Satisfactory Academic Progress Coordinator

Colorado Community College System (CCCS); Denver (CO); On-site; USD 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental & vision

Tuition reimbursement

Retirement plan

Job summary

Community College of Denver seeks a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Coordinator to lead SAP policy implementation, appeals management, and compliance with Title IV standards. The role requires expert regulatory knowledge, cross‑department collaboration, and professional judgment to determine student eligibility and aid continuity.

The SAP Coordinator also serves as SPOC for unaccompanied homeless youth, supports advisement and outreach, and helps campus units align processes to advance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
• At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in a college or university Financial Aid Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead SAP policy implementation and compliance.
• Oversee SAP appeals process from intake to monitoring.
• Provide financial aid advisement and professional judgment.
• Train staff on SAP regulations and documentation.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs and Student Services to align processes.

Skills

Financial Aid knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Professional judgment

Communication skills

Ellucian Banner

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Banner

Navigate360

COGNOS

NSLDS

CPS/FAA Access

COD

FSA Partner Connect

Job description

Title: Satisfactory Academic Progress Coordinator

Position Type: Professional Tech Full time

College: Community College of Denver

Division: Student Affairs

Department: CCD Financial Aid

Campus: Auraria Campus

Location: Denver

Salary Range:$53,000.00-$58,300.00

Applications received by September 15, 2026, will receive priority consideration. However, we encourage all interested candidates to apply, as the position will remain open until filled.

Who We Are:

The Community College of Denver (CCD) seeks candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive learning and work environment and who can effectively work with students, families, faculty, instructors, and staff from diverse backgrounds. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution, CCD is dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for nontraditional students, supporting workforce development, and strengthening community partnerships that promote educational attainment and career success. Serving a diverse student population, CCD values individuals who contribute to its mission of advancing social, civic, and economic vitality.

Job Summary:

The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Coordinator serves as the institution’s lead subject matter expert and primary administrator the implementation of SAP policies, processes, and related appeals. This position provides advanced regulatory interpretation, cross-departmental collaboration and partnership, and high-level professional judgment in determining students’ continued eligibility for financial aid under federal Title IV standards (34 CFR 668.34).

The SAP Coordinator leads SAP policy implementation, appeal review, academic plan coordination, compliance monitoring, and continuous improvement. Through this work, the position helps students maintain or regain access to financial aid and make measurable progress toward credential completion and career goals. This position coordinates the workflow for the review of SAP cases, informs college personnel on regulatory interpretation, and collaborates with Academic Affairs and Student Services departments to ensure institutional alignment. This position requires expert-level regulatory knowledge, exceptional analytical skill, independent decision-making, and the ability to design and manage sophisticated compliance frameworks that directly impact enrollment, equity, retention and federal funding.

This position also serves as an advocate and Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY). This person will serve as a strong support for any students lacking parental support while navigating bureaucratic processes determining dependency. These responsibilities include facilitating communication among campus departments and services to provide resources and support to these students.

Additionally, this position serves in a student advisement, outreach and client services capacity and involves a great deal of student interaction and is required to effectively communicate financial aid policies to students, parents, the College and community members and to uphold grace & empathy during challenging interactions.

Duties & Responsibilities:

SAP Program Leadership, Policy Implementation & Compliance

• Serves as the institution’s subject matter expert on SAP regulations, compliance standards, and appeal management.
• Leads the implementation, review, and continuous improvement related to SAP policies, forms, workflows, communications, and training materials.
• Interprets and implements federal regulations, Dear Colleague Letters, volumes of the Federal Student Aid Handbook, and internal academic policies.
• Ensures SAP standards and appeal processes are fully compliant with federal audits, accreditation requirements, and institutional risk-management frameworks.
• Drafts and maintains comprehensive SAP policy documentation, including detailed procedural guides for auditors, leadership, and staff.

Advanced SAP Appeals Management & Professional Judgment

• Oversees the full SAP appeals process -including intake, evaluation, committee review, decision rendering, and multi-term monitoring.
• Evaluate SAP appeals and academic plans using consistent, equitable, and student-centered decision-making practices that balance regulatory requirements with students' demonstrated ability to successfully progress toward program completion.
• Use student-centered, strengths-based advisement practices to help students identify actionable next steps for maintaining or regaining financial aid eligibility and progressing toward their educational and career goals.
• Partner with functional areas across the College to strengthen coordinated interventions for students experiencing academic progress challenges and connect students with resources that support persistence, credential completion, career readiness, and economic mobility.

