Assistant Director - Office of Student Financial Aid

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Duties & Responsibilities -

Student Employment Administration –

• Serves as the lead campus person for administering all aspects of undergraduate student employment.
• Maintain auditable records in accordance with federal, state, and institutional requirements.
• Design, administer and implement community service programs.
• Manage the Federal Work-Study graduate assistantship process.
• Liaison with campus hiring officials, off-campus employers, payroll, university counsel and other human resource departments.
• Maintain positive communications with state and federal agencies and others affiliated with programs and services offered by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Budget/Fiscal Operations Administration –

• Serves as the lead office person with external and internal auditors. Including responding to requests for data, responses to questions and prepares audit responses.
• Coordinate all annual fiscal reporting including the FISAP, IBHE Financial Aid Survey, Direct Loans and Pell Grant End-of-Year reports.
• Responsible for identifying any changes or new requests for data involved in preparing these reports and obtaining that data.
• Coordinate record retention policies and procedures and coordinate document archival and destruction.

Office Leadership –

• Provide strategic leadership to the Student Employment and Fiscal Operations unit.
• Supervise unit staff, assign and prioritize their tasks.
• Maintain and improve the comprehensive student-centered and proactive culture of providing enhanced services to students, families, public, university and community partners.
• Lead team meetings and provide mentorship, professional development, and coaching to team members.
• Serve as a member of the office’s management team which directs all office activity including but not limited to planning, supervision, public presentations, serving as a liaison with appropriate offices and agencies, communication, developing and implementing policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, fiscal management, report preparation and directing day-to-day activities of the office.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures.
• Identify problems and contribute to the development and implementation of solutions.
• Use professional judgment to approve exceptions or waivers of policy and procedure.

Required Qualifications -

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, humanities, social sciences, or a closely related field to the position.
• A total of three (3) years (36 months) in education, training and/or work experience in financial aid, human resources, or fiscal operations.

Preferred Qualifications -

• Master’s degree in student personnel, higher education, education policy & leadership, business, counseling, or a related field.
• Five years of professional experience working in a large and highly complex organization in financial aid, human resources, or fiscal operations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities -

• Proven record of working with complex situations that require sensitivity to unique family circumstances.
• Excellent in providing and coaching others in professional, courteous and tactful delivery while establishing and maintaining harmonious and effective work relations with students, staff, faculty and the general public.
• Ability to work under pressure, set priorities and manage multiple high-priority tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively manage constituents that may have difficult financial aid queries and may be experiencing distress.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5003 - Program Director position. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. The budgeted salary for this position is $65,000 - $70,000 annually. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

Employees hired into this position are expected to work on-site at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus on a full-time basis with the possibility of hybrid work options. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on May 14, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. For full consideration, application materials should include a cover letter, current resume (including month/year employment dates), contact information for three professional references, and transcripts or proof of degree(s). Please ensure your resume highlights your qualifications/experience for this position. This may include professional, academic, volunteer, or other applicable experience that aligns with the responsibilities and requirements of this role.

In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jennifer Steiling at steiling@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1030571
Job Category: Professional and Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu