Financial Aid Counselor - Higher Ed. jobs in Hialeah, FL

**This is an on-site position. Remote workers will NOT be considered.**

ABOUT US

You will be joining St. Thomas University (STU) at an exciting moment! Under the dynamic leadership of President David A. Armstrong, J.D., STU has had four consecutive years of record enrollment and we’ve set fundraising records too. Our campus footprint is also growing. In the past two years alone, we’ve opened the state-of-the-art Gus Machado College of Business, a new weight room for our student athletes, as well as a turf athletic field, residence hall, and a student center. And, we are going to keep growing…more students, more programs, more facilities!

As we mark our 60th Anniversary, we are setting our sights on the future while also honoring our Cuban heritage and celebrating our Catholic Identity. Come be a part of our diverse community! We are seeking energetic innovators who will help us chart the course for the University’s sixth decade of impact! Let’s work together to attract, serve, and inspire a diverse group of students who will leave STU prepared to be ethical leaders and change agents in our global community.

Located in sunny Miami, Florida, St. Thomas University is a private, non-profit university that offers 39 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees at its picturesque 144-acre campus and through distance learning. Its academic offerings include one of the oldest (and most highly ranked) undergraduate programs in Sports Administration in the country. STU has been ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report in Social Mobility for regional universities in the South, which means it takes students from the lowest financial strata and catapults them to much higher financial strata in only ten years. St. Thomas University is the only Catholic Archdiocesan-sponsored university in Florida, and one of the only eight Archdiocesan universities nationwide.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Financial Aid develops and oversees the University’s financial aid packaging, counseling, and delivery operations, steering the program through and ensuring compliance with Title IV regulation. Responsibilities include ensuring accurate dissemination of information to the University community including students, staff, administration, and faculty. In coordination with campus colleagues, the Director sets strategy, develops tactics, and aligns with the best practices aimed at delivering excellence in financial services to students.

The Director plans, organizes and supervises the daily operations of the Financial Aid Office, including federal work study and institutional scholarships; conducts outreach and training regarding financial aid; prepares and maintains the department budget; prepares and maintains a variety of reports and records; directs the determination and awarding of financial aid; and develops comprehensive policies and procedures covering federal, state and institutional financial aid programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manages financial aid operations through utilization of the integrated student information system - Ellucian Colleague.
• Develops and implements best practices that support the goal of enrollment growth and quality of services.
• Trains and conducts annual performance development evaluations for the financial aid staff.
• Develops and maintains relevant policies and procedures in accordance with federal regulations and departmental and University policy.
• Develops and administers a system of quality control to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Manages daily operations of department. Develops and maintains master calendar for the department. Plans, organizes and implements work projects. Facilitates communications about departmental activities, events, deadlines and timelines.
• Develops and updates communications used to convey and describe financial aid programs and services in accordance with federal consumer information laws, including publications and forms.
• Evaluates student need; analyzes and verifies student eligibility for financial aid programs; monitors student academic progress for continued aid eligibility; prepares and processes awards to eligible students; reviews student appeals and/or special circumstances.
• Plans financial aid disbursement schedules.
• Plans, prepares, and administers annual budget for the operation of the Financial Aid Office.
• Develops plans for the federal work-study allocation and oversees budget/earnings reconciliation.
• Submits enrollment information to NSLDS.
• Oversees and manages federal enrollment reporting.
• Supervises maintenance and retention of confidential student files. Draws down all electronic student aid records and processes corrections.
• Maintains records for the authorization, disbursement, and reconciliation of all the federal, state and local student aid program funds.
• Identifies computer application needs of department and coordinates with IT to implement program improvements.
• Participates in the Colleague users group to ensure timely and strategic utilization of applicable modules, features and automations.
• Provides leadership and management of professional staff, support staff, and department operations.
• Updates and manages applicable financial aid policies and practices for processing financial aid.
• Administers financial literacy, debt management, and default management programs.
• Manages receipt of student scholarships, grants, and third party payments.
• Manages external audit of Title IV funds.
• Work closely with registrar/bursar and finance department to ensure compliance in terms of cash management when disbursing Title IV funds.
• Maintains professional knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and policies and manage the administration of Title IV funds in compliance with all such regulations and policies.
• Other duties or special projects that may be assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum five to seven years of work experience in a post-secondary institution.
• Experience with supervision of staff and in-depth experience managing back-end setup preferred.
• Financial aid support of online/digital programming is required.
• Experience with Ellucian Colleague is a plus, but strong understanding of systems, generally, is required.
• Ability to interact and speak effectively in interpersonal situations and before groups

Tuition Benefit

After 1 year of continuous full‐time service, employees are eligible to enroll in STU’s bachelor and master courses, tuition‐free. The program will cover a maximum timeframe of 125% of credit hours attempted toward the degree program. Employees may enroll in STU’s doctoral program, with a 40% tuition discount, under the same conditions.

Catholic Identity

St. Thomas University is a Catholic university sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami committed to academic and professional success guided by its Catholic identity. All employees are therefore expected to respect the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and support the University’s religious mission. All employees hereby acknowledge their familiarity and support of the religious affiliation, mission and values of St. Thomas University.

Equal Employment Opportunity

St. Thomas University is an equal opportunity employer that promotes a diverse and inclusive organization. It is the policy of the University to fill each vacancy with the candidate who represents the best fit for the position and to promote and transfer employees from within whenever possible and practical. Employment decisions are made on the basis of the candidate’s personal capabilities, qualifications, and ability to assist the University in fulfilling its mission without discrimination. With regard to the latter, the University’s program of recruiting employees for mission aims to inform prospective employees of the University’s mission and to help them and hiring personnel determine how they will support and contribute to the University’s mission.

E-Verify

St. Thomas University is an E-Verify® Employer. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows an employer, using information reported on an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to determine the eligibility of that employee to work in the United States. STU will utilize E-Verify® to verify employment eligibility for all newly hired employees.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: Up to $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Master's (Required)

Experience:

• Financial Aid: 5 years (Required)

Work Location: In person