Associate Director of Financial Aid

The salary range for this position is $89,053.00 - $110,180.00 annually. The salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications and related experience. Typically, new hires start no higher than $92,764.00/year, based on Pierce College's Administrative/Exempt Compensation Plan. The mission of Pierce College is to create quality educational opportunities for a diverse community of learners to thrive in an evolving world. The Pierce College District is committed to being an anti‑racist institution; to truly be anti‑racist we must work deliberately to eliminate barriers that have prevented the most promising and capable students from entering and thriving in college. As the Associate Director of Financial Aid, you play a key leadership role in supporting the Director of Financial Aid with the overall management of the Financial Aid Office and ensuring efficient, effective departmental operations. You oversee daily operations and staff supervision, which includes managing and monitoring schedules, providing training and professional development, and fostering an environment that prioritizes excellent customer service. You will assist in developing departmental policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, performing internal audits, reconciling funds, and assisting in Federal Fiscal Operations Report (FISAP) and the Washington State Achievement Council Unit Record Report (URR) preparation. As a member of the Financial Aid Leadership Team, you collaborate closely with the Director of Financial Aid and the Financial Aid Manager to set strategic vision for the department, establish goals, and drive initiatives to improve the financial aid experience for students and families. Department Leadership & Supervision Assist with the administration, funding and reconciliation of financial aid including but not limited to Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Loans, Work Study, Washington College Grant, Scholarships, and Pierce College Grant. Provide direct supervision to financial aid staff, including assigning responsibilities, evaluating performance, and ensuring staff are trained in accordance with state and federal regulations and guidelines. Serve as the Director of Financial Aid as needed in the absence of the Director. Assist with developing policies, guidelines, and procedures that ensure regulatory compliance are consistent with institutional goals and are responsive to student needs. Serve as a resource to assist staff with complex situations and questions by troubleshooting issues and directing staff to helpful resources and guides. Ensure confidentiality of student financial aid data and compliance with FERPA and financial aid regulations to uphold privacy and security standards. Develop training materials and implement training opportunities for staff to ensure professional development and thorough understanding of financial aid practices. Funds Management Serve as a liaison between financial aid, enrollment services, student financials and fiscal services, collaborating on account management, billings, disbursement, reconciliation, reports, fraud, and related matters. Review, process, and determine eligibility and fund amounts among federal, state, and institutional funds by applying extensive knowledge of regulations governing aid programs. Analyze and evaluate files for eligibility based on application data, federal database matches, and academic progress requirements. Review for over‑awards or discrepant file information. Process withdrawal and repayment calculations. Collaborate with the workforce education staff to enter funds for students funded with worker retraining, Opportunity Grant, Basic Food, Education, and Training (BFET) programs. Collaborate with basic needs staff to enter funds for students funded with SSEH and SEAG emergency grants. Exercise professional judgment in making financial aid decisions with supporting documentation. Assist in monitoring student enrollment levels and financial aid distribution to make data‑driven decisions. Develop quarterly priority timelines to ensure students have funding plans to support their financial needs. Work collaboratively to evaluate academic progress and maximum timeframe appeals in line with institutional and office policies for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Provide quality assurance checks of files processed by other staff members within the department to ensure regulations are being appropriately applied and students are being awarded equitably. Assist the director in reconciling expenditures of financial aid and scholarship accounts. Assist in resolving discrepancies including daily error reports. Review and update financial aid consumer information, student forms and work study job descriptions on a yearly basis and work with other team members to ensure forms and the web pages are current. Work collaboratively with Finance on drawdown processes in G5 and WSAC to ensure funds are appropriately collected and reconciled for all expenditures. Technology & Compliance Reporting Assist with preparing and providing documentation to support reporting requirements to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Washington Student Achievement Council, and other agencies as required for participation in federal and state financial aid programs. Reports include, but are not limited to, Fiscal Operations/Application to Participate report, the Unit Record Report, Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship, and State Work Study monthly cash requests. Ensure technology platforms used to manage financial aid applications, awards, and disbursements are functional, effective, and maintain compliance with state and federal regulations. Improve technology processes by evaluating, automating, and streamlining procedures to improve efficiency and provide timely distribution of funds and customer service to students. Campus Involvement & Service to Community Conduct workshops and other informational activities for prospective and current students on campus and within the community when information on financial aid is requested. Collaborate with community agencies to ensure that students have the support needed to successfully apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA and WASFA. Participate in professional organizations at the local, state, and regional levels. Maintain positive and collaborative working relationships with departments and divisions within the college. Serve on designated college committees, task forces and teams. Perform other related duties as assigned. Education Required Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education, or closely related field, from an accredited college or university. Experience Required Three (3) or more years of experience administering financial aid in a higher education setting. Extensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and financial aid software systems. Supervisory experiencing including training others. Demonstrated ability to work effectively to serve a diverse community of learners. Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. Special Requirements and/or Conditions of Employment After a conditional offer of employment, the successful candidate must consent to and pass a criminal records background check. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability to perform in this position. Must not be in default on student loans. Required Competencies Demonstrated organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously while ensuring deadlines are met and priorities receive appropriate attention. Proficiency in using computer software to run reports, create spreadsheets, and track, organize, and interpret data to support informed decision‑making and monitor progress. Demonstrated ability to think critically about how to serve minoritized and underserved students and implement targeted strategies to do so. Ability to manage multiple competing priorities while maintaining high performance in stressful environments, including staying organized, focused, and adapting to changing circumstances to achieve desired outcomes. Ability to assess complex situations, identify problems, and develop effective solutions. Strong critical thinking skills and experience in consensus building and problem solving. Ability to effectively manage customer interactions by addressing concerns and complaints with empathy and resolving conflicts calmly. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, both in person and virtually, across multiple locations and sites, including sharing ideas and supporting team members to achieve common goals. Terms of Employment This is a full-time, administrative‑exempt position. The primary work location will be at Pierce College, Puyallup campus. Frequent travel to Pierce College campuses or other sites may occur. Standard work hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours required. Regular and consistent attendance is required. Salary & Benefits The salary range for this position is $89,053.00 - $110,180.00 annually. The salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications and related experience. Typically, new hires start no higher than $92,764.00/year, based on Pierce College's Administrative/Exempt Compensation Plan. Your paycheck is just part of the total compensation package. There is an outstanding benefits package worth an additional value equivalent to about 30% of your salary, including comprehensive health care benefits for you and your dependents (medical, dental and vision insurance), life and long‑term disability insurance plans, vacation, sick and personal leave, reduced tuition, and retirement benefits. Physical Work Environment This position works indoors in an office environment that requires visual concentration, dexterity, and precision, and is subject to frequent noise and interruptions, and operates in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment. Reasonable Accommodation Applicants with disabilities who require assistance with the application and employment process will be accommodated to the extent reasonably possible. Requests should be made to the District Human Resources Office by calling View phone number on click.appcast.io. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may dial 711 to place a call through Washington Relay, the state's free telecommunication access service. Conditions of Employment Prior to the start of employment, finalists for this position will be subject to a pre‑employment background check as a condition of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position. Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Conditional offer letters will be accompanied by a disclosure and authorization to release information form to be completed by the applicant. Disclosure is required under Washington State Law RCW 28B.112.080. An offer of employment will not carry with it any responsibility or obligation on the part of the district to sponsor an H‑1B visa. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, proof of authorization to work in the United States will be required at the time of hire. Pierce College has adopted a Drug‑Free Workplace policy. As a condition of employment, employees must agree to abide by the requirements established in that policy. Equal Opportunity Pierce College supports and values the dignity of each member of its community and visitors, and is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination and harassment. This commitment applies to all levels and areas of operations and programs and is intended to ensure that all students and employees are provided equitable opportunities to realize their goals and to function safely and effectively within the Pierce College environment. Pierce College recognizes its responsibility under state laws and their implementing regulations to investigate, resolve, implement corrective measures, and monitor the educational environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal. Pierce College prohibits discrimination against and harassment of members of these protected classes, as well as any additional class(es) protected by local, state, or federal law. Any individual found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including the possibility of exclusion from Pierce College facilities, dismissal from Pierce College as a student, and/or dismissal from employment, as applicable. Title IX & EEO Coordinators District Title IX Coordinator and District Section 504 Coordinator: Kelly Benson, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Cascade Building, Room 237, 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood, WA 98498-1999, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. District Affimative Action Officer: Paula Henson‑Williams, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. Deputy Title IX Coordinator, District Athletics: Duncan Stevenson, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Student Conduct: Julie Draper Davis, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis‑McChord: Ron Burleson, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. Deputy Title IX Coordinator, EEO/Human Resources: Deena Forsythe, View phone number on click.appcast.io, View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr Pierce College District