplinary action, with the assistance of Human Resources and Leadership, when necessary.
• Responsible for motivation, camaraderie, recognition, and professionalism for leadership and teams.
• Coaching and mentoring the leadership team members to resolve day-to-day concerns while creating a sense of ownership and urgency.
• Reporting team metrics and evaluating both internal and external data sources to report outcomes and trends for leadership.
• Maintain quality service by enforcing quality and customer service standards; analyzing and resolving quality and customer service problems; identifying trends; and recommending system improvements.
• Audits day-to-day workflow and outcomes of the leadership team.
• Provide Leadership with team workflow, process, and training updates.
• Communicate and assist with enforcing team and department policies.
• Organize and facilitate leadership meetings.
• Provide floor assistance by answering questions and providing guidance as needed.
• Responsible for resolutions of identified workflow errors of the leadership team.
• Provide recommendations to Management regarding policy and procedures.
• Provide feedback for budgetary requests, as needed.
• Assist with the financial objectives by forecasting requirements; scheduling expenditures; and initiating corrective actions for the teams.
• Partner with other Teams and Departments to promote and facilitate a world-class level of customer service, and to identify and resolve issues to achieve daily and long-term goals.
• Function as a Financial Aid Manager when needed.
• Attend training as necessary to keep knowledge current.

Other Responsibilities:

• Assist with the direct leadership of the Financial Aid Advisor team
• Assist with the leadership for all active and post-enrollment Financial Aid Communication Teams
• Must be able to secure and maintain access to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
• Adhere to the policies and procedures of Full Sail University, including attendance and accessibility standards
• Maintains strict confidentiality of company and personnel information
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to the mission and values of the organization
• Maintain a full-time status by working a minimum of 40 hours
• Consult with Leadership to research, address, and advise on compliance concerns, as needed
• Attend training as necessary
• Attend and facilitate meetings as assigned
• Any other tasks, projects or duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
 

Competencies:

• A friendly, professional demeanor, verbal and written communication skills, as well as proven excellence in customer service are essential
• Must have a solid background in Financial Aid with a comprehensive knowledge of Title IV aid in higher education, including student loan repayment
• A high degree of discretion due to the volume of sensitive and confidential issues
• Ability to manage multiple, competing tasks and deliver accurate and courteous service in a fast-paced, time-sensitive, and deadline-driven environment
• Strong decision-making and analytical abilities
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to instruct, coach, and mentor while respecting different learning styles and comprehension levels
• Ability to analyze, interpret, and explain task-related data.
• Ability to handle complaints and diffuse difficult conversations
• Speak effectively to both large and small groups of people
• Demonstrates time management and organizational skills
• Demonstrate initiative and adaptability to change
• Ability to work within the scope of Title IV regulations
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills required
• Must be highly motivated and work well within a team
• Knowledge of CampusVue, COD & NSLDS required

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required
• Minimum of 3-5 years in financial aid, including experience with fed aid processing systems or
• Equivalent combination of education and Financial Aid work experience
• 3-5 years of experience mentoring Team Members.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: N/A
 

Computer/Equipment Skills:

• Expert user level of all Microsoft Office Suite programs, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with National Student Loan Database, CampusVue/Anthology, Salesforce and Workday is a plus.

Environmental Factors/Physical Demands:

• Must be capable of finishing tasks assigned in a given 40-plus-hour scheduled work week, which may include nights and some weekends.
• Accessible to staff and leadership during and after working hours.
• Able to work at a computer desk for long periods of time and for the majority of the workday.
• The work environment must be free of distractions and can maintain FERPA standards.
• An initial visit to the campus of Full Sail University in Winter Park Florida, will be required for New Employee Orientation, to present documents to Human Resources, and to pick up a Work from Home Kit from the IMT department.
• Work is performed in an office environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to have the ability to maintain active customer and employee communication; access, input, and retrieve information from the computer system; and enter alphanumeric data into a computerized system often while listening on the telephone. May be subject to bending, reaching, kneeling, stooping, and lifting up to thirty (30) pounds.

Full Sail is an Equal Opportunity Employer.