Assistant Director of Financial Aid (Categorically Funded)

Equity and Diversity

The District is strongly committed to achieving staff diversity and the principles of equal opportunity employment. The District encourages a diverse pool of applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin ancestry sex age religion marital status disability or sexual orientation in any of its policies procedures or fact the college encourages applications from all segments of qualified people.

College Profile

Cerritos College is ranked 14th among the top 100 schools with the highest Hispanic enrollment in the United States by the United States Department of Education. Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the colleges district include Artesia Bellflower Cerritos Downey Hawaiian Gardens La Mirada Norwalk and portions of Bell Gardens Lakewood Long Beach Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Enrollment currently averages 20000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at.

Department Profile

Cerritos College invites applications for the position of Assistant Director of Financial Aid a leadership opportunity within the Enrollment Services Division focused on expanding student access to financial aid resources and supporting student success.

The Enrollment Services Division includes Admissions & Records Financial Aid and School Relations. Together these programs provide high-touch services that meet the needs of a diverse student population. The division supports students throughout their educational journey by conducting community outreach; processing applications for admission and financial aid; supporting placement and enrollment; disbursing financial aid; collecting payments; processing grades; evaluating records for graduation certificates and transfer; and providing official transcripts.

Under the supervision of the Dean of Enrollment Services the Assistant Director of Financial Aid provides leadership and supervision for the Financial Aid department. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid ensures compliance with state and federal laws and regulations leads staff development and training oversees the technology used to award and disburse financial aid and supervises daily departmental operations to expand students access to financial aid resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervises the daily operations of the department including organizing services for effective service for financial aid scholarship grant and work study programs.
• Assists in developing and implementing goals objectives policies and priorities for the financial aid function and processes.
• Assists with completing fund reconciliation for Title IV programs including Pell FSEOG Federal Work-Study federal direct student loan programs and state financial aid programs.
• Selects trains motivates and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates trainings and responds to staff questions and concerns.
• Organizes supervises performs and reviews work activities to ensure compliance with regulations budgets quality standards and deadlines. Identifies opportunities for continuously improving service.
• Oversees administration of a full range of financial aid programs including but not limited to loans grants scholarships and other student aid programs.
• Oversees the business process of student applications and award eligibility.
• Analyzes and interprets federal and state regulations governing financial aid. Makes recommendations on implementation of policies and incorporates into Board policies and administrative procedures as appropriate.
• Serves as the point of contact for federal regulations and compliance regarding federal and state financial aid programs prepares and responds to external and internal audits related to financial aid programs.
• Assists with maintaining and communicating Board policies and administrative procedures in compliance with federal regulations and departmental and college policy. Performs quality control to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and to minimize financial liability.
• Consults with and advises administrators faculty staff and students regarding financial aid programs policies procedures and problems. Serves on committees dealing with student financial aid.
• Develops proactive outreach financial literacy and student support strategies that increase awareness of financial aid opportunities reduce barriers to application completion and support recruitment retention completion and equitable student success.
• Uses financial aid data institutional research and program assessment results to evaluate service delivery identify equity gaps improve processing timelines strengthen student-centered practices and recommend strategic improvements.
• Advises students families and the public on the procedural and technical aspects of financial aid programs policies and procedures and requirements. Provides assistance to the Counseling department on financial aid matters.
• Reviews and makes decisions regarding student appeals of satisfactory academic progress denied by the financial aid professional support staff/faculty.
• Develops and updates communications used to convey and describe financial aid programs and services in accordance with federal consumer information laws including publications forms outreach and website maintenance.
• Monitors fraudulent activity with college partners assists with the implementation of fraud mitigation efforts college wide responds to reports of fraudulent activity and reports information to required agencies.
• Maintains timely accurate accessible and student-centered communications regarding financial aid eligibility application steps award status deadlines consumer information and available resources across print digital and in-person service channels.
• Oversees technology-enabled financial aid processing including system configuration testing data integrity workflow automation electronic records security controls and coordination with information technology.
• Coordinates and performs data management functions that include establishing and testing tables and fields for storing information and making computations and design of data entry and retrieval screens for administering student accounts in coordination with the analyst in the department.
• Composes important often sensitive and confidential reports and letters memoranda and bulletins requiring considerable independent judgment and discretion.
• Assist with the development of budgets and maximizes financial resources.
• Oversees monthly reconciliation of financial aid programs with fiscal services and disbursements to students on loans and grants accessing computerized databases for information as necessary. Prepares reports for internal use and for compliance with external agency requirements.
• Coordinates with information technology services in the development implementation and upgrade of application systems within the department and to ensure up-to-date data entry screens data fields tables and other information is contained and accessible through the Colleges integrated student and business information systems.
• Assigns and/or performs research as assigned or required for external reporting. Prepares fiscal reports financial statements studies surveys and program reviews.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of laws regulations policies procedures and automated business systems that guide or support the functional area. Develops operational policies and procedures that enhance the operations of the work section.
• Participates on committees task forces and special assignments.
• Trains staff as it relates to technology issues and regulatory requirements.
• Administers provisions of collective bargaining agreements and manages in compliance with Board policies and administrative procedures.
• Participates in the screening of and recommends selection of assigned personnel.
• Maintains currency of knowledge and skills related to the duties and responsibilities.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications for Education and Experience

A masters degree in Business Administration Management Public Administration Finance Financial Management Accounting Higher Education Administration/Leadership or a closely related field and at least four years of progressively responsible experience in student related services within an educational institution including at least one year of supervisory or oversight experience; OR a bachelors degree in one of the fields listed above OR a closely related field and at least five years of progressively responsible experience in student-related services within an educational institution including at least one year of supervisory or oversight experience. Experience managing comprehensive financial aid operations regulatory compliance fiscal controls technology systems staff supervision and student-centered service delivery.

