1234 Director of Financial Aid - West Plains

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Director of Financial Aid - West Plains

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1234

GRADE 44

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Vice-Chancellor of Student Services

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Director of Financial Aid - West Plains serves as chief administrator for the Office of Financial Aid and administers a student financial aid program consisting of federal, state, and local funds exceeding five million annually. The Director of Financial Aid - West Plains supervises the receipt, evaluation, and approval of requests for all programs, establishes procedures for and keeps records on transactions with students, ensures effective and efficient use of automated financial aid systems, prepares or supervises the preparation of all required and ad hoc reports related to the operation of the offices, and ensures that the University’s use of funds is in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor’s degree is required. A Master’s degree is preferred. An equivalent combination of years of experience and education may be considered for substitution of educational requirements.

Experience: Two or more years of experience in college or university financial aid administration is required. Preference will be given to individuals with more than minimum experience in an automated, financial aid office.

Skills: The ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and verbally, with students, parents, high school counselors, fellow employees, college administrators, and other constituents of Missouri State University – West Plains is required. Strong organizational and management skills are required. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Ensures smooth operation of the Financial Aid Office and applies for funds, develops and recommends student financial aid policy, manages aid funds, conducts program evaluation, and performs related duties as assigned by the Vice-Chancellor of Student Services.

2. Promotes a positive image of the Financial Aid Office by making group presentations to inform the public about various financial aid programs and associated application processes.

3. Ensures student and parent awareness of various financial aid sources by providing information and answering questions.

4. Assists students in the application process for financial aid by helping them to complete appropriate and required forms.

5. Determines students’ eligibility for the various financial aid programs by evaluating their applications.

6. Ensures students are in compliance with the federal satisfactory academic progress policy by monitoring the students’ academic record and status, reviewing financial aid appeal letters, and chairing the financial aid appeal committee.

7. Prevents institutional liability and ensures University compliance with federal and state regulations governing financial aid by maintaining current knowledge and by revising the University’s Policy and Procedure manual for Financial Aid.

8. Ensures the maximum utilization of Federal Work Study and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant funds by monitoring and controlling these funds and awarding them to qualified students according to federal guidelines.

9. Ensures compliance with state and federal regulations by assisting in the preparation of all required reports concerning financial aid.

10. Keeps abreast of electronic media for receiving and transmitting financial aid information.

11. Supervises processing of scholarship applications for submittal to the Scholarship Committee and monitors the awarding and disbursing of those funds.

12. Coordinates the preparation of the annual Scholarships and Financial Aid Handbook.

13. Administers programs such as WIA, TRA, and Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of the Blind, and athletics scholarships.

14. Builds the yearly financial aid year in the computer system by copying rules and updating all facets of the new-year financial aid system.

15. Tests financial aid upgrades (2 to 4 per year) that are loaded into the computer system for accuracy and reviews the University Software’s BFINAID list serv emails weekly for upgrades, problems, defects, etc.

16. Administers and performs monthly duties related Stafford loan default management processes and applies for any Missouri Department of Higher Education Default Prevention Grants.

17. Certifies and monitors state grants and programs through the FAMOUS web product.

18. Builds and processes Federal Title VII student withdrawals each semester on the Department of Education website.

19. Completes the annual FISAP report to request campus-based funds and reports the usage of those funds.

20. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as directed.

21. Ensures that miscellaneous assignments related to Financial Aid are completed in the best interests of the campus by accepting and accomplishing tasks which are delegated by the Vice-Chancellor of Student Services.

SUPERVISION

The Director of Financial Aid - West Plains is supervised by Vice-Chancellor of Student Services and supervises student workers and full-time and part-time staff in the administration of the financial aid and scholarship programs.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 3.0 - 1500 Points: Entry-level knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of an administrative, managerial, technical, or professional specialty. Knowledge permits employee to carry out basic recurring tasks and routine portions of assignments or to carry out less demanding professional elements of assignments in professional or technical areas including accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, law, engineering, science, or medicine, while gaining familiarity with the University's policies and goals, business practices, and/or accounting systems. This level of knowledge permits the employee to schedule and carry out the steps of a limited operation or project, or to complete stages of a multi-phase project. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out recurring tasks and routine assignments requiring moderate experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty. Knowledge requirements may also include a limited amount of related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with a moderate level of additional related work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with some related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 3.0 - 270 Points: Supervision of a limited number of (a) operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees who do not exercise a full range of supervisory responsibilities over other full-time employees, (b) a very small number of professional employees, or an equivalent combination of (a) and (b). The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including performance reviews of subordinates. The incumbent is generally responsible for training, planning, and directing the work of permanent employees, and provides major input into hiring decisions. Supervisory responsibilities consume moderate amounts of work time and may include general work planning tasks.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 3.0 - 250 Points: The purpose of interactions is to advise or counsel others to solve recurring and structured problems, and/or to plan or coordinate work efforts with other employees who are working toward common goals in situations where relationships are generally cooperative. Interactions are moderately structured and routine and may involve employees in different functions, students, and/or the general public. These types of interactions require normal interpersonal skills.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 3.0 - 500 Points: The employee operates under general supervision expressed in terms of program goals and objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Administrative supervision is given through statements of overall program or project objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are relatively comprehensive and the employee need only to fill in gaps in interpretation and adapt established methods to perform recurring activities. In unforeseen situations, the employee must interpret inadequate or incomplete guidelines, develop plans, and initiate new methods to complete assignments based on those interpretations. Assignments are normally related in function, but the work requires many different processes and methods applied to an established administrative or professional field. Problems are typically the result of unusual circumstances, variations in approach, or incomplete or conflicting data. The employee must interpret and refine methods to complete assignments. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing single-purpose programs or performing complex, but precedented, technical or professional work.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.