Please Note: InternalEmployees, please access the Career app on the homepage to apply for the position.
The University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global) is a private, nonprofit affiliate of the University of Massachusetts. Accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), the university offers undergraduate, graduate, credential, and certificate programs designed to be relevant to more than 90 career paths. UMass Global has ranked consistently among the best in the nation by .
At the University of Massachusetts Global, we value the personal health and financial well-being of our employees. With our affordable and flexible benefit packages we aim to provide peace of mind to allow employees to focus on important aspects of their lives. Our benefits include:
Healthcare
Medical, dental, and vision plans - including health and flexible spending accounts - that cover you and your family.
Work-Life Balance
We encourage a healthy work-life balance, that’s why we offer flexible schedules and remote work opportunities. In addition, we provide generous vacation and sick time and 13 paid holidays which includes a winter break.
Financial Protection
For life's unexpected surprises - we provide life and disability insurance, prepaid legal, identity theft, critical illness, accident, and travel assistance. We also have programs to help you manage student debt offered through SAVI. Employees are also eligible for Public Student Loan Forgiveness.
Tuition Remission
We support the educational goals of you and your family by providing tuition discounts at UMass Global and Chapman University.
Wellbeing
24/7 counseling support, through our Employee Assistance Program, and free premium subscription to Calm for you and your dependents! In addition, our Wellness program provides year-round events that bring together our community and promotes employee well-being.
Retirement
Pre-tax and Roth options with a generous match of 6% and additional employer contribution of 3% - totaling 9%!
Responsible for supervision of Financial Aid Advisors and Financial Aid Assistant; acting as a liaison between the Financial Aid Office, One Stop and Academic Advising; providing financial aid training to the staff of the Financial Aid Office, One Stop and Academic Advising; developing and analyzing data to promote sound student recruitment and retention strategies and enhancing efficient, effective, compliant financial aid practices and training throughout the University.
UMass Global employees are eligible to participate in a voluntary hybrid flexible work arrangement benefit (remote work) with approval of their supervisor, through the University’s Voluntary Flexible Work Arrangement Program.
The hiring range for this position is $67,266.00 to $80,000. Offers are determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to: geographical location, knowledge, skills, years & depth of experience, and equity with internal team members.
TYPE OF SUPERVISION:
Receive direction from the Director, Financial Aid.
1. Direction – indicates that the incumbent attains specific goals and objectives in a broad area of work. Only the final results of work done are typically reviewed. Incumbent typically develops procedures within the limits of established policy guidelines.
POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Percentage
2. Supports the overall efforts of the financial aid office and other University offices to provide students with access to a UMass Global education.
3. In accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies, determines student eligibility for federal, state, and university programs. Awards financial aid funds to students. Authorizes payment of financial aid awards to students. May notify students of financial awards.
4. Manages Financial Aid Advisors and Financial Aid Assistants in all aspects of supervision including directing activities, hiring, termination, training, performance assessment, approval of timesheets and requests for time off, ensuring cohesiveness of effort, and coordination of activities with other administrative entities.
5. Maintains expertise in all areas of financial aid so that the financial aid office can plan and react positively to constantly changing federal, state and institutional postures concerning student assistance. Keeps abreast of federal and state student financial aid legislation, regulations, and sub-regulatory guidance. Keeps current with student information system and financial aid management system standards, changes, trends, and functions.
6. Participates in federal, state, and accreditation audit visits and assists with any corrective actions.
7. Oversees effective, accurate communication from the Financial Aid Advisors and Financial Aid Assistants with One Stop and students. Streamlines and enhances existing Financial Aid Office and One Stop business practices and relationships. Monitors ticketing system in SharePoint and analyzes data for trends.
8. Serves as the primary point of contact between the Financial Aid Office, One Stop and Academic Advising. Provides consulting services to campus staff. Acts as a referral from colleagues and financial aid staff regarding development of solutions to difficult student concerns where precedent may not exist.
9. Supervises the awarding of over $140,000,000 financial aid annually by the financial aid advisors. Utilizes quality control reports to ensure staff are complying with federal, state, and institutional policies, accounting for proper expenditure of financial aid funds, and minimizing fiscal and legal liability for the University. Evaluates the adequacy and effectiveness of quality control reports by reviewing and verifying adherence to policies and procedures meant to insure the reliability and accuracy of data. Analyzes exception reports of students whose aid packages could not be handled by automated programming and determines action needed to resolve issues to provide student aid awards.
10. Maintains and enhances the One Stop Financial Aid Reference Guide that includes the policies and procedures necessary to enable One Stop Specialists to advise students about financial aid statuses.
11. Prepares financial aid related job aids for financial aid staff and One Stop Specialists.
12. Trains and provides leadership and technical expertise to subordinates, financial aid colleagues, and other University employees to ensure that accurate, relevant financial aid information and top quality service are provided to everyone who contacts the university. Conducts training webinars for colleagues. Provides written communications to One Stop Specialists to keep them up-to-date with changes to policy and procedure. Develops standardized best practices for financial aid advising by One Sop. Develops or modifies training to achieve enrollment goals, enhance effectiveness and efficiency, and ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Evaluates post-training assessment results for effectiveness of training and possible remediation.
