Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Job no: 495646 Work type: Staff Full-Time Location: Baton Rouge, LA Categories: Academic Affairs, Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Administration, Education Advancing Educational Access, Inspiring Student Success, and Supporting Institutional Excellence. The Assistant Director of Student Financial Services assists in the leadership, administration, and continuous improvement of Student Financial Services operations. This position serves as the Director's principal operational support and provides day-to-day supervision of financial aid staff while ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant administration of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs. The Assistant Director is responsible for supervising financial aid operations, supporting regulatory compliance, overseeing quality assurance activities, monitoring financial aid processing and reconciliations, assisting with audit and reporting functions, and coordinating financial aid-related identity verification and fraud prevention initiatives. The position collaborates extensively with Enrollment Management, Admissions, the Registrar, the Business Office, Information Technology, Academic Affairs, and other campus stakeholders to promote student success while safeguarding institutional and federal resources. Key Responsibilities Assists the Director in planning, coordinating, and evaluating the daily operations of Student Financial Services to support the effective, compliant, and student-centered delivery of financial aid services. Assists the Director in providing operational oversight for assigned staff and functional areas and helps ensure continuity of services in the Director’s absence. Supervises assigned Financial Aid Counselors, support staff, and student employees by assigning work, monitoring productivity, providing coaching and training, supporting performance management, and promoting cross-training and continuous improvement. Assists in overseeing counselor caseload management and helps ensure timely processing of financial aid applications, verification, professional judgment requests, satisfactory academic progress reviews, eligibility determinations, and student communications. Assists in the development, implementation, and monitoring of departmental policies, procedures, internal controls, workflow standards, and desk guides to promote operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and consistent customer service. Assists the Director in ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, including Title IV programs, institutional policies, audit requirements, and guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS). Exercises professional judgment and sound independent decision-making in the review of student financial aid cases within the scope of assigned responsibilities while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements and institutional policies. Assists in quality assurance and compliance monitoring activities by reviewing files, monitoring processing accuracy, identifying operational or compliance concerns, and recommending corrective actions and process improvements. Assists in coordinating the packaging, awarding, adjustment, and disbursement of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs in accordance with applicable regulations and institutional awarding practices. Assists in overseeing operational processing within Banner and related financial aid systems, including monitoring ISIR processing, exception reports, data loads, system interfaces, and automated workflows to support timely processing and regulatory compliance. Assists with reconciliation activities for Pell Grants, Direct Loans, state aid, institutional aid, and other funding sources through Banner, COD, NSLDS, and institutional accounting systems; researches discrepancies and supports their resolution in accordance with established procedures. Utilizes Banner, COD, NSLDS, COGNOS, EDConnect, and other reporting tools to analyze processing activity, identify trends, monitor compliance metrics, and support operational decision-making and departmental improvement efforts. Assists in preparing and reviewing required federal, state, institutional, and grant reports, including reconciliation documentation, audit support materials, compliance reports, and other required submissions. Assists in coordinating Student Financial Services’ responsibilities related to identity verification, provisional admission requirements, identity theft claims, and suspected financial aid fraud by reviewing documentation, assessing financial aid eligibility impacts, monitoring institutional holds and checklist completion, collaborating with campus partners, and recommending appropriate actions consistent with institutional policy and federal guidance. Assists in developing and implementing fraud prevention strategies, internal controls, quality assurance reviews, and reporting mechanisms designed to protect institutional resources and maintain the integrity of student financial aid programs. Collaborates with Admissions, the Registrar, the Business Office, Student Conduct, Information Technology, Institutional Research, Academic Affairs, and other college departments to support operational effectiveness, student services, compliance, and enrollment management initiatives. Assists in responding to audits, program reviews, monitoring activities, and external agency requests by preparing documentation, coordinating information gathering, supporting corrective action efforts, and monitoring follow-up requirements. Serves as a resource for students, parents, faculty, staff, and external agencies by interpreting financial aid regulations, institutional policies, and financial aid eligibility requirements and by providing high-quality customer service. Performs other duties as assigned to support Student Financial Services, Student Development, and the strategic priorities of Baton Rouge Community College. Minimum Qualifications Education Bachelor’s degree in finance, education or related field. Experience Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience administering federal Title IV financial aid programs. Demonstrated supervisory or leadership experience in a financial aid or higher education environment. Working knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, including Title IV compliance, verification, satisfactory academic progress, Return of Title IV Funds, professional judgment, reconciliation, and student eligibility requirements. Experience using Ellucian Banner or comparable student information systems. Experience utilizing federal financial aid systems, including COD, NSLDS, FAFSA Partner Portal, and EDConnect. Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible financial aid administration experience. Experience with Banner Financial Aid, COGNOS reporting, workflow automation, and data analysis. Experience with financial aid reconciliation, audit preparation, program reviews, compliance monitoring, and quality assurance. Experience developing operational procedures, internal controls, and staff training programs. Experience managing financial aid identity verification, fraud prevention, or compliance investigations. Benefits: As a member of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System,BRCC has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, term life, disability, accident, vision, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some childcare and medical expenses), holidays (14 per year, typically includes longer break at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits and Employee Assistance Program. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort, and length of employment. Why Join BRCC? Baton Rouge Community College offers a collaborative work environment, a commitment to employee development, and the opportunity to support the mission of student success through strong institutional operations. Passing pre-employment criminal background screen is required as a condition of employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr