Executive Director for the SUNY Financial Aid Network

National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Executive Director for the SUNY Financial Aid Network (SUNYFAN) will plan, direct, and assess financial aid services for SUNYFAN members, reporting to the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management. Based at SUNY Buffalo State University, the role requires leadership of staff, data-informed decision making, and collaboration with members and leadership.

This position involves travel to represent SUNYFAN at local, state, and national conferences and meetings, with a focus on

Qualifications

• Ten years of experience in higher education administration in financial aid.
• At least five years of campus leadership experience at the director level or higher.
• Strategic planning and management experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience supervising professional staff.
• Experience working in programs supporting the success of students from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Experience with data collection and analysis.
• Experience with program assessment.
• Experience tracking key deliverables and following up on outstanding items.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial aid administrative services for SUNYFAN member campuses.
• Track costs and allocate costs among members based on the annual budget.
• Allocate overhead costs to members based on the annual budget and services.
• Assess late fees to member campuses.
• Provide information and analysis to members on financial aid administration services and results.
• Obtain Advising Committee approval for changes in services, costs, or strategies.
• Prepare annual cost budgets for member campuses.
• Make timely payments to contractors and consultants and audit bills.
• Meet with Advising Committee at least every six months.
• Establish standards and services SUNYFAN will follow for members.
• Establish and maintain a service charge schedule to support SUNYFAN operations.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Job description

The SUNY Financial Aid Network (SUNYFAN) is a shared-services model for financial aid application assistance, staff training, and financial aid award processing for member campuses from the State University of New York.

The Executive Director for the SUNY Financial Aid Network will report directly to the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at SUNY System Administration. The Executive Director for the SUNY Financial Aid Network (SUNYFAN) will plan, direct, and assess the financial aid services and needs of the SUNYFAN members. The Executive Director will provide leadership and direct supervision to program staff in coordinating a range of strategic initiatives, including, but not limited to, FAFSA and TAP application completion efforts, student assistance with financial aid processes, financial aid staff onboarding and training for member campuses, and financial aid processing for member campuses. The incumbent will assess the effectiveness and impact of these initiatives, identify changing data needs, work with member campuses in establishing benchmarks, refine data collection methodologies, prepare comprehensive reports and presentations, and provide data-informed recommendations to leadership on strengthening the program. The position will call for working independently, under general direction, while using good judgement, and maintaining the highest level of confidentiality. The Executive Director for SUNYFAN will serve as a key leader for SUNY System Administration through the Office of Enrollment Management, and will have a deep understanding, commitment, and value of working as a collaborator, with a strong personal orientation toward collaboration, transparency, and accessibility.

This position will be based at the SUNY Buffalo State University campus. Some travel is required to represent SUNY at local, state and national conferences, workshops, training, and for meetings.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide financial aid administrative services for members.
• Track costs and accurately allocate costs among members based on the annual budget approved by SUNY FAN and the Advising Committee.
• Allocate overhead costs to members through the basic membership fees and/or services fees based on the annual budget approved by SUNY FAN and the Advising Committee.
• Assess any late fees to member campuses.
• Provide information and analysis to members on financial aid administration services provided, strategies employed, and results obtained when requested.
• Provide information to and obtain Advising Committee approval, for changes in financial aid administration services to be provided by FAN, strategies employed or suggested to meet FAN goals and mission, allocation of costs among membership, member services, overhead costs, etc.
• Prepare annual cost budgets for member campuses.
• Make timely payments to contractors, and consultants for commodities and services provided.
• Provide audit of bills submitted by contractors or consultants.
• Meet with Advising Committee at least every six (6) months.
• Establish the standards and services to be followed by SUNYFAN in providing the services requested by member campuses.
• Establish and maintain a “service charge” schedule, based on the requested member services, which will support the operations of SUNYFAN, dependent on the approved operational and capital budget submitted to the Chancellor or designee.
• Hire, train and manage, within collectively bargained requirements and the established campus structure, any SUNYFAN staffing
• Maintain regular reporting to the Chancellor for the State University of New York or their designee.

Special Notes

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. If you currently need sponsorship or will need it in the future to maintain employment authorization, you do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, please note that Buffalo State University is not an E-Verify employer.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required.

Experience

• Minimum of ten years of experience in higher education administration in financial aid, with at least five years of campus leadership experience at the director level or higher.
• Strategic planning and management experience.
• Minimum of two years of experience supervising professional staff.
• Experience working in programs supporting the success of students from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Experience with data collection and analysis.
• Experience with program assessment.
• Experience tracking key deliverables and following up on outstanding items.