Position Summary

The Executive Director of Financial Aid provides leadership and management to a skilled team of professionals and office staff working with financial aid awards at both the Mount Vernon and Whidbey Island Campuses. Funds are available from a variety of State and Federal programs, including loans, grants, scholarships, work study, and agency funds.

The Executive Director independently advises students, staff, program participants and/or public regarding program content, policies, procedures and activities. The holder of this position works under the general supervision of the Vice President for Student Services. The position supervises both full-time and part-time classified and exempt employees as well as hourly and student employees.

The Executive Director of Financial Aid serves as a member of the Student Services Leadership Team and works closely with Enrollment Services, Counseling and Advising, International Programs, Student Life, Athletics, Workforce Grants, Business Office and the Skagit Valley College Foundation. This position also works frequently with Instructional administrators regarding program and certificate changes, as well as organizations and stakeholders throughout the Community and Technical College system.

This is a full-time Exempt position in the Financial Aid unit of the Student Services Department based at the campus in Mount Vernon, Washington. This position may be required to travel; occasional work on evenings or weekends may be required.

Nestled between the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound in the northwest corner of Washington State, Skagit Valley College is located 60 miles north of Seattle and 80 miles south of Vancouver, BC. SVC was established in 1926 in Mount Vernon. Operating as one college with several campuses and centers, SVC serves Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties with campuses in Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, centers in Friday Harbor and Langley, and a Marine Manufacturing and Technology Center in Anacortes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Department Leadership & Supervision

• 
  Supervise the day-to-day operations of the financial aid office and provide leadership, training, and professional development for financial aid staff.
• Supervise staff in reviewing and evaluating financial aid applications to determine need and award aid for all financial aid programs. Including completing the verification processes and resolving conflicting information.
• Serve as a resource to assist staff with complex situations and questions – providing daily guidance, including conducting research via state and federal handbooks, to find answers when needed.
• Conduct regularly scheduled staff meetings that provide training in and communicate changes to rules and regulations, Title IV aid application procedures, and communicate campus initiatives, goals and eligibility determination and awarding.
• Ensure vacant positions are filled in a timely manner.
• Attend Student Services meetings regularly.
• Participate in campus-wide activities and/or new programs and initiatives.
• Attend regional and state-wide financial aid workshops/conferences.

Policy, Funds & Budget Management

• Review, process, and determine eligibility and award amounts among federal, state, and institutional funds by applying extensive knowledge of regulations governing aid programs to prevent over-awards or discrepant file information.
• Exercise professional judgment in making Financial Aid decisions with supporting documentation.
• Establish timelines to assure aid awards are packaged and disbursed in a timely manner.
• Formulate policy, guidelines, and procedures that ensure regulatory compliance and are consistent with institutional goals and responsive to student needs.
• Maintain and update Policy and Procedures manual.
• Serve as a liaison between Financial Aid Office and the Business Office, collaborating on account management, billings, disbursement, reconciliation, reports, and related matters.
• Maintain departmental budgets to ensure fiscal health.
• Establish awarding targets based on federal, state and local financial aid allocations.
• Ensure that financial aid expenditures are within allowable maximums.

Technology, Compliance & Reporting

• Oversee, manage, and coordinate preparation and documentation to support required reporting to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Washington Student Achievement Council, Department of Education and others as required for participation in federal and state Financial Aid programs. Reports include, but are not limited to: Fiscal Operations and Application to Participate (FISAP) Report annually, Unit Record Reports, Washington College Grant Real-Time Reports, College Bound Scholarship, and State Work Study monthly cash requests.
• Prepare monthly Board of Trustee report to the Vice-President.
• Provide training and support to Financial Aid staff and other student services staff on software and technology that assist in student records management.
• Assist staff to utilize resources that assure compliance of federal and state regulations.
• Communicate with administration regarding the impact of financial aid regulations on institutional policies and procedures. Coordinate with other departments to ensure continued compliance.
• Ensure FERPA disclosure policies are followed.
• Ensure record security and retention policies are followed.

Other Duties as assigned

• Other duties and responsibilities, projects, and special assignments as assigned;
• Coordinate aspects of Financial Aid or scholarship programs, including organization of paperwork, processes, fund reconciliation, troubleshooting and problem solving.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge and/or understanding of:

• State and federal Financial Aid programs, regulations and rules;
• Accounting and financial management principles;
• Student Services model and how student needs fit into this model in a higher education setting;
• Budget administration principles;
• Skagit Valley College’s, mission, vision, core themes and guiding principles.

Skills:

• Strong technical computer skills, with competency in Microsoft Outlook and Office Suite, as well as student or customer database management systems;
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Empathy for individual student circumstances;
• Strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Conflict resolution skills;
• Skill in planning, analyzing, and evaluating programs and services, operational needs, and fiscal constraints, including an ability to coordinate multiple tasks with firm deadlines.

