Senior Director of Financial Aid Systems - Enrollment Management Group
: Job Details :

Senior Director of Financial Aid Systems - Enrollment Management GroupSalary: Commensurate with experience Benefits: Generousbenefits include paid time off including holidays and vacation, retirementmatch, and tuition remission for employee and dependents. Details at www.duq.edu/benefits Location: Enrollment Management Group Position Status: Full-time Hours: Varied Position Number: 245708/10-992 FLSA Status: Exempt POSITIONSUMMARY:Reporting to the AVP for Financial Aid andScholarships, the Senior Director of Financial Aid Systems (SDFAS) managesFinancial Aid operations through the use of technology including the BannerFinancial Aid system, Cognos reporting, SQL reporting, BDM document management,Reports Manager, GlobalECS, and other software. Servesas the functional and technical expert of technology andsystems (Primarily butnot limited to Axiom, Ellucian Banner, Cognos, EDEexpress, CSS Profile, RapidInsight, etc.) supporting and providing Systems support and leadership functions for all units but directly for the AVP/Directorof Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (FASO) and other (FASO) staff members,to lead the technical administration all aspects of the financial aid process,which includes but not limited to being in compliance and in development,administration and interpretation of financial aid policies and procedures inaccordance with established federal, state and institutional guidelines. TheDFAS will have a dotted line to the AVP of Operations and Student Services andalso be primary representative of EMG to University CTS and cross-functionalunits especially the registrar and other connected services, as well as otherenrollment systems, integrations, platforms, and processes, including, but notlimited to Technolutions Slate and vendor partnerships such as CSS profile,INAS, EAB etc. The SDFAS is a key member of EMG for operational excellence andwill ensure the data integrity needed by the department for the high-qualityexecution of technology-supported financial aid, student services, businessprocesses, data reporting and analytics. The SDFAS will centralize the systemsto operationalize all aspects of the Financial Aid and scholarship process forfinancial aid, and coordinate same with admissions, and retention. Worksindependently and is expected to exercise discretion and independent judgmentin carrying out the responsibilities, including but not limited to, executingfinancial aid strategies for all university funds. Supports Enrollment Management goals to managenet revenues and discount, recruit and retain students. Provides leadership anddirection for the policies, procedures, and operations involved with theawarding and delivery of financial aid and scholarship programs, undergraduateand graduate enrollment processing, and integrations across universityfunctions. DUTIESAND RESPONSIBILITIES:Continuouslyreport to, coordinate and consult with Director of Financial Aid andScholarships.Configure,maintain, and improve Financial Aid processes.Oversee, review, and test Bannerand provide data to outside sources. Functions as the data steward to ensuredata integrity, accreditation standards, privacy laws and best practices forBanner (Admissions), COGNOS (Admissions) and Slate. Conducts Cognos testing during system upgrades.Create, maintain, andreview daily integrity and reconciliation reports to ensure compliance andsystem operation. Performs Cognos query reports for schools across campus inrelation to endowed scholarship candidate searches. Servesas the CTS liaison and functional and technical expert for the EnrollmentManagement Group and assists with current and new technology used within thedivision and serves on other campus-wide committees such as the ECC, DataStandards and Shadow Systems to ensure division data are collected and reportedcorrectly.Interprets all financialaid technical findings within the tracking, imports and processes then makesand implements appropriate resolutions.Engageswith student information systems to ensure availability of real-time,user-centric data that serves the diverse needs of collegeconstituencies-academic departments, enrollment division and executiveleadership.Complete externalfinancial aid surveys for the university; complete reports for EnrollmentManagement to show trends and forecasts for enrollment goals. Create annualcommunication for current student body.Assistsin the development of enrollment modeling and projection databases.Providesanalytical support by identifying trends within the data and brings them to theattention of enrollment leadership.• Discount Rate statistics• Enrollment comparisons to budget andprior year statistics• RetentionstatisticAssistsand works closely with the AssistantVice President of Operations and Student Services on operations management, data collection, analysis, and strategy formation.Review existingtechnology systems (primarily Banner and Technolutions Slate) instances toensure the system supports all offices that utilize the platform. This includescreating training documents and providing training to users based on their rolewithin the system.Develop detailed tasksand project plans by analyzing project scope and milestones for moderatelycomplex projects.Document code and associated processes byadhering to development methodologies, adding code comments and appropriatedocumentation to various knowledge-based system(s) to simplify code maintenanceand to improve support. Provide written documentation offindings to share with colleagues.Represent financial aid attechnology and operations meetings. Participates in professional developmentand performs other duties and projects as assigned. Attends admissionsrecruitment events (e.g., DuquesneFest, Fall Open House, etc.).Supervises work of others, including planning, assigning,scheduling and reviewing work, ensuring quality standards. Is responsible forhiring, terminating, training and developing, reviewing performance andadministering corrective action for staff. Plans organizational structure andjob content.Completes otherduties as assigned.REQUIREMENTS:Minimum qualifications:Bachelor's degreefrom an accredited institution. 