Assistant Director, Financial Aid Accounting

Job Title:

Assistant Director, Financial Aid Accounting

Location:

Tallahassee, FL

Regular/Temporary:
Regular

Full/Part Time:
Full-Time

Job

Office of Financial Aid

The Office of Financial Aid is a unit within the Division of Enrollment Management, which is comprised of four distinct units:
Office of Admissions, Office of the University Registrar, Office of Financial Aid, and Technology Operations. Enrollment Management’s integrated services provide distinctive support throughout the student's development and progression in their academic experience – from recruitment through commencement. Through collaboration, communication, and commitment, all units within Enrollment Management achieve the highest level of student-centered service to current and prospective students and families and to campus partners across the University.

Provides direction and oversight of the Financial Aid Accounting unit within the Office of Financial Aid (OFA). Directs the budgets of Federal Title IV funds, State Programs, Institutional and Foundation funds for OFA. Administers financial and systems support requirements and provides consultation and recommendations for operational management, reconciliation, and reporting for budgets within OFA. Responsible for the management of the Financial Aid Accounting unit within the Office of Financial Aid.

Controls budgets for student financial aid funds disbursed by the OFA, including Federal Title IV funds, State Programs, Institutional and Foundation funds. Develops initial allocations for the fiscal year and maintains calendar of these fund types to ensures timely and accurate accountability and reconciliation of funds. Assesses prospective expenditures under the guidance of senior leadership; uses forecasting models as appropriate. Provides accounting of all incoming and outgoing monies from federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid funds.

Oversees reconciliation activities as required by fund sources and as dictated by best practices in accounting. Collaborates with SBS on reconciliations conducted under their purview to ensure appropriate separation of duties; provides timely and accurate feedback to representatives of that office. Updates spendable allocation in the student information system to ensure maximum usage in packaging. Provides reports of fund balance and anticipated income/expenses on a regular basis to senior leadership.

Works with technical staff to identify opportunities for gains in efficiency and transparency. Partners in the design, development, and testing of such tools. May participate in financial aid package modeling activities with technical team.

Compiles and analyzes data of large batch departmental disbursements. Spearheads the collection of data required for the annual completion of the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) report. Ensures accurate and timely daily, monthly, and annual financial reports to senior management of student financial aid budgets. Monitors financial data and activity to identify unusual activity and/or reports of discrepancies to subject matter experts of those respective funds.

Re-evaluates spending of budgets once disbursements are made to resolve reporting issues, errors, omissions, and discrepancies in a timely manner. Assists staff in day-to-day issue resolution and monitors timeframe and work output for sensitive disbursement cycles. Works with staff to adjust budget caps as needed to ensure accurate and timely usage of funds. Monitors funding allocations made by federal, state, and institutional sources to ensure appropriate usage, and funds are reallocated in a timely manner commensurate with all rules and regulations.

Serves as liaison between Student Business Services, the Budget Office, and Federal/State agencies with regards to accounting and financial aid services. Participates in short- and long-range planning and makes recommendations on financial and budgetary operations related to the business functions of the department. Responds to internal and external audit requests as needed. Serves as representative within university wide meetings…