Leadership, Supervision & Staff Development

• Leads the SAP appeal committee for SAP review by assigning cases and ensuring consistent application of decision-making that is aligned policy.
• Trains new and continuing staff on SAP regulations, appeal evaluation, documentation standards, and communication protocols.
• Recommends staffing structures, workflow improvements, and system enhancements to support efficient and compliant SAP operations.

General Advisement

• Provide holistic financial aid advisement that helps students understand the relationship among financial aid eligibility, academic progress, educational choices, responsible borrowing, credential completion, and long-term financial well-being.
• Help students understand the financial implications of educational decisions and connect students, as appropriate, with academic, career, basic-needs, and other institutional resources that support persistence and completion.
• Assist with general financial aid counseling duties.
• Exercise professional judgment when students or their families have unusual financial circumstances to determine additional eligibility and review Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals.
• Adjust awards as necessary to reflect student’s enrollment and eligibility.
• Assist with general frontline duties, such as phones, front counter, email, etc. as needed and serve as a resource to student employees.
• Continually assess customer service and proactively identify and address issues that may impede quality service.
• Provide individual and group financial aid advice to students and families, including adequate loan counseling and financial mastery information.
• Support campus colleges/departments by providing financial aid counseling services in other locations on campus and/or additional College locations.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Other duties may include, but are not limited to staffing Outreach events, customer service shifts, or professional development and training.

Competencies/KSAs:

• Experience administering Special and Unusual Circumstances process in a financial aid setting.
• Demonstrated expertise in federal Title IV regulations, SAP standards, and professional-judgment decision-making.
• Understanding of the relationship among financial aid, academic progress, credential completion, career readiness, and economic mobility.
• Ability to translate complex financial aid and SAP requirements into clear, actionable guidance that helps students make informed educational and financial decisions.
• Exceptional analytical skills.
• Proven ability to exercise independent, high-level judgment in sensitive and complex student eligibility situations.
• Ability to apply student-centered and equity-minded practices while maintaining consistent application of federal, state, and institutional requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce procedural documents, training materials, and decision letters.
• Superior organizational skills, with the ability to manage institutional-level workflows and multiple, time-sensitive processes.
• Experience providing customer service.
• Strong computer skills including software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other presentation software), email communication tools, and web-based applications.
• Expert knowledge of Federal Title IV financial aid.
• Experience with Ellucian Banner

Minimum Qualifications:

Any equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities below.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in a college or university Financial Aid Office.

Final candidate must successfully pass a criminal background check and cannot be in default on a student loan either upon hire or while employed in this position.

Software Used:

• Banner
• Navigate360
• COGNOS
• NSLDS
• CPS/FAA Access
• COD
• FSA Partner Connect

Selection Process:

Preliminary screening will be made on the basis of completed application packet submitted by candidate. Completed application packet includes: a letter of interest of no more than five pages, addressing in general the items under "Primary Duties" and specifically each item under “Minimum Qualifications”; an online application; resume; and transcripts. All candidates, including current Community College of Denver employees must submit a complete application packet which includes all material listed above.

Only completed application packets will move forward for screening. Please review the job duties and minimum requirements carefully. Meeting the minimum qualifications for a particular position does not assure the applicant an interview. Selected applicants will be invited by the screening committee for interviews. All application materials become the property of Community College of Denver and cannot be copied.

Additional Information/Benefits:

Our campus is located in downtown Denver, adjacent to two light rail stations, and just minutes away from shopping, restaurants, and event venues. When you visit our campus, it will be immediately evident that our faculty, staff, and instructors are passionate about serving our diverse student population. At CCD our passion is to help others, and we offer career pathways that will make a difference in the lives of our students.

• Generous medical, dental, vision, life, and retirement options.
• Opportunity to expand your education, and those of your dependents, through tuition reimbursement program.

CCD is a Learning College where policies, programs and practices support learning as the major priority. The Community College of Denver is an Equal Employment Opportunity Educational Employer.

Background checks will be conducted on all finalists for employment consideration.

CCD recognizes that administration, faculty, instructors, and staff reflect the diversity of its students and community and prohibits employment and student discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.