Assistant Director @ Howard University

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.

Here is what we offer:

Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
Additional Perks:Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

Join Howard University and thrive with us!

https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness

BASIC FUNCTION:

Develop financial aid packages for prospective and current students and exercise discretion in the review of confidential information. Train new counselors on packaging procedures. Assists with the processing of SAP Appeals. Provide directions, as needed, to the Systems Management Team and Student Finance regarding correct tuition set-ups. Manage the financial aid process for all online and on-campus Professional Programs and provide reporting strategies to keep up with the fluid nature of the program. Develop communication and presentation strategies for financial wellness group debt management sessions. Oversee the annual loan debt project and generate loan debt reports, by academic program, for data analysis. Provide thorough and nuanced counseling to students, alumni and counselors. Assist the Senior Associate Director of Graduate and Professional Programs, Executive Director of Financial Aid, Deputy Director of Financial Aid, and Office of Financial Aid Management Team as needed.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

The position reports to the Associate Director of Operations and Customer Service for Graduate and Professional Programs and has internal and external contact with students, faculty, staff, student advocates, and representatives of government agencies, community organizations, legislative representatives, scholarship organizations, foundations, and the public. This is an on-campus position.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Analyze FAFSA (federal) data for graduate students to determine federal aid eligibility under federal methodology, by assisting the Associate Director of Operations and Customer Service and the Associate Director of Graduate and Professional Programs in implementing and interpreting federal regulations and academic programs' terms of enrollment. Exercise discretion in determining when it may be appropriate to invoke authority to use professional, independent judgment to deviate from federal methodology, on a case-by-case basis, and when needed, to advise academic programs if institutional funding, in conjunction with federal aid, results is an over-award, or if the institutional funding type is inappropriate for the enrollment status. Use judgment when to implement and release federal funding holds. Monitor enrollment during drop/add; adjust aid budgets and financial aid, accordingly, to avoid over-awards. Failure to award federal funds correctly could lead to the loss of institutional participation in the Federal Financial Aid Programs or fines from the U.S. Department of Education.
Manage the financial aid process for graduate programs; keep pace with program growth and student progression between the full-time and part-time status; provide critical information about student issues and systems/IT problems with the Financial Aid Management team and senior leadership.
Develop/enhance annual/quarterly federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) reports for federally mandated SAP reviews, working with the University Office of the Registrar, The Professional Schools/Colleges and academic program Directors/Chairs/Deans or Associate Deans, as needed. Advise students and academic programs of federal SAP standards and provide non-federal funding options to students if standards are not met. Work with academic programs to assure students receive appropriate documented SAP-related academic counseling for future reinstatement of federal aid. Incorrect SAP reports and failure to provide thorough explanations to affected students and academic programs could impact the financial health of the University, resulting in audit or federal program review findings and/or fines from the Department of Education. Assist students in meeting their financial responsibilities to Howard University, thereby supporting the enrollment and retention goals of the University. In the course of counseling students, assess individual financial situations to determine whether there exists sufficient change or an extenuating circumstance to justify a review and potential modification to initial eligibility determination.
Assist in analyzing a great deal of data and multiple reports so that accurate information is captured when awarding/processing financial aid. Monitor federal financial aid regulations and assist in developing updates for students and staff to ensure University operations are in compliance with federal regulations. Work closely with the Systems Team to design, test and troubleshoot system procedures. Monitor system functions so that federal deadlines are met. Work with third-party, federal and University data systems (COD, FAA Access, NSLDS) to troubleshoot, analyze federal loan portfolios, complete federal refund/repayment documentation, analyze transaction reports and provide advice about university billing/payment problems to students and staff. Oversee NSLDS transfer monitoring, so mid-year transfer students do not receive duplicate awards. Failure to effectively implement programs properly, process federal funds, monitor federal loan portfolios, complete federal refunds correctly, could result in audit or federal program review findings and/or fines from the U.S. Department of Education.
Conduct webinars/workshops, group financial aid orientations, group debt management sessions (for high-debt graduate programs) and individual exit sessions for all professional students on both campuses. Clear and understandable information about very complex loan repayment plans must be provided. Failure to provide such information to exiting students could result in student defaults that must be reported to the U.S. Department of Education. Additionally, failure to conduct exits within the federal timeframe, could impact the financial health of the University, resulting in audit or federal program review findings and/or fines from the Department of Education.
Works collaboratively with the offices of Financial Aid, Bursar, Registrar, Admissions and Development, the academic colleges and schools, and the Scholarship Committee to select and distribute scholarships and other financial aid.
Accurately and skillfully utilizes Banner, Workday, CRM, SharePoint, U.S. Department of Education systems and databases, and Colleague systems / tools to monitor, process and adjust financial aid awards as required.

CORE COMPETENCIES AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of financial aid legislation and internal and external reporting requirements and ability to objectively evaluate student aid eligibility in accordance with the applicable guidelines.
Experience with software which includes but is not limited to Peoplesoft, Banner, National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), ELM, IFAP, NASFAA and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD).
Strong skills in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint).
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
Ability to set priorities and manage multiple high-priority tasks simultaneously.
Competence in both oral and written English.
Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills with attention to detail.
Ability to maintain the confidentiality of information.
Ability to establish and maintain harmonious and effective work relations with students, staff, faculty, and the public.
Experience in higher education/financial aid environment is highly desirable.
Familiarity with MS Word and Excel, Adobe, Power Point, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, CRM, Workday, and Banner.
Must be comfortable with large institution fast-paced environment.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
Outstanding interpersonal abilities and a poised, professional demeanor are essential
Ability to exercise good judgment in maintaining confidential data
Critical ability to multi-task, prioritize and execute
Critical eye for detail and be a team player
Confidence to take initiative, ask questions and make recommendations with the end goal of process improvement and customer satisfaction.
Assists in the daily operations of the Financial Aid office.
Any additional duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's Degree Required; Master’s degree preferred. 5 years of experience in accounting and financial aid or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

Note: This position description should not be construed to imply that these requirements are the exclusive standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as may be required. The university has the right to revise this position description at any time. This position description is not be construed as a contract for employment.

Compliance Salary Range Disclosure

Expected Salary Range: $75,000 - $87,000

Assistant Director

Professional Programs

Howard University

Compensation Overview

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: