Lead Financial Aid Technician

Sacbar; Pomona, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Sacbar is seeking a Lead Financial Aid Technician to serve as the senior technical expert overseeing complex Title IV processing, mentoring staff, and ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness across aid programs.

You will analyze operations, monitor trends, support audits, and partner with leadership to drive continuous improvement while maintaining strict data integrity and policy interpretation. The role requires collaboration with Banner/Ellucian systems and ongoing process documentation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5–7 years of progressively responsible financial aid processing experience in a Title IV environment.
• Experience with federal aid regulations including Verification, SAP, R2T4, Enrollment reporting, Professional judgment, Packaging and recalculation logic.
• Experience with Banner and/or Ellucian financial aid systems.
• Strong data analysis skills using Excel, reporting tools, and system queries.
• Experience supporting audits, reconciliations, or compliance reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical resource for complex financial aid processing including ISIR corrections and professional judgment documentation.
• Monitor SAP and enrollment-related processing and deadlines; resolve issues.
• Perform R2T4 calculations and post-withdrawal disbursement processing.
• Develop and maintain detailed procedural documentation, job aids, and workflow maps aligned with audit standards.
• Generate recurring operational reports from Banner, Ellucian platforms, and related systems.
• Support audit preparation with control evidence and reconciliations.

Skills

Regulatory interpretation

Data accuracy

Process improvement

Written communication

Attention to detail

Influence without authority

Judgment and discretion

Adaptability

Humanism

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Banner

Ellucian

Microsoft Excel

Reporting tools

SQL queries

Job description

Job Summary

The Lead Financial Aid Technician serves as the senior technical subject matter expert
responsible for overseeing complex financial aid processing, mentoring technical staff, and
ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness across Title IV, state, and institutional aid
programs. This role also performs limited financial aid operational analysis, trend monitoring,
and quality assurance reporting to support continuous improvement, audit readiness, and
regulatory compliance.
The position does not hold policy authority, system ownership, or final approval authority for
disbursements or regulatory submissions. Analytical responsibilities focus on operational data
validation, exception trending, workload forecasting, and internal control monitoring in
partnership with leadership.

Knowledge, Skills andAbilities

• Ability to interpret regulations and apply them effectively in day-to-day operations.


• Strong focus on data accuracy and ensuring records are aligned and complete.


• Skilled in identifying issues and improving processes to prevent them from recurring.


• Clear and professional written communication and documentation skills.


• High level of attention to detail with a strong commitment to compliance.


• Ability to influence and guide others, even without direct supervisory authority.


• Sound judgment and discretion in handling sensitive matters.


• Adaptable and comfortable navigating change and evolving priorities.


• Demonstrate a commitment to working in an organization that values and promotes
  humanism.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required

Experience:

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible financial aid processing experience in a
  Title IV environment.


• Demonstrated expertise in federal aid regulations including:
  Verification, SAP, R2T4, Enrollment reporting, Professional judgment, Packaging and
  recalculation logic


• Experience with Banner and/or Ellucian financial aid systems.


• Strong data analysis skills using Excel, reporting tools, and system queries.


• Proven ability to interpret regulatory guidance and apply operationally.


• Experience supporting audits, reconciliations, or compliance reviews.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education:

• Major in Business, Finance, Accounting, Higher Education, or related field preferred.


• NASFAA credentials (FAAC®, CRPC®, etc.).

Experience:

• Experience supporting system implementations or major process redesigns.


• Experience developing procedural documentation and training materials.


• Exposure to internal control frameworks and audit evidence management.

Essential Job Duties

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Advanced Processing:

Serve as lead technical resource for complex financial aid processing including:

• ISIR corrections and professional judgment documentation.


• Verification resolution and conflicting information review.


• SAP monitoring and appeals processing.


• Enrollment intensity, cost of attendance adjustments.


• R2T4 calculations and post-withdrawal disbursement processing.


• Packaging revisions and recalculations.


• Consortium agreements and special enrollment scenarios.


• Independently resolve escalated student account discrepancies involving aid eligibility,
  disbursement timing, and compliance interpretation.


• Provide daily operational guidance to Financial Aid Technicians; support onboarding and
  cross-training.


• Develop and maintain detailed procedural documentation, job aids, and workflow maps
  aligned with audit standards and institutional policy.


• Monitor queue management, aging reports, and processing turnaround times to ensure
  service level targets are met.

Operational Analysis & Reporting:

Generate recurring operational reports from Banner, Ellucian platforms, and related systems to
support:

• Processing volume trends.


• Verification and SAP cycle times.


• ISIR correction patterns


• Disbursement exception monitoring.


• R2T4 volume and timeliness.


• Packaging completion rates.


• Perform data validation, reconciliation support, and variance analysis related to:
  
  
  • Disbursement rosters.
  
  
  • Aid eligibility changes.
  
  
  • Enrollment census impacts.
  
  
  • Return calculations and adjustments.
  
  


• Identify trends, error patterns, and workflow bottlenecks; provide actionable
  recommendations to leadership for operational improvement and automation optimization.


• Support audit preparation by assembling supporting documentation, control evidence,
  reconciliations, and response narratives under leadership direction.


• Assist with system testing validation during upgrades or vendor implementations by
  performing user acceptance testing and documenting outcomes.

Compliance, Quality Assurance & Internal Controls:

Conduct routine quality assurance reviews of processed files to ensure adherence to:

• Federal Title IV regulations.


• State aid requirements.


• Institutional policies and procedures.


• Department of Education guidance.


• Maintain compliance checklists and control tracking logs for assigned operational areas.


• Escalate compliance risks, data integrity concerns, or control gaps to leadership promptly.


• Participate in internal audits, program reviews, and external audit support activities as
  assigned.

Customer Service & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Serve as escalation point for complex student inquiries requiring advanced technical
  interpretation.


• Collaborate with Bursar/Student Accounts, Registrar, IT, and Academic Affairs to resolve eligibility, enrollment, billing, and disbursement coordination issues.


• Support training initiatives and change management during system enhancements and regulatory updates.