Ability to:

• Negotiate priorities according to campus need while considering rules and process requirements in decision making;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
• Work independently in a busy environment with regular interruptions;
• Work under stressful situations and manage stress appropriately;
• Work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment;
• Maintain flexibility and openness to change as part of working in a dynamic learning environment;
• Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, to our internal and external customers;
• Prioritize unplanned but required job duties with ongoing confirmed deadlines and regulations;
• Consistently and accurately document information and process files.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• 
  BA Degree from an accredited college or university
• Five years of Financial Aid experience including awarding aid, funds management, reporting and administrative experience.
• Two years of project management experience.
• Two years of supervisory experience with a demonstrated ability to provide strong leadership in a dynamic work environment.
• Experience working with automated FA management systems and databases.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
• PeopleSoft experience, preferably in a higher education environment (Banner and/or Oracle experience, also desired).
• Experience in a multi-cultural environment.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Salary, Benefits, Conditions of Employment, Application Procedure

Salary and Benefits:

• Annual salary rate for this twelve-month, 100% of full-time position is $85,000 - $95,000 depending on experience;
• Contracts are written annually for the period of July 1 to June 30. This position will be filled as soon practical after a candidate is identified and the salary will be pro-rated for the remaining contract period.
• This position is exempt from the overtime pay requirements of The Fair Labor Standards Act and is civil service exempt;
• Salary, retirement, medical and insurance benefits are provided in accordance with state regulations and may be subject to change in accordance with legislative mandates. Additional information on benefits can be found at https://fortress.wa.gov/hca/pebbhealthplan/compare.aspx.

Conditions of Employment:

• Prior to employment, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
  
  Additionally, pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080, applicants must declare whether they are the subject of any substantiated findings of sexual misconduct in any current or former employment or are currently being investigated for, or have left a position during an investigation into, a violation of any sexual misconduct policy at the applicant’s current or past employer. By law, post-secondary education institutions cannot hire an applicant who refuses to declare the existence or non-existence of an investigation or findings subject to this statute.
• In the interest of providing a healthy, safe and secure educational and work environment, and in order to meet the requirements of federal legislation, it is the policy of Skagit Valley College to maintain an alcohol and drug-free workplace for our employees and students.
• If hired you will be required to provide proof of identity and documentation of U.S. Citizenship or appropriate authorization to work in this position as required by the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986.
• Completion of academic degree(s) will be verified through receipt of official transcripts at the time of hire.

Application Procedure:
To be considered for this position, applicants must:

• Meet the minimum qualifications and;
• Submit a complete application to the online recruitment system at www.skagit.edu that includes the following:

• The online application, which includes answers to all supplemental questions and contact information for at least three (3) professional references;
• A current resume; (Attachment: Resume)
• A letter of interest addressing the minimum, desired qualifications, and your education and experience as it supports the responsibilities of this position; (Attachment: Cover Letter).

In order to be considered for the position, you must complete the online application in full and attach the required supplemental documents. Failure to provide this information may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Application Deadline: Priority screening will begin after March 17, 2023. Applications received on or before this date will receive first consideration. Applications received after the screening date may be considered until the position is filled.

Please be aware that the College hiring authorities reserve the right to hire one or more candidates and may exercise the option to make a hiring decision prior to the conclusion of the recruitment process. Only candidates selected to interview will be contacted.

Application Assistance: If you have questions about the position or require special accommodation, you may contact Human Resources at (360) 416-7794, Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. SVC complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance with the recruitment process may leave a TDD/TTY message at (360) 416-7718 by the application closing date. Information on SVC's Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found at OPPM 3040.

For questions regarding the online application system, you may call NEOGOV Applicant Tech Support at (855) 524-5627 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time. For best results, apply using one of the following browsers supported by NEOGOV: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and later versions of Internet Explorer.

SVC Annual Security Report: The U.S. Department of Education and the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act requires all colleges to provide information to current and prospective students and employees about campus safety policies, procedures and statistics on certain crimes, including hate crimes, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault. We are required to report our campus security information and statistics in an Annual Security Report, which is updated annually each October. All prospective employees may obtain a copy of the Annual Security Report from the Human Resources Office by calling (360) 416-7794 or by accessing the Report at: https://www.skagit.edu/about/safety-security-parking/

Skagit Valley College is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all groups in terms and conditions of employment and personnel practices. SVC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, pregnancy, genetic information, age, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal. All faculty and staff hired at Skagit Valley College are encouraged to embrace, continually support, and enhance diversity and equity on our campus and in our community. Annual Notice of Non-Discrimination.