Associate Director Financial Services

Summary:
The Associate Director of Financial Services is responsible for leading the campus Financial Services department, ensuring the delivery of accurate, timely, and compliant support to all prospective and current students. This role involves hiring, training, and developing a high-performing team dedicated to excellent customer service and financial aid administration. The Associate Director of Financial Services ensures department goals are consistently met, operations run efficiently, and support aligns with institutional and regulatory standards. The role also serves as a strategic partner to the Campus Director in addressing student concerns and enhancing service delivery.

Compensation: The starting pay range for this position is $69,306-$75,000 annually.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for the Financial Services team to ensure high-quality customer service and strong departmental performance.
• Assign individual goals to Financial Services Advisors and conduct weekly meetings to offer guidance, training, and performance support.
• Conduct meaningful, documented one-on-one meetings with direct reports on a weekly basis.
• Deliver individual and team training sessions, collaborating with the College Director of Financial Services and Campus Director to address broader improvement areas.
• Perform formal monthly observations of Financial Services Advisors to support development and performance improvement.
• Oversee and optimize campus financial aid processes to ensure operational efficiency and achievement of individual and team goals.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels within the department to support service and performance expectations.
• Monitor financial services reports and implement action plans to address performance gaps or areas needing improvement.
• Ensure all student financial files are accurate, complete, and submitted in a timely manner; identify issues and provide training or follow-up as needed.
• Prepare and deliver timely and constructive performance evaluations for Financial Services employees.
• Promote financial literacy among students and graduates to encourage responsible financial decision-making.
• Participate in campus and college meetings to support overall institutional operations.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with internal colleagues and leadership across departments.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of and compliance with Title IV regulations, as well as state, military, VA, and institutional financial aid requirements.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to delivering outstanding customer service while meeting or exceeding performance targets.
• Ensure timely and effective responses to directives and operational needs.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
Supervises the daily activities of Financial Services Advisors, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and applicable laws. Key responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training staff; assigning and managing workloads; monitoring time and attendance; conducting performance evaluations; recognizing and addressing performance issues; and handling employee concerns and disciplinary actions with sound judgment and discretion.

Core Competencies:

Integrity and Ethics - Demonstrates personal integrity; serves as a positive example of why others should trust the motives of the organization; views self as a reflection of the organization by following through on commitments and accepting ownership of mistakes; treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others and upholds organizational values.

Professionalism – Approaches other in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follow through on commitments.

Adaptability – Responds to change with a willingness and ability to learn new ways of working. Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

Organization Support – Supports the organization’s goals and values. Is keenly aware of the time frame in which tasks or projects needs to be done; accepts and mirrors the level of urgency conveyed by the manager or customer being served; puts priority on the needs of the organization or the needs of its customers.  Fosters collaboration and teamwork across the Institution.

Communication – Develops and delivers communication that conveys a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. Listens to others and allows them to make their point. 

Job Competencies

Customer Focus – Personally, demonstrates that external or internal customers are a high priority. Identifies and understands customer needs and impresses customers with exceptional service. 

Delivers Results - Consistently achieves results within established timelines and shows resilience when faced with obstacles. 

Quality of Work- Establishes a track record of producing work that is highly accurate, demonstrates attention to detail, and reflects well on the organization; is personally committed to high quality work and encourages others to have similar standards. 

Leadership - Inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; accepts and provides feedback from others; gives appropriate recognition to others; able to build morale and group commitment to goals and objectives. 

Training and Development - Ensures staff members get receive orientation, training and development opportunities to maximize success in their assignments; views training and development as an investment in employees and uses mentoring, cross-functional assignments, job rotation or other on-the-job learning opportunities to enhance the depth and breadth of skills and experience; encourages self-development opportunities. 

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed above satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education And/Or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required and/or 3-5 years equivalent Financial Aid experience.
• Working knowledge of Title IV Regulations required.  
• Effective problem-solving and consultative skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communications skills required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Visio, Excel and PowerPoint.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear.  The employee is frequently required to walk.   The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions. Extensive travel requirement required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

All Qualified Applications With Arrest Or Conviction Records Will Be Considered For Employment. To Ensure The Safety And Integrity Of Our Operations, It Is Imperative That A Review Of All Applicants' Criminal History Is Conducted. Failure To Do So Poses A Significant Risk To The Employer, Potentially Compromising Both Business Operations And The Organization'S Reputation.

As Part Of Our Standard Hiring Process, All Candidates Offered A Position At San Joaquin Valley College Inc. Will Undergo A Thorough Background Screening. This Includes Education Verification, County And National Criminal Background Checks, A Motor Vehicle Report, And Social Security Number Trace/Verification Along With An Address History Search. Depending On The Specific Position, Additional Requirements May Apply, Such As Drug Testing, A Fraud And Abuse Control Information System Check, And Verification For Access To The National Student Loan Database System.