Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

People Strategy, Equity, and Culture

Financial Aid Manager

  • Title: Financial Aid Manager
  • Category: Management
  • FLSA: Exempt
  • Grade: J

Job Summary

Under the management of the Director of Financial Aid and Veteran Services, manages a functional area within the Financial Aid office such as operations, training, or policy development. Duties include direct supervision of staff and oversight of one or more specific programs such as outreach, Pell, Direct Loans, Cohort Default Management, Federal Work Study, Americorps, and other related federal, state, or institutional programs. Serves as liaison to campus committees and external agencies as assign, and provides leadership and represents the Financial Aid Office and PCC on committees and initiatives, as well as through state, regional, and national association activities.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Plans, organizes, monitors, and manages the day-to-day processes and operations of assigned functional area. Coordinates, implements, administers and evaluates assigned programmatic area. Responsible for development and maintenance of program procedures and processes, and establishes and updates appropriate documentation for training and audit purposes.
  2. Supervises professionals, paraprofessionals, and/or technical/support staff. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines and recommends dismissal of staff as necessary.
  3. Participates in developing, monitoring, evaluating, and recommending improvement to processes, procedures, work flow, and/or standards, ensuring alignment with College mission, values, goals, and objectives and local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
  4. Participates in mid-range and long-range planning, assists with the development of policy, and advises on project objectives, technologies, systems, timelines, schedules, funding, and staffing.
  5. Maintains current knowledge of federal and state policies, regulations, laws, and best practices in regard to student financial aid. Researches, analyzes, and interprets applicable laws and regulations relative to assigned area of responsibility; identifies and analyzes compliance and processing performance issues that may impact PCC students or institutional expenditures or liability. Makes recommendations based on findings.
  6. Facilitates and supports the delivery of financial aid education and counseling to students and parents regarding all aspects of the financial aid or veterans process. Participates in college and community outreach events giving presentations to various audiences on utilizing financial aid to support their education.
  7. Prepares and administers assigned budget; reviews and approves expenditures; submits justifications for budget items; analyzes, monitors, and controls expenditures. Participates in Department budget processes as directed.
  8. Participates in campus and District wide committees and task forces as a technical resource regarding regulatory requirements and financial aid and enrollment issues that impact PCC students.
  9. Serves as a liaison to federal, state, and other agencies or external organizations as appropriate.
  10. Provides input, guidance, and direct resolution of student complaints within defined scope or responsibility. Supports and participates in the appeals process.
  11. Positions in this classification may perform all or some of the responsibilities above, and all positions perform other related duties as assigned.
Position-Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Operations

Positions assigned to Operations may also be responsible for:

  • Ensuring smooth and efficient functioning of financial aid operations for the District, recommending staffing levels, and scheduling staff to ensure optimum efficiency.
  • Overseeing and developing communications to students.
  • Acting as Destination Point Administrator and point of contact for Title IX related issues.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work is typically performed in an office environment. Incumbents may drive to meetings or events, which requires the use of a personal vehicle. Work may involve outside community outreach activities. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. Physical exertion is not a normal requirement of the job.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Administration, Counseling, or related field. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Three years progressively responsible experience related to area of assignment, including two years of supervisory experience in financial aid or program management.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of:
  • Advanced principles and practices in Financial Aid;
  • Title IV financial aid programs, processes, and best practices;
  • Student services principles and practices;
  • Current issues impacting students in a community college environment;
  • Supervisory principles;
  • Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, codes, and/or statutes including FERPA;
  • Customer services principles and best practices;
  • Budget administration principles;
  • Enterprise software systems relating to the awarding, disbursement, and reconciliation of student financial aid;
  • Grant and/or contract administration principles;
  • Analytical methods and techniques;
  • Area resources;
  • Needs assessment methods;
  • Fiscal accounting principles;
  • Program/project management principles and techniques.
Skills in:
  • Motivating staff in a fast-paced student services and compliance environment;
  • Applying innovative thinking to problem solving and strategy;
  • Compiling and analyzing data;
  • Conducting needs analysis;
  • Speaking in public;
  • Conducting outreach activities;
  • Preparing collateral and marketing materials;
  • Interpreting complex documents;
  • Analyzing processes and making recommendations for improvement;
  • Ensuring compliance with applicable internal and external program requirements;
  • Monitoring legal and regulatory changes.
Ability to:
  • Maintain privacy;
  • Coordinate activities and work collaboratively with other internal departments and/or external agencies;
  • Work collaboratively with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;
  • Mediate conflict and facilitate understanding;
  • Gather, analyze, and interpret data;
  • Work on multiple projects simultaneously;
  • Use computer technology used for communication, data gathering and reporting;
  • Communicate effectively through oral and written media.

Reviewed: 12/2018

  • New: 09/2017