Type of Appointment: Full-Time, Probationary
Job Classification: Administrative Analyst/Specialist - Exempt II
Anticipated Hiring Range: $5,537 - $5,618 per month ($66,444 - $67,416 annually)
Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm, unless otherwise notified.
Recruitment Closing Date: December 5, 2024
THE DEPARTMENT:
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is an organizational unit of the Division of Academic Affairs, which strives for excellence through a student-centered philosophy.
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships supports the University's mission, vision and strategic plan goals. We provide financial aid services to students and customers, including counseling and outreach activities designed to promote awareness and facilitate solutions related to meeting the cost of education at Cal Poly Pomona. Our office follows the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct established by the National Association of Student Aid Administrators and the Principles of Excellence established by Presidential Executive Order. We provide access to federal, state, university, donor and other types of financial resources to assist students in their enrollment, retention and graduation. We strive to effectively communicate, counsel and ensure these resources are delivered in a timely manner. This mission is accomplished by:
- Promoting successful enrollment and persistence through timely delivery of financial aid Offering support through counseling, outreach and effective communication;
- Promoting academic success through monitoring academic progress and collaboration with student support offices and faculty;
- Promoting financial success through delivery of information on financial literacy and debt management;
- Cultivating campus relationships with faculty, staff and students;
- Creating an office culture of service and knowledge that is empathetic to student needs by providing training and opportunities for good morale.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Program Administration:
- Fiscal Processing & Reporting Coordinate and conduct financial aid fiscal processing activities to ensure proper stewardship of funds and compliance with all regulatory guidelines.
- Review and analyze regulatory changes that affect financial processing and cash management activities. Evaluate impact to existing policy and procedures and develop proposals to implement necessary changes.
- Develops procedures and internal controls to ensure that financial aid Is properly awarded to the appropriate students.
- Establish reconciliation standards and conduct monthly, quarterly, and year-end fund reconciliation activities for the Title IV aid programs (Direct Loan, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal TEACH Grant), California State aid programs (Cal Grant, Middle Class Scholarship), and Cal Poly Pomona Scholarship programs. Ensure timely completion within established deadlines, for all federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
- Develop and maintain internal control processes to ensure proper stewardship of funds and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and accounting standards.
- Review and process various exception & other reports to verify continued award eligibility for students receiving financial aid. Analyze report data to determine how information affects student eligibility, revise aid packages as appropriate and notify students of changes. Train and provide guidance to processing staff that are responsible for supporting these activities. 6. Perform fiscal year end closing activities in collaboration with the Student Financial Services team. Conduct expenditure review analysis and resolve any outstanding transactions.
- Gather and provide fiscal and award information to assist with various reporting requirements and review activities, including the FISAP, CSU FADB report, financial aid audits, program reviews, Common Data set, etc. a. Serve as principal resource to staff and management for technical and compliance issues related to the federal grant program. b. Conduct the review of various edit reports designed to identify processing discrepancies. Analyze and resolve issues to facilitate student payment and reporting.
- Represent the fiscal unit interests and objectives on office-wide committees.
Fiscal Compliance & Process Analysis
- Assesses and develops processes within the financial aid office to ensure effective, quality, compliant, and timely processing of student financial aid applications.
- Performs return of Title IV calculations (repayment of federal aid) when students lose withdraw from the term. Performs adjustment to other aid programs within drop and withdrawal policies.
- Oversee the processing of the 3rd party payment and fee waiver reports. Monitor awards posted to student accounts and revise existing financial aid awards to ensure compliance with award rules.
- Oversee identification, processing and resolution of student files identified as approaching or exceeding the Lifetime Eligibility limits. Coordinate manual awarding of files as necessary.
- Conduct annual review of technical specifications, testing activities, implementation and monitoring of programmatic requirements, including aid year set-up activities.
- Review and analyze operational guidance and updates provided by CSAC. Evaluate impact to existing policy and procedures and develop proposals to implement necessary change.
- Conduct quality assurance reviews of coordination of aid across federal and state aid programs.
- As required, participate on projects related to the delivery of financial aid to students (Census Processing, Major Disbursement activities), including monitoring workflow to ensure timely completion of activities.
- Utilize project management tools to monitor and track accurate completion of project activities.
Project & Process Management
- Develop and oversee project plans for the department, when necessary, which includes serving as project manager, disseminating project plans, and delegating project tasks for a variety of fiscal review and oversight activities, including unapplied credit report, undisbursed aid reports, fee waiver lists, enrollment activity review, and other various reports.
- Independently manage and implement highly complex and business solutions with broad scope within and outside the organization processing improvement efforts, often developing new strategic approaches and solutions.
- Assist in maintaining the office Policy & Procedure Manual including revising/updating information and disseminating updates to staff and Ad Hoc financial aid training sessions.
- Provide oversight and guidance to program leads maintaining functional documentation of Federal and State program activities, documentation of implemented procedures and reference materials in support of program objectives, assist in delivering training to staff on CPP and federal policy.
- Monitors federal and state financial aid regulatory environments and communicates proposed changes with the Associate Director of Compliance and Director of Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.
Collaboration & Development
- Remain current with constantly evolving financial aid regulations (federal, state, institutional) and emerging trends and best practices in delivering service excellence. Contribute to the overall success of the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships and Enrollment Management & Services through ad-hoc assignments.
