Director Of Financial Aid

About Mount Wachusett Community College:

Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is a highly regarded educational institution located in Gardner, Massachusetts and accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Established in 1963, MWCC serves the educational needs of the communities of North Central Massachusetts with innovative undergraduate education, early college programs, workforce development, personal enrichment, and community service. With a strong emphasis on academic excellence, MWCC provides a supportive environment for individuals to pursue their educational goals, enhance professional skills, and seek personal growth. As a beacon of opportunity, Mount Wachusett Community College empowers individuals from all walks of life, fostering their development and transformation.

We hope you will consider applying for one of our open positions, and discover all that Mount Wachusett Community College and the North Central Massachusetts region have to offer.

http://mwcc.edu/about-mwcc/

Mount Wachusett Community College embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values and makes it our mission to proactively focus on improving racial equity in our college community. We value equity-minded individuals with commitment to serve student learners from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations. Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants who share our commitment and who understand the benefits of culturally relevant practices needed in an educational environment.

Job Description:

General Statement of Duties:

The Director of Financial Aid provides vision, leadership and management of the Financial Aid Office and provides financial aid training and information updates. They are responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures to administer all Federal Title IV and Massachusetts State financial aid programs. The Director of Financial Aid ensures compliance with all administered programs, and coordinates with the Registrar and the Business Office to certify that awards are accurate and timely, as well as maintains systems of checks and balances with the Business Office for all funds paid to student accounts. This position supervises the work of professional and clerical staff to accomplish program and departmental objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the administration of a complex student financial services and financial aid program, including procedure development, funding application, accounting, management and oversight of the Banner financial aid module, fiscal reporting and training of staff focused on financial aid awarding/disbursement and accounts receivable functions;

• Co-lead the SFS department in the absence of the Executive Director with the Director of Student Accounts in coordination with the CFO.

• Formulate, implement, review and evaluate policies, procedures and standards to ensure departmental compliance with financial aid guidelines and objectives for all federal, state and institutional programs;

• Oversee the awarding process, working with the Associate Director of Student Financial Services Information Systems.

• Direct the review, verification, awarding, and disbursement of student financial aid according to all federal, state, and campus based regulations; Collaborate with other appropriate institutional departments to coordinate programs, services and policies. Interface with guidance counselors, local high schools, and community service organizations to provide timely and accurate flow of financial aid information;

• Direct the processing of student loan applications and disbursements; Manages electronic reporting and reconciliation of all federal and state funds as necessary.

• Responsible for submitting federal and state reports, ie. FISAP, Year End Report

• Manage the federal and state audit.

• Train and supervise staff to provide a consistent high level of customer service; administer department budget;

• Familiarize potential students and their parents of the availability of financial aid through workshops or presentations;

• Work in consultation with Executive Director to develop procedures and communication plans to provide for a smooth flow of information between the administration and students in both electronic and print communications to maximize effectiveness and efficiency. Prepare informational materials for publication and maintain current financial aid and student accounts information on the College website;

• Maintain current Policy and Procedure Manual for Financial Aid.

• Develop and review financial aid applications and forms used in the administration of the office;

• Serves on college-wide Enrollment Management Committee (EMC) and other committees as needed;

• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Educational Administration, Student Personnel or Business Administration or related field;

• Three to five years of administrative financial aid experience;

• Three years of supervisory experience as an Assistant Director or higher required preferably in a community college setting or with knowledge of the unique financial aid schedule associated with 2-year, enrollment-dependent institutions; Experience with COD and NSLDS.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proven management and leadership qualities;

• Expert skills in the dynamic use of financial management / financial including testing, reporting, troubleshooting and implementation of new functionality.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bilingual English/Spanish

• Experience with Banner.

Equivalency Statement

Applicants who do not meet the qualifications as stated above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience have prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.

Additional Information:

Salary: $85,000.00-$95,000.00

Employee Status: Full Time

Benefits: Yes

Hours per Week: 37.5

Number of Weeks: 52

Mount Wachusett Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual violence shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action and/or Title IX Coordinator, the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.

Application Instructions:

Candidates for employment should be aware that although the COVID 19 Vaccination Requirement Policy is no longer in effect, all Community College students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to be up to date with vaccination against COVID-19. For additional information related to the status of the COVID19 Vaccination Requirement Policy, please visit: https://mwcc.edu/covid/

The following documents are required:

1.Resume

2.Cover Letter

Anticipated Effective Date: March 2024

Priority will be given to applications received prior to April 10, 2024

Applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.

Candidates may be subject to employment screening to include both a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) request and a Sexual Offender Registry Information (SORI).