Senior Compliance Officer, Financial Aid

Palm Beach Atlantic University; West Palm Beach (FL); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Palm Beach Atlantic University is seeking a financial aid administrator to ensure compliance with all financial aid policies and provide top-tier customer service. The role involves managing financial aid programs, overseeing audits, and supporting students and families in navigating financial aid processes. Candidates should hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and have at least 1 year of experience in financial aid administration, with additional credentials preferred. This is a key position for enhancing financial aid service quality.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of progressive experience in financial aid administration.
• Mastery in financial aid procedures, regulations, and practices required.
• Professional NASFAA Credentials and FAAC Designation preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with financial aid policies and regulations.
• Provide oversight of Satisfactory Academic Progress and related processes.
• Analyze and report on financial aid data and compliance.
• Support training and development of staff.

Skills

Customer Service Orientation

Professionalism

Analytical Thinking & Decision Making

Effective Communication

Attention to Detail

Technology

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, mathematics education, or related field

Tools

PowerFaids

Jenzabar

Job description

Regulatory Compliance and Oversight

• Ensures compliance with all financial aid policies, procedures, and regulations during the review of financial aid applications.
• Exercises judgment in interpreting federal and state regulations for specific student situations.
• Manages the Return to Title IV process to ensure adherence to federal guidelines.
• Provides direct oversight of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Professional Judgment processes, including supervision and program management for accurate and timely processing of appeals.
• Compiles and coordinates data related to SAP, Professional Judgment, and other institutional appeals.
• Serves as the Financial Aid Compliance Liaison for Athletics/NCAA.
• Processes all state-required audits, reconciliations, and reports by semester and annually.
• Provides oversight of audits and establishes best practices for handling conflicting information.
• Participates in the development of institutional financial aid procedures to enhance efficiency and service quality.

Customer Service and Student Support

• Ensures high-level customer service performance by communicating and providing families with strategies for meeting college costs.
• Provides accurate and appropriate information to prospective and continuing students, as well as parents, regarding educational costs, financial aid resources, program eligibility, and the financial aid application process.
• Facilitates clear communication of financial aid decisions and appeal outcomes to students and families.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Compiles, manages, and analyzes data related to SAP, Professional Judgment, and institutional appeals.
• Processes and ensures the accuracy of state-required reports and reconciliations.
• Oversees the preparation and submission of audit reports to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Assists in preparing special projects and reports as requested by leadership.
• Establishes and revises business processes for efficient aid program management.

Professional Development and Operational Support

• Regularly reads professional publications, articles, and handbooks to support continuous improvement in staff and departmental processing of aid.
• Provides support to the Director by communicating progress toward defined goals and compliance standards as required by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
• Manages purchase order (PO) transactions and departmental supply orders.
• Assists with the training and development of staff, sharing updated practices and knowledge to ensure operational effectiveness.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, mathematics education, or related field required; a minor in communications or education preferred. Professional NASFAA Credentials preferred, FAAC Designation preferred.

EXPERIENCE

1+ years’ of progressive experience in financial aid administration. Mastery in financial aid procedures, regulations, and practices, required. Knowledge in PowerFaids and Jenzabar is preferred.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Customer Service Orientation – Keeps internal and/or external key stakeholder(s), students, parents, faculty, staff and community partners in mind at all times.
• Professionalism – Displays a high level of professionalism, e.g. timeliness, reliability, communication, and work ethic.
• Christ-first Faith – Provides spiritual support to community members, including students, on their Christian faith journey.
• Analytical Thinking & Decision Making – Identifies and understands trends and/or issues, connects data points through analysis and logical conclusions/actionable strategies.
• Attention to Detail – Ability to efficiently and accurately focus on a specific task or number of tasks. Reviews details with a critical eye.
• Confidentiality – Maintains the necessary confidentiality and discretion required for the position.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas and information in a clear and concise manner both verbally and in writing to convey clear, well-articulated messaging across a wide variety of audiences.
• Establishes Trust – Gains the confidence of others by actions and words that promote being honest, forthcoming, and vulnerable.
• Results Orientation & Accountability – Takes accountability and identifies, executes and drives actions to consistently achieve desired results.
• Technology – Strong aptitude to learn new technologies as department processes evolve.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work non-routine hours during certain times of the year.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time.