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Associate Dean of Financial Aid
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Position Number: 3743441
Location: Amherst, MA
Position Type: Student Affairs and Services

Associate Dean of Financial Aid

Amherst Campus
Full Time
JR3481

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the Associate Dean of Financial Aid position. The Associate Dean of Financial Aid is a full-time, year-round position, starting at $79,000 per year - commensurate with experience. Given Amherst's distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.

The Associate Dean of Financial Aid is a key member of the financial aid team at Amherst College, supporting one of the most racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse student bodies of any highly selective college in the country. As a member of the financial aid deans team, the Associate Dean plays a leadership role in policy and practice and includes significant opportunities for financial aid and college access leadership on a national scale.

This position is eligible to participate in the College's hybrid work program and can be done either as a full-time on-campus role or as a hybrid role with some work completed remotely in Massachusetts (or Connecticut) with primary work being done on campus. Given Amherst's distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.

The Associate Dean of Financial Aid is responsible for Federal and Institutional financial aid review, correspondence and administration of an assigned caseload of admitted and continuing student applicants. The role will skillfully balance maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and institutional aid policies in the technical processing of aid packages while providing clear, timely, culturally informed and compassionate support for a highly diverse group of current and prospective undergraduate students and their families. Counseling areas include financial aid opportunities, application policy and procedures, financial planning, mid-year and appeal review, as a member of the appeal committee. Contributions will be made to policy and procedure review and development as part of the professional staff team.

The Associate Dean of Financial Aid takes appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participates in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Federal and Institutional Financial Aid

Perform need analysis (file review and revisions) to determine the financial strength of the applicant's family, exercising professional judgment as situations dictate for both federal and institutional methodology
Responsible for a financial aid reading caseload and must make professional judgment decisions within established federal, state, and institutional guidelines.
Utilize PowerFAIDS or other software to support the entire financial aid process including document tracking, communicating with students and parents, performing need analysis, packaging awards, providing aid information and making decisions on financial aid appeals, including mid-year reviews
Counsel a diverse group of students and parents in all areas of financial matters including financial aid and student employment policies and procedures as well as the billing process; work individually with families who need extra assistance to provide great customer service
Commit to and provide customer service excellence in support of students, parents, faculty, and staff
Provide comprehensive advice and assistance to students and families in all areas of financing their Amherst education (financial aid, student accounts/tuition payments, student employment, and student loans). Participate in outreach efforts and activities that emphasize Amherst's commitment to diversity, access, affordability, and other financial literacy initiatives.
Effectively communicate via in person, writing, and over the phone with a diverse group of prospective and current students and parents within a timely and comprehensive manner.
Stay up to date on trends, regulation ,and policies in financial aid, attend professional development programs and training opportunities as required. Utilize the knowledge gained from these experiences in order to assist the department senior team to identify potential improvements in outreach and recruitment efforts. Assist with the formulation of financial aid policies.

Specialty Program Management

Support the processing of veterans' benefits, certifications of eligibility, and compliance with VA reporting requirements.
Lead the coordination and response for the federally-required A-133 Audit and various surveys and questionnaires for financial aid annual data reporting.

All employees are expected to participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Qualifications:

Required

A bachelor's degree or in lieu of a degree, significant financial aid experience
Experience and commitment to working in a diverse and inclusive environment with sensitivity to the needs of students from historically marginalized and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Three to five years of understanding and application of Title IV Federal Financial Aid regulation with policy and program administration duties
Knowledge and experience with institutional methodology
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of Federal/State Student Aid programs and the ability to apply knowledge to situations where precedents do not exist or are ambiguous; must be sensitive to the needs of individuals while maintaining the legal and fiscal integrity of federal, state and institutional aid programs
The ability to analyze complex situations and determine appropriate courses of action while engaged with students in personal interactions of a sensitive nature; create solutions to student problems that utilize the full range of College resources
Excellent verbal and written communication, and interpersonal skills

Preferred

An advanced degree in student personnel or similar fields
Advanced experience with financial aid systems, preferably PowerFAIDS (financial aid software) and Workday (institution enterprise system).
Fluency in a language other than English

Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement.

Amherst College requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (medical and religious exemptions may apply).

Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for Benefits Information.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs . Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Career icon from their Workday home screen) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

To find information about job group and level (JGL) follow this link.

To apply, visit https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Amherst_Jobs/job/Amherst-Campus/Associate-Dean-of-Financial-Aid_JR3481