• Oversight of technology enabled financial aid processing including system configuration testing data integrity workflow automation electronic records and security controls.

• Knowledge of laws regulations policies procedures and automated business systems that guide or support the department and the development of policies and procedures that enhance operations.

Knowledge and Skills

The position requires professional knowledge of:

• Theories principles and practices associated with higher education counseling curriculum and instruction matriculation and student services.

• Development maintenance and administration of a budget.

• Principles of functional leadership training and performance evaluation.

• Pertinent federal and state laws and regulations.

• Development maintenance and administration or processes assuring accurate complete and secure information technology resources.

• Learning and student success process assessment student learning outcomes learning communities and application of technology.

• Strategic planning in organization and management practices assessment analysis and evaluation of programs policies and administrative needs.

• Specialized professional knowledge of the principles trends research and developments of Financial Aid.

• Federal and state financial aid systems reporting requirements audit standards fraud prevention practices internal controls satisfactory academic progress professional judgment verification overaward prevention return of Title IV funds and institutional eligibility requirements.

The position requires demonstrated skill in:

• Developing assessment teaching and learning processes that enhance student success and outcomes.

• Organizing work and building an effective team to meet the needs of the assigned areas.

• Oral and written language sufficient to prepare reports and professional correspondence.

• Human relations/interpersonal skills to conduct performance reviews deliver presentations and convey technical information to a wide variety of audiences.

• Using data technology and continuous improvement methods to streamline financial aid processes strengthen compliance improve communication and advance equitable access to financial aid resources.

This position requires the ability to:

• Learn interpret and ensure compliance with state and federal laws Title 5 and other federal and state regulations as related to the responsibilities of the position.

• Learn articulate monitor and assure accuracy of departmental functions carried out in online and other information technology environments.

• Be open to change and new methods in the assigned area of responsibility.

• Continuously engage in learning and self-improvement.

• Meet change with innovation to promote and meet the college mission.

• Organize plan develop and write new programs develop new concepts analyze outcomes and prepare clear and concise reports.

• Guide and direct others in goal achievement.

• Direct and facilitate development of personal and team perspectives and develop and deliver training programs.

• Develop and monitor budgets and maximize financial resources.

• Work cooperatively and productively with internal and external constituencies.

• Advocate for shared governance collegiality staff cohesiveness and for the core values of the institution.

• Lead financial aid operations through regulatory change system implementation audit response fraud prevention and cross-functional collaboration with instructional student services fiscal services information technology and external agency partners.

• Function in an office environment performing work of primarily a sedentary nature with some requirement to move about campus and to off-campus locales.
• Use hearing and speech to make presentations to groups and carry on conversations over the phone and in person.
• See with sufficient visual acuity to read printed materials and computer screens.
• Use hand/arm/finger dexterity to retrieve work materials and operate standard office equipment.
• Work a flexible schedule which may include evenings weekends and split schedules.

Grade 32 on District Management Salary Schedule ($11705.00 - $14722.00/month).

Health and welfare benefits include District contribution for medical/dental/vision benefits and employee life insurance ($50000). (Cash in lieu option available on medical insurance.)

Participation in the Public Employees Retirement System that is also integrated with Social Security or State Teachers Retirement System

22 days annual vacation.

An annual stipend of $4069 shall be provided to management employees with an earned doctorate degree.

This is a full-time 12-calendar month categorically funded classified manager position. Employment is to be effective as soon as possible following completion of the selection process. Individual who is offered employment shall be required to obtain fingerprints for a criminal history clearance through the State Department of Justice and remit the required fee for processing the fingerprints Federal Bureau of Investigation (no fee if obtained at Cerritos College Campus Police Station) produce an original social security card and submit a TB Risk Assessment reviewed and signed by a health professionalbefore employment before employment.

Candidates must be available to work on site and be able to provide proof of California residency prior to employment.

Application Procedures

Application materials must be submitted by the closing date.We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible application process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview due to a disability please contact Human Resources at as early as possible. While advance notice (ideally at least 72 hours before the application deadline or scheduled interview) helps ensure we can meet your needs we will make every effort to accommodate requests made at any time.

It is the applicants responsibility to provide copies of all transcript(s) verifying all educational degree(s) and/or coursework required for the position. Transcripts must be from regionally accredited institutions. A foreign transcript must be evaluated by a NACES certified agency. The website address is .

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume/CV
3. Copy of Unofficial Transcripts (Must show all coursework completed and conferral date of the degree)