8+ years of work-related experience.Expertlevel skills in Ellucian in general and Banner Financial Aid specifically;Highly skilled in SQL programming, Python if possible as well; Generallytech-savvy and can learn new software independently and quickly.Preferred qualifications:Very strong technical knowledge ofFAMS system (Banner/Ellucian preferred).Proficiency withPC, Microsoft Office tools, email and the Internet with the ability to learn avariety of new technology systems; technical knowledge of Power BI; knowledgeof COGNOS; familiarity with Slate and Banner preferred.Alternately, thesuccessful candidate may possess any equivalent combination of experience andtraining, which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities required toperform the essential job functions. This includes, but is not limited to, thefollowing: ExtensiveKnowledge and understanding of federal, states and agency-accrediting rules andregulations as they pertain to higher education admission. Very strongknowledge of federal and state regulations concerning financial aid, as well asNCAA regulations;Knowledge ofFederal sites such as EDconnect, NSLDS, CPS, and COD; and PHEAA site;A broadunderstanding of higher education processes and procedures, including sharedgovernance, strategic planning, resource allocation and budget management;Highly developedinterpersonal, analytic, problem-solving, organizational and communicationskills, including the ability to listen thoughtfully and respectfully to adiverse population of constituents and stakeholders;Strongcommunication skills, both oral and written providing the ability toeffectively communicate with multiple internal and external constituents;Ensurescompliance with Federal and State laws pertaining to financial aid, affirmativeaction and FERPA;Membership andactive engagement in appropriate national student service organizations, suchas NASFA and PASFA;Sensitivity tothe need of each individual to be treated with dignity and respect as itrelates to diversity in general and the Mission of the University specifically;Proactive,strategic, analytical and deadline-oriented in a complex organization;Ability andwillingness to work outside of regular business hours and some weekends duringpeak enrollment periods; Ability toprepare and maintain confidential data independently in accordance withestablished policies and procedures and exercise consistent discretion;Considerableknowledge of the laws, regulations and policies governing the operations of theUniversity;Ability to createand maintain complex records and files; Willingness andability to work evenings and weekends as needed during peak enrollment periods;Ability to exceedrecruitment goals, facilitate staff development opportunities, exhibitteamwork, model analytical & critical thinking, engage in creative problemsolving and demonstrate high levels of time management and organizationalskills.Ability to workwith diverse populations and sensitivity to the needs of each individual to betreated with dignity and respect as related to diversity in general and theMission of the University specifically; and the ability to establish andmaintain effective working relationships with the University Community.Commitment to theUniversity's values of diversity, equity and inclusion, and recognition of theimportance of treating each individual with dignity and respect consistent withthe University's Mission. Demonstratedexperience with, and understanding of, the broad diversity of the Universitycommunity (students, faculty, staff and others).Ability toestablish and maintain effective working relationships with the UniversityCommunity. Ability and willingness to contribute actively to the mission of the Universityand to respect the Spiritan Catholic identity of Duquesne University. Themission is implemented through a commitment to academic excellence, a spirit ofservice, moral and spiritual values, sensitivity to world concerns, and anecumenical campus community.APPLICATIONINSTRUCTIONS: Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter, resume, and contact informationfor three professional references. Catholic in its mission and ecumenical in spirit, Duquesne University valuesequality of opportunity as an educational institution and as an employer. Weaspire to attract and sustain a diverse faculty and staff that reflectscontemporary society, serves our academic goals and enriches our campuscommunity. We particularly encourage applications from members ofunderrepresented groups and support dual-career couples through our chartermembership in thisregion's HERC ( We invite applicants for this position to learn more about our university andits Spiritan heritage byvisiting invited to campus for an interview may be asked about ways in which theysee their talents contributing to the continued growth of our community andfurthering its mission. Duquesne University was founded in 1878 by its sponsoring religious community,the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Duquesne University is Catholic inmission and ecumenical in spirit. Motivated by its Catholic identity,Duquesne values equality of opportunity both as an educational institution andas an employer.