Assistant Director - Verification
Description
Job Profile
Administrative Operations Manager 2
Job Family
Administrative Operations
Time Type
Full time
Apply before 11:59 PM Arizona time the day before the posted End Date.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree and five (5) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including two (2) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
Job Profile Summary:
Manages the intermediate to complex operations of a department within the division. Monitors budget, implements strategic priorities, and prepares reports for senior management.
Job Description
Position Salary: $54,000 per year
Under general direction, the Assistant Director - Verification provides leadership and oversight for federal Title IV verification and eligibility operations within Financial Aid. Serves as a subject-matter expert on federal verification requirements, FAFSA/ISIR review, eligibility resolution, compliance standards, and related financial aid systems. Supervises staff, monitors operational performance, supports audit and compliance activities, leads process improvements, and collaborates with campus partners to ensure accurate, timely, and student-centered financial aid processing.
Essential Duties:
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Serve as a subject-matter expert and institutional resource regarding federal verification and Title IV eligibility requirements, providing technical guidance to financial aid staff and campus partners.
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Supervise, train, coach, and evaluate assigned staff; establish performance expectations and provide ongoing feedback and professional development.
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Monitor individual and team productivity, processing accuracy, workloads, and performance metrics; establish priorities and allocate resources to support operational needs and processing deadlines.
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Develop and deliver training related to verification, federal eligibility requirements, regulatory changes, processing procedures, quality standards, and financial aid systems.
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Support internal and external audits, compliance reviews, and federal program reviews by providing documentation, responding to verification-related inquiries, researching findings, and implementing corrective actions as appropriate.
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Analyze processing volumes, trends, error rates, and other operational data to identify opportunities for process improvement, automation, workload management, and enhanced student service.
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Lead continuous improvement initiatives designed to streamline verification processes, reduce administrative burden, improve processing timelines, strengthen compliance, and enhance the student experience.
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Ensure the confidentiality and appropriate handling of student financial information in accordance with FERPA and applicable federal, state, and institutional privacy and data-security requirements, consistent with the processor-level responsibility.
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Perform other financial aid leadership, compliance, operational, and eligibility-related duties as assigned.
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Provide operational leadership and oversight of federal Title IV verification and eligibility processes to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant determination of student financial aid eligibility.
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Direct and monitor verification processing activities, workloads, and queues to ensure established service expectations, institutional priorities, and federal regulatory deadlines are met.
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Provide leadership and guidance in the review and resolution of complex verification and Title IV eligibility issues, including FAFSA/ISIR discrepancies, conflicting information, citizenship and eligible noncitizen requirements, C-codes, rejected ISIRs, federal database matches, and other conditions affecting student eligibility.
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Interpret and apply federal Title IV regulations, U.S. Department of Education guidance, and institutional policies related to verification and student eligibility; communicate regulatory requirements and operational impacts to staff and university stakeholders.
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Evaluate changes to federal verification and eligibility requirements and lead the implementation of necessary operational, procedural, system, and training changes.
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Oversee the development, review, and maintenance of verification and eligibility policies, procedures, business processes, documentation standards, and training materials to ensure consistent application of federal and institutional requirements.
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Establish and maintain quality-control and internal-control processes to monitor processing accuracy, identify trends and compliance risks, and minimize incorrect eligibility determinations, overawards, overpayments, and other processing errors.
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Review quality-assurance findings and operational data to identify systemic issues, determine root causes, implement corrective actions, and improve processing accuracy and efficiency.
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Provide guidance and escalation support for cases requiring advanced regulatory interpretation, independent judgment, or resolution of complex or conflicting student information.
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Ensure verification decisions, corrections, eligibility determinations, and adjustments are appropriately documented to maintain complete and auditable student records.
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Oversee annual verification operational readiness, including preparation for the upcoming aid year, review of federal requirements, business-process updates, documentation requirements, system configuration, and staff training.
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Collaborate with Systems and technology partners to develop, test, implement, and maintain financial aid system functionality supporting FAFSA/ISIR processing, verification, document requirements, eligibility determination, and related automated processes.
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Participate in system testing and validation of federal and institutional changes to ensure verification and eligibility processes function accurately before implementation.
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Collaborate with Compliance, Financial Aid Student Services, Student Business Services, Systems, Enrollment Services, and other university departments to research and resolve complex verification and eligibility issues. This expands the cross-functional collaboration already expected of the processor role.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
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Knowledge of principles and practices related to the assigned department.
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Knowledge of management and supervisory principles and practices.
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Knowledge of budget management methods and techniques.
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Knowledge of strategic planning principles and practices.
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Knowledge of organizational management principles, concepts, and practices.
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Skill in problem-solving and decision-making.
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Skill in planning, analyzing, and coordinating activities and establishing priorities.
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Skill in effectively managing, supervising, and evaluating assigned staff.
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Skill in program design and development.
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Skill in budget preparation and forecasting.
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Evidence of ability to clearly communicate to perform essential functions .
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Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
Desired Qualifications
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Experience leading or overseeing federal Title IV verification, eligibility review, or financial aid compliance processes.
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Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid programs, verification requirements, FAFSA/ISIR processing, Student Aid Index calculations, and related eligibility regulations.
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Experience using federal financial aid systems such as COD, FAFSA Partner Portal, and NSLDS.
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Experience supervising, training, coaching, or evaluating staff in a financial aid, enrollment services, compliance, or student services environment.
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Experience analyzing workloads, processing timelines, quality-control results, or operational data to improve accuracy, efficiency, and student service.
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Experience developing or maintaining policies, procedures, training materials, documentation standards, or internal controls.