The Enrollment Division at the University of Denver (DU), which consists of Undergraduate Admission, International Student Admission and Financial Aid, works to attract, enroll and cultivate an optimal mix of vibrant and intellectually motivated students who will enrich the composition of our learning community and go on to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Recognizing education as a means of individual and societal transformation, our vision is to inspire, guide, and support prospective and current students as leaders and scholars who will positively impact their communities. In our daily work, the enrollment team is guided by these values: intentional and informed decisions; integrity; diversity, equity and inclusion; collaboration; fiscal responsibility; pioneering spirit; clear and thoughtful communication; and exceptional quality service. As an educational and research community, DU values curiosity, intellectual freedom, and open communication. DU respects individual differences and embraces civil discourse. DU promotes caring and close individual attention. DU is a community distinguished by inclusiveness, collaboration, responsiveness, and accountability. As such, we are committed to enhancing the diversity of our faculty and staff. The University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
Position Summary
Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Financial Aid Advising, the Assistant Director of Graduate Student Advising has primary responsibility for graduate students and programs. With specific focus on graduate students, the Assistant Director develops and maintains a thorough knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid topics to counsel students and parents about financial aid at DU and reviews student files to ensure compliance with all financial aid rules and regulations.
In addition, the Assistant Director administers all aspects of private and graduate loan processing and fosters positive relationships with lending partners. Further, the Assistant Director actively engages with campus colleagues who have varied styles and skills, including those with high levels of responsibility; therefore, the Assistant Director serves as a valuable leader, motivating colleagues throughout the University community. In addition, the Assistant Director serves as a leader within the financial aid office and supervises two fulltime staff members.
Essential Functions
Program Responsibilities and Leadership:
- Designs, implements, and maintains financial aid programs for students with an emphasis on students enrolled in graduate programs. Provides leadership and training for financial aid office staff and campus partners.
- Maintains active, supportive, and positive relationships with DU’s graduate units by working with enrollment, scholarship, and financial aid personnel in academic units across campus
- Participates in meetings with graduate partners and serves as the main contact with stakeholders regarding graduate education matters
- Regularly engages with DU’s graduate online partners and serves as a liaison to discuss and resolve and financial aid matters
- Directs private and graduate loan processing to ensure accurate and timely awards and disbursements. Seeks lender and student feedback via periodic Requests for Information (RFI) and manages DU’s relationship with preferred lenders by providing loan periods, policies, and other financial aid information.
- Monitors and completes workflow progress for applicants, focusing primarily on graduate students
- Understands and supports implementation of the University’s differential tuition policy
- Develops and recommends policies and procedures for graduate aid to ensure compliance with financial aid rule and regulations
- Works with the financial aid systems team to recommend, test, and implement improvements and changes in database workflows, forms, and reports
- Collaborates with all areas of the office to ensure resources are utilized during peak seasons
- Helps coordinate and contributes to financial aid outreach and financial literacy programming
- Recruits trains, supervises, trains, evaluates, and mentors two fulltime financial aid staff members
- Continually evaluates processes and team needs to identify efficiencies, innovations and recommends improvements to senior staff
- Serves as a member of the Advising Leadership Team
Professional Advising Services:
- Works with prospective students, continuing students, and members of the DU community on the financial aid application process, eligibility, need analysis, awards, disbursement, federal/state institutional policy, and the rights and responsibilities of receiving financial aid. Works with DU graduate and other students to craft a financial plan that makes the University of Denver affordable.
- Maintains a thorough knowledge of financial aid topics including costs of attendance, federal and institutional need analysis, award packaging, types of financial aid, outside scholarships and other resources, payment and financing options, lender selection, loan applications and certifications, billing, disbursement dates, aid applications, withdrawals, stop-outs, re-admits, timelines/deadlines, financial aid policies and procedures, and the responsibilities of receiving financial aid.
- Manages highly sensitive financial and personal issues requiring independent judgment, tact, and diplomacy. Maintains strict confidentiality and adheres to Higher Education Act and FERPA regulations.
Financial Aid Knowledge:
- Assesses a family’s ability to pay for educational expenses by evaluating income and assets reported on the FAFSA, CSS Profile, federal tax returns, W-2s and other financial documents. Serves as an expert in need analysis, both federal and institutional methodologies and can explain complex financial aid calculations, as well as the results and rationale behind financial aid awarding, in an easy-to-understand manner. Routinely responsible for reviewing current financial circumstances of students and applying professional judgment for special circumstances appeal cases.
- Researches and resolves student issues, which includes completing verification and file reviews, resolving FAFSA comment codes and rejects, packaging aid revisions, adjusting student budgets, correcting over awards, and monitoring students on satisfactory academic progress.
- Provides financial aid outreach to the broader community as requested
- Assists systems team with federal reporting requirements
Training and Professional Development:
- Maintains and adheres to current federal and state regulations and internal policies and procedures to ensure accurate and efficient interpretation of information and to ensure program compliance.
Supervisory Duties:
- Actively manages, trains, and guides financial aid team members. Ensures assigned work is completed accurately and efficiently. Provides timely and effective feedback to staff and serves as a role model and mentor for their success.
Other Duties as Assigned including financial aid outreach to the broader community.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Thorough understanding of federal and institutional need analysis methodologies and strong skills in federal and institutional financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures.
- Strong skills in conflict resolution, verbal and written communication, time management, and human relations.
- Proficiency with Banner and the ability to resolve data integrity issues and discrepancies within the system preferred.
- Decorum: Professional, personable, and responsive. Maintains constant open communication, mutual respect and trust, inclusiveness, teamwork, accepts change and growth and a commitment to providing exceptional customer service.
- Some weeknight/weekend and holiday work is required as well as travel to financial aid workshops and conferences.
- Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
- Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
- Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
- Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic and intermediate algebra.
- Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with complex problems.
- Demonstrates strong overall and program-specific financial aid knowledge; must have strong skills in conflict resolution, verbal and written communication, time management, and human relations.
- Proficiency with standard MS Office software applications.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Proficient knowledge of financial aid processes, guidelines, and procedures
- Five years of higher education experience (CPA or Master’s degree may substitute for experience)
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s Degree
- Five years or more of direct financial aid office experience
- Use of institutional methodology
- Supervisory experience
Working Environment
Physical Activities
Work Schedule
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Some weeknight/weekend and holiday work is required as well as travel to financial aid workshops and conferences.
Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) May 11, 2023.
Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.
Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 10.
Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $55,000-$70,000.
The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.
Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver .
Please include the following documents with your application:
The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university’s complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non-discrimination-statement .
All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.
Advertised: April 20, 2023
Applications close: