Assistant Vice President, Financial Aid and Compliance

Title: Assistant Vice President, Financial Aid and Compliance

Agency: Northern VA Community College

Location: Fairfax County - 059

FLSA: Exempt

Hiring Range: Hiring range is $135,000 to $155,000. Starting salary is commensurate based on experience, education and other qualifications appropriately related to the position within the specified hiring range.

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

Additional Detail

Job Description:
General Description: The Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid and Compliance reports to the Vice President of Student Affairs and provides leadership in ensuring the timely and compliant administration of financial aid processes. This role oversees quality assurance, compliance, and strategic analysis of financial aid operations. The Assistant Vice President serves as the primary liaison between the Financial Aid Office and other key departments, including Financial Services, the Controller's Office, the College Registrar, Admissions, and Enrollment Services. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring adherence to federal, state, and institutional regulations, managing audits, maintaining financial aid policies, and overseeing financial aid technology systems.

Duties and Tasks:

• Lead and manage compliance efforts related to federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, ensuring adherence to regulations such as the Higher Education Authorization Act (HEOA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), and Truth in Lending Act (TILA).
• Oversee financial aid quality assurance activities, including internal and external audits, program reviews, and policy updates.
• Collaborate with the Controller's Office on financial aid operations, including student account management, general ledger reconciliation, tuition remission, direct and campus-based loan management, and financial aid disbursement processes.
• Develop, implement, and maintain institutional financial aid policies and procedures to ensure compliance with evolving federal and state regulations.
• Monitor and manage the submission of all mandatory financial aid reporting requirements, including the Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP), Annual Operating Report (AOR), and other federal and state reports.
• Oversee financial aid technology systems, including PeopleSoft Student Financial Services, ensuring software updates, testing, and data security compliance.
• Conduct regular evaluations of IT processes related to financial aid operations, such as self-service portals, security management, and system updates.
• Develop strategic analysis and reporting tools to track tuition revenue trends, institutional aid, loan programs, and financial projections.
• Assist the Vice President of Student Affairs in evaluating organizational structure, improving service delivery, and identifying trends that impact financial aid policies and procedures.
• Ensure proper management of federal and state financial aid programs, including Virginia State G3 program administration, private loan management, and institutional scholarships.
• Supervise and develop staff, ensuring adequate training, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external regulatory agencies, financial aid program auditors, and compliance officers.
• Perform other related duties assigned to support financial aid and compliance functions.
• Makes regular requests from employees for updates and input on college decisions and share feedback with supervisors for inclusion in the NOVA Brief.

Employees must reside in Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia.

Minimum Qualifications:

KSAs:

• Extensive knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations, including Title IV, FERPA, HEOA, GLBA, and TILA.
• In-depth understanding of financial aid programs (grants, loans, work-study, institutional aid) and their impact on student enrollment and success.
• Ability to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, oversee audits and internal controls, and mitigate financial risks.
• Knowledge of student information systems (e.g., Banner, PeopleSoft), financial aid management systems, and automation tools.
• Knowledge of institutional financial planning, proficiency in tuition revenue modeling, enrollment trends, and cost analysis related to financial aid disbursement, and compliance reporting (IPEDS, FISAP, NSLDS, etc.).
• Understanding of how financial aid interacts with other institutional functions such as enrollment, registrar, and finance.
• Awareness of best practices in financial literacy, debt management, and student support services.
• Experience managing financial aid packaging, verification, disbursement, and reconciliation.
• Ability to supervise, train, and develop financial aid professionals to meet departmental goals.
• Ability to communicate complex financial aid concepts to students, parents, faculty, and senior leadership.
• Ability to clearly convey financial aid policies to students, staff, and external agencies.
• Strong integrity in managing sensitive financial data and ensuring compliance.
• Proficiency in analyzing financial aid data, identifying trends, and making data-informed decisions.
• Ability to manage challenges such as regulatory changes, appeals, and financial aid fraud detection.
• Strong analytical skills to troubleshoot issues and ensure compliance with complex regulations.
• Strong organizational skills to oversee multiple projects, audits, and system implementations.
• Experience in optimizing financial aid software, security, and self-service portals.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, Finance, or in a field appropriately related to the position. Qualifying degree must have been awarded by and/or completed with a regionally accredited institution.
• Extensive progressive experience in financial aid administration, compliance, or student financial services in a higher education setting.
• Extensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and compliance standards.
• Experience with financial aid management systems, preferably PeopleSoft or a similar enterprise system.

Additional Considerations:

Additional Considerations:

• Experience managing financial aid technology systems, including troubleshooting and implementation of software patches.
• Familiarity with Virginia State financial aid programs, including the G3 program.
• Certified Financial Aid Administrator (CFAA) credential or similar professional certification.
• Experience with institutional budgeting, financial modeling, and tuition revenue analysis.