- Support work as needed throughout the Financial Aid unit & Enrollment Management & Services with ad-hoc projects or activities as assigned by the Financial Aid & Scholarships Leadership Team
- Participate in ongoing departmental training and cross-training activities to ensure an understanding of the university’s programs, policies & procedures, and resources & services available to students.
- Actively engage in professional associations and attend training sessions and workshops, and complete self-directed professional reading, to remain current on financial aid regulations and procedures as well as on emerging trends in delivery of service excellence.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree and/or the equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
- Two (2) years of related experience
- Working knowledge of, and ability to apply standard theories, principles, practices, and techniques applicable to the program and/or administrative specialty to develop conclusions and make recommendations; thorough knowledge of policies, procedures, and outside regulations pertaining to the applicable program and/or administrative specialty; working knowledge of operational and fiscal analysis and techniques; ability to take initiative and plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in various situations where numerous and diverse demands are involved. Skill in research, development and evaluation of policies and programs, including skill in the collection, evaluation, and interpretation of data to develop sound conclusions and make appropriate recommendations; expertise in investigating and analyzing problems with a broad administrative impact and implications; ability to anticipate problems and address them proactively; demonstrated ability to effectively interpret, organize, and present information and ideas in written or presentation form; ability to train others on new skills and procedures and provide lead work direction.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- At least two years of increasing responsibility conducting activities that involve reconciling programs within a college or university financial aid or student account office demonstrating working knowledge of accounting principles and theory related to fiscal management and reconciliation.
- Experience awarding and adjusting aid involving Direct Loans, Federal Pell grants and/or California State Grant (CalGrant, Middle Class Scholarship) financial aid programs within established policies and procedures.
- Experience using aid delivery platforms like (National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), Common Originations and Disbursement (COD), CSAC Webgrants, FAA Access to CPS online)
- Experience writing PeopleSoft Query or writing criteria in other report writing tools to support analysis of data.
- Knowledge of Direct Loan, Federal Pell grant and California State Grant financial aid programs, policies, and procedures.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of accounting principles and theory related to fiscal management and reconciliation.
- Working knowledge of on-line student information system (PeopleSoft / Campus Solutions preferred) including PS Query or other data analysis programming tools.
- Ability to analyze information, problems, and situations in order to recommend strategies to assist in fiscal management.
- Skill in performing accurately with heavy workload requirements and the ability to use effective time management skills in order to prioritize tasks to accomplish goals within established time frames.
- Interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff, faculty and peers.
- Skills to effectively interpret, organize, and present information and ideas in written or presentation form.
- Working knowledge of fiscal policies including Cash Management regulations
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Cal Poly Pomona, we are committed to the urgent and ongoing work of creating and sustaining an inclusive campus where all students, faculty, and staff are welcomed, respected and can flourish to achieve their dreams of success.
We believe diversity strengthens community. Cal Poly Pomona proudly holds designations as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). In 2022, the campus launched the Black Thriving Initiative recognizing that Cal Poly Pomona’s future as a university must be linked to the success of its Black community.
More information about our campus initiatives can be found on the Office of Inclusive Excellence’s website.
Out of State Work
The California State University (CSU) system is a network of twenty-three public universities providing access to a quality education through the support of California taxpayers. Part of CSU’s mission is to prepare educated, responsible individuals to contribute to California’s schools, economy, culture, and future. As an agency of the State of California, the CSU’s business operations almost exclusively reside within California. The CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California. For more information, go to https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/10899725/latest/.
Background Check
Cal Poly Pomona will make a conditional offer of employment to final job candidates, pending the satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check). The conditional offer of employment may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. In determining the suitability of the candidate for the position, Cal Poly Pomona will give an individualized assessment to any information that the applicant submits for consideration regarding the criminal conviction history such as the nature, gravity and recency of the conviction, the candidate’s conduct, performance or rehabilitation efforts since the conviction and the nature of the job applied for. For more information, go to https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/13813878/latest/.
CSU Classification Salary Range
This position is part of the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) bargaining unit 9. The CSU Classification Standards for this position are located on the following site: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/compensation/Pages/Classification-Standards.aspx. The CSU Salary Schedule is located on the following site: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/compensation/Pages/salary-schedule-documents.aspx. The classification salary range for this position according to the respective skill level is: minimum $5,537 and maximum $10,014 per month. Please refer to the anticipated hiring range for the appropriate salary rate for this particular position.
Employment Eligibility Verification
Cal Poly Pomona hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. For more information, go to https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents.
Security & Fire Safety
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Cal Poly Pomona’s Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report are available for viewing at: https://www.cpp.edu/pdfs/annual_security_report.pdf and https://www.cpp.edu/housing/documents/fire_safety_report.pdf.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination
As a federal contractor, Cal Poly Pomona will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. For more information, see the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision poster.
Reasonable Accommodation
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu. For more information, go to Employment Notices.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Cal Poly Pomona is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workforce. The university subscribes to all state and federal regulations that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, medical condition, and veteran or military status. We engage the talents of all qualified workers, regardless of their background. More information is available at Equal Employment Opportunity statement.
Other Notices
For other important employment notices, we invite you to visit Cal Poly Pomona’s Employment Notices web page.