13. Prepares informational materials for publication and submits updates of financial aid information for inclusion on the internal and public websites.
14. Maintains and enhances financial aid orientation materials for new employees in the financial aid office and at the campuses. Creates onboarding training and monitors completion for new One Stop staff.
15. Provides technical and analytical support to the financial aid staff, One Stop staff, members of the university community, and external groups and agencies.
16. Assesses the impact of policies, procedures, and system development on One Stop and Financial Aid Office functions and operations. Adapts existing training for changes in federal and state regulations or institutional policies.
17. Recommends changes in financial aid policy or procedures to benefit students in specific demographic groups such as new admits, transfer students, reentry students, and student withdrawing from the university.
18. Coordinates with other University administrative entities to implement successful recruitment, and retention initiatives.
19. Participates in federal, state, and accreditation audit visits and assist with any corrective actions.
20. Assists with testing and implementation of maintenance upgrades for the financial aid management systems.
21. Utilizes data to ascertain the training needs of One Stop Specialists, financial aid colleagues, and appropriate University staff. Enhances University recruitment efforts by obtaining and analyzing data relative to the effectiveness of financial aid policies.
22. Assists with monitoring satisfactory academic progress (SAP) of financial aid recipients. Participates on the SAP Appeals Committee.
23. Works in collaboration with the Compliance Officer, the Assistant Director of Systems, and the Director to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, to develop and implement financial aid policies and procedures, to implement financial aid awarding criteria, and to promote and maintain high morale in a team environment
24. Makes the Director aware of any issues that may compromise compliance with laws, regulations, and policies. Should such issues remain unresolved, informs the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Accounts.
95%
25. Perform other duties, as assigned
5%
TOTAL
100%
POSITION SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATION AND/OR LICENSES:
26. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience.
27. 4 to 7 years of experience working within a regulatory environment, such as within a university, corporation, or government entity; with at least 2 of those years in a university financial aid office.
28. One to three years of supervisory experience.
29. Knowledge of federal, state, and university laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, and ability to utilize said knowledge into effective, efficient, and compliant financial aid administration. Thorough understanding of need analysis, student budgets, and Federal financial aid packaging regulations.
30. Knowledge of general accounting principles and practices as they relate to student financial aid programs and reporting.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
31. Ability to communicate clearly and accurately complex procedures and eligibility rules to the university community.
32. Sound interpersonal skills to relate sympathetically and sensitively with others yet with sufficient detachment to communicate understanding of rules, procedures, and policy. Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of constituents including senior leadership, faculty, staff, and trustees.
33. Ability to analyze effectiveness of university financial aid policy and procedure and make recommendations for improvement. As well as implement changes.
34. Ability to exercise sound independent judgment and personal initiative.
35. Ability to gather and analyze data, reason logically, draw valid conclusions and make available appropriate concise information in both oral and written forms.
36. Ability to apply knowledge of policies to individual situations.
37. Problem identification and critical thinking skills.
38. Ability to foster a collaborative and cooperative work environment
39. Ability to effectively manage multiple high-priority tasks on deadline.
40. Effective leadership, management, motivation, and organizational skills.
Machines, Tools, Equipment, Electronic Devices and Software: PC and printer, Photocopy/fax/image machine, calculator, phone, Microsoft Office Suite, Banner, Regent Award, and Perceptive Content. Experience using complex databases.
Contact with Students: Occasional
Contact with Faculty and/or Staff: Frequent
Contact with Community and Vendors: Occasional
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Position may require occasional weekend and/or evening work. All applicants are subject to a background check and criminal history review. Working conditions are normal for an office environment. Applicants for this position are subject to a credit review. The applicant must not be in default on a student loan or owe an over-payment on a federal grant.
Please Note: InternalEmployees, please access the Career app on the homepage to apply for the position.
Equal Employment Opportunity – UMass Global is committed to providing an educational and work environment free of unlawful discrimination and harassment in any form. UMass Global prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of age, ancestry, color, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), disability (mental and physical), marital status, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, national origin (including language use restrictions), race, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/ related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.
Our Benefits
Our benefits include:
Healthcare
Medical, dental, and vision plans - including health and flexible spending accounts - that cover you and your family.
Financial Protection
For life's unexpected surprises - we provide life and disability insurance, prepaid legal, identity theft, critical illness, accident, and travel assistance. We also have programs to help you manage student debt offered through SAVI. Employees are also eligible for Public Student Loan Forgiveness.
Work-Life Balance
We encourage a healthy work-life balance, that’s why we offer flexible schedules and remote work opportunities. In addition, we provide generous vacation and sick time and 13 paid holidays which includes a winter break.
Retirement
Pre-tax and Roth options with a generous match of 6% and additional employer contribution of 3% - totaling 9%!
Tuition Remission
We support the educational goals of you and your family by providing tuition discounts at UMass Global and Chapman University.
Wellbeing
24/7 counseling support, through our Employee Assistance Program, and free premium subscription to Calm for you and your dependents! In addition, our Wellness program provides year round events that bring together our community and promotes employee well-being.