Job Description
Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private, nonprofit university located in the heart of Silicon Valley with a singular focus on mental and behavioral health education. For five decades, PAU has been dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging challenges affecting individuals, organizations, and communities, preparing practitioners and scholars to meet the evolving needs of contemporary society. With an enrollment of approximately 1,200 graduate students and a small cohort of undergraduate students, the University offers a comprehensive portfolio of bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs delivered through innovative online, hybrid, and residential modalities.
PAU is distinguished by faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to research, teaching, and clinical practice. Through rigorous academic preparation, applied research, and extensive hands-on clinical training, PAU equips students with the knowledge, skills, and professional judgment required for meaningful impact in the behavioral health fields. Together, these elements define PAU’s mission-driven approach to education and its legacy of preparing confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who make a difference in the communities they serve.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Job Title: | Assistant Director of Financial Aid for Operations and Compliance |
Department: | Division of Enrollment Management, Office of Financial Aid |
Reports to: | Director of Financial Aid |
Location: | On-site / Hybrid or Remote, Alvin Calvin Campus |
Date: | To start immediately |
Employment Status: Exempt, full-time
Compensation: Salary TBD, plus medical, dental, vision benefits, 403(b) retirement plan, flexible spending account, and paid time off
JOB SUMMARY
The Office of Financial Aid is integral to PAU’s mission to support diverse students and their families with specialized knowledge and counseling, guidance and insights regarding financial aid application processes and award offers, financing options, and overall student financial and advising/support services. Under the direction of the Director of Financial Aid, the Assistant Director for Operations and Compliance determines eligibility, awards aid, reviews appeals, and exercises professional judgement. The Assistant Director develops, simplifies, and manages financial aid systems and processes (e.g., facilitating data exchanges, running reports, etc.) and recommends innovative policies and procedures to promote efficiency, improve student service and success, and ensure compliance. The Assistant Director for Operations and Compliance also serves as the primary School Certifying Official for Veterans Benefits. This role focuses on the operations and compliance sides of Financial Aid.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Financial Aid Operations and Compliance
- Assist in the development and implementation of financial aid policies and procedures
- Evaluate financial aid applications, determine eligibility, and award financial aid packages to students, adjust budget and package based on special circumstances, handle complex cases
- Run COD and PAU disbursement processes, including application of anticipated aid to student accounts
- Manage daily SAIG mailbox processing through EdConnect
- Identify students subject to Return to Title IV aid policy; calculate aid earned, make necessary adjustments, and notify students and accounts receivable of outcome
- Manage Financial Aid side of Federal Work-Study. Build FWS earnings reports. Ensure that all student job descriptions meet ED standards and that PAU meets community service requirements. Promote FWS and campus employment. Ensure all departments post jobs on jobs board
- Ensure all information is uploaded to PowerFAIDS; perform regular processes to import data from Jenzabar into PowerFAIDS
- Run, review, and audit a wide variety of reports to identify changes or conflicting data in financial systems; make corrective adjustments to student data records when necessary; and communicate changes to students in a timely and professional manner
- In coordination with the Director of Financial Aid, serve as the primary School Certifying Official for Veterans Benefits and provide support to all veteran students and veteran dependents students
- Identify and resolve complex financial aid issues that may span multiple areas and award years
- Perform analyses of large complex data sets: reconcile student accounts to ensure student account matches federal accounts; work with Finance Office to ensure internal alignment
- Assist Director of Financial Aid with audits (internal and external) and FISAP and IPEDS reports
- Constantly evaluate the workflows of the Financial Aid operations to help ensure effective and efficient operations of the department; develop processes that will support and improve current procedures for financial aid awarding
- Serve as key contact person for IT issues; work with IT to resolve issues
- Implement and leverage technology tools to streamline financial aid processes
- Monitor and maintain up-to-date knowledge of University, Federal, and State financial aid policy; communicate, document, and process information to ensure all staff are fully trained to ensure compliance with Federal and State requirements
- Responsible for training all new staff on processes, policies, and procedures and for ensuring written policies and procedures are current and accurate
- Serve as key responder, along with Senior Financial Aid Advisor, to emails/tickets and phone calls within 24-48 hours; assign emails/tickets to other team members as appropriate; work virtual Financial Aid Office Hours in coordination with other team members
Collaboration
- Collaborate with financial aid teammates to ensure outstanding customer service and clear communication across the team
- Work closely with other departments, such as Admissions, Bursar, Registrar, and Student Success team members to coordinate efforts related to financial aid
- Collaborate with external agencies and organizations to enhance financial aid initiatives
Training and Professional Development
- Stay informed about industry best practices and attend professional development
opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge in financial aid
- Read NASFAA newsletter daily; take advantage of webinar and other training opportunities offered by NASFAA, CASFAA, and WASFAA
- Other duties as assigned
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor's degree required; may substitute 7+ years of progressive Financial Aid experience and leadership plus Associate’s degree; Master’s degree preferred
- Minimum experience: 7 years in Higher Education Financial Aid
- Excellent ability to consistently display accuracy and attention to detail
- Receptive to feedback, willing to learn and embrace continuous improvement
- Willingness to proactively pursue process improvements and professional development opportunities
- Excellent ability to communicate effectively one-to-one, in small groups and in public speaking contexts
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to write precise, well-organized emails and letters
- Expert in Microsoft Office Suite and financial aid/higher education management software programs; Jenzabar and PowerFAIDS experience preferred
- Veterans Benefits experience preferred
- Expert knowledge of Federal and State Financial Aid policies and resources
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with other individuals and teams
- Excellent presentation and public speaking skills
- Available to work evenings and weekends when needed; one day per week in-office required for residential / hybrid hires
- Must have excellent attendance and punctuality, collegial and diplomatic behavior at work, and work performance to the satisfaction of management and essential functions of the position
- Demonstrated compassion, patience, respect, and comfort toward human diversity with cross multi-generational cultural awareness and sensitivity
- Capacity to maintain discretion around sensitive and confidential information
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Qualified candidates for the Assistant Director of Financial Aid should apply with a:
- Current resume
- Cover letter describing qualifications for and interest in the position. PAU is committed to providing an educational environment that supports a diverse, equitable and inclusive population. In your cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values.
EEOC POLICY
No Discrimination: The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's backgrounds of race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law.
As provided by law, and when it is requested to do so, the University will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely and to the University's standards of quality of work, perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.
PAU has a high-quality work environment that attracts and welcomes a diversity of backgrounds of its employees. In your application or in a cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds.