Project Program Manager

Associate Director Of Financial Aid For Technical OperationsThe Associate Director of Financial Aid for Technical Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the technical infrastructure that supports the awarding, packaging, disbursement, and reporting of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. The incumbent serves as the office's primary technical authority, partnering closely with the Director of Financial Aid, Information Technology, the Registrar, Student Accounts, and Institutional Research to ensure that aid systems operate accurately, efficiently, and in full compliance with federal and state regulations. This position combines deep functional knowledge of financial aid administration with hands-on technical expertise in the Ellucian Banner Student Information System and structured query language (SQL).Duties & Responsibilities:Evaluate, recommend, and implement technical operational goals focused on enhancing the student financial aid and scholarship experience for students and parents.Lead the technical configuration, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Ellucian Banner Financial Aid module, including annual cycle preparation, rules tables setup, packaging algorithms, need analysis parameters, fund management, and overall process automation.Collaborate with financial aid senior leadership to outline operational needs and technical requirements for processing institutional, state, and federal student aid.Manage the financial aid components of Course Program of Study (CPOS) compliance, including Banner CPOS module configuration, recalculation of federal aid eligibility based on CPOS-eligible enrollment, and related reporting and aid adjustments; partner with the Registrar's Office and Information Technology on degree audit integration and data exchange.Design, write, test, and maintain SQL queries and scripts to support operational metrics reporting, data extraction, fund reconciliation, federal and state reporting, audit response, and ad hoc reporting/data needs.Under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid, manage the full lifecycle of electronic data exchange with the U.S. Department of Education, including ISIR (FAFSA) loads, COD reporting for Federal Pell Grant, Federal Teach Grant, Federal Direct Loans, NSLDS submissions, and resolution of file rejects and reconciliation discrepancies. · Assist the HEI Program Coordinator, as needed, with the administration of state grants and scholarships, ensuring accurate enrollment certification, eligibility determination, and timely transmission of state-mandated reports.Coordinate annual Ellucian Banner Financial Aid module roll-over activities, year-end processes, regulatory updates, and implementation of new federal and state aid programs and rule changes.Serve as the technical liaison to Information Technology, vendors, and software partners on system upgrades, patches, integrations, and the evaluation of new technologies.Develop and maintain documentation, standard operating procedures, and internal controls for all technical processes, ensuring continuity of operations and audit readiness.Support the Director of Financial Aid in strategic planning, policy development, and the preparation of materials for federal program reviews, state audits, and institutionalKnowledge/Skills/Abilities:Demonstrated experience writing and maintaining SQL queries against a Banner or comparable Oracle-based environment. Demonstrated experience managing technical environments and providing visionary leadership to automate processes and enhance end-user experience. Working knowledge of federal Title IV regulations and applicable state aid program rules.General Days/Hours:Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Additional hours as requested and/or needed Regular and reliable attendanceOther:Preferred Qualifications • Higher Education & Financial Aid – Comprehensive understanding of higher education administration and student services, with specialized expertise in federal Title IV regulations (Pell Grant, Direct Loans, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study) and applicable state grant, scholarship, and tuition assistance programs. • Ellucian Banner - Demonstrated proficiency administering the Ellucian Banner Financial Aid module, including rules-based packaging, fund and budget setup, requirements tracking, regulatory user-defined fields, and integration with Banner Student, Accounts Receivable, and General modules. • SQL & Data Operations - Strong working knowledge of SQL (Oracle PL/SQL preferred) for querying, joining, and manipulating data across Banner tables; ability to build reproducible reports including Argos, troubleshoot data integrity issues, and translate functional requirements into accurate technical specifications. • Compliance & Analysis - Skill in interpreting and applying complex federal and state regulations; sound analytical judgment; meticulous attention to detail; and the ability to maintain confidentiality of student records in accordance with FERPA and institutional policy. • Communication & Leadership - Effective written and verbal communication with both technical and non-technical audiences; ability to lead cross-functional projects, mentor staff, and build collaborative relationships across the institution-Minimum Qualifications:An earned Bachelor's Degree Other job-related education and/or experience may be substituted for all or part of these basic requirements upon approval of the qualifications review committee Arkansas State University