Director, Financial Aid Services, College of Medicine - Phoenix

This position will collaborate with the University of Arizona main campus Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) and the Bursar's office as well as colleagues within the Phoenix campus (e.g., Admissions and Recruitment, Development, and more), and peer colleagues at the College of Medicine-Tucson. This position reports to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state retirement plan; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please click here.

Strategic Leadership and Innovation

• Strategically lead and oversee of all functions of a comprehensive financial aid and scholarship department at a growing medical college.
• Provide solutions to College issues through use of investigative and analysis techniques that are developed through a high degree of innovation, creativity, and integration.
• Identify and implement solutions to strategically support the College of Medicine - Phoenix leadership's recruitment cycle by establishing renewable grants to offer prospective students on an annual basis.
• Provide expertise on financial aid for the College to develop new presentations and reports, delivering financial aid data to key leadership positions for strategic planning.
• Extensively analyze Consumer Price Index and regional medical institutions to strategically develop a cost of attendance budget for each cohort/classes including resident and nonresident medical students at the College of Medicine - Phoenix.
• Address operational issues that include significant strategy. Develop, implement, and maintain operational plans, programs and systems impacting the College of Medicine - Phoenix (essential insight for changes made to academic calendar, curriculum, dual degrees, etc.)
• Organize, manage, and lead all components of scholarship and endowment awards for the College of Medicine Phoenix, including the dissemination of the scholarship application to current medical students and prospective students. Oversee and maintain the College of Medicine - Phoenix Scholarship Committee, establishing an equitable and inclusive process with Staff, Faculty, and Deans to select scholarship and endowment recipients annually.

Operational Leadership

• Ensure compliance with existing federal regulations and analyze policy, procedural, and fiscal impact of changes of changes in federal programs.
• Oversee and evaluate all operations of a comprehensive financial aid office.
• Serve as the primary contact for College of Medicine-Phoenix students, prospective students, and applicants, providing financial aid information and eligibility guidance in person, via email, mail, and phone. Organize and deliver presentations on financing medical education to applicants, students, and other stakeholders.
• Responsible for awarding all scholarships and endowment awards to students enrolled in College of Medicine-Phoenix Medical and Pathways Scholars program based on criteria established through the Foundation. Collaborate with the Senior Director, Development and Associate Director, Strategic Stewardship to align awarding process with donor intentions.
• Compile and submit changes and adjustments annually in item type amounts and loan period dates for the College of Medicine - Phoenix and provide updates to the University's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid leadership for rollover and award processing each academic year.
• Lead own financial aid information sessions, as well as make use of third-party options, such as those offered through the AAMC FIRST program.
• Conduct required entrance and exit counseling sessions, as well as ongoing debt management sessions, in compliance with accreditation standards.
• Collaborate regularly with the Directors of Student Development and Advising to integrate financial aid literacy into wellness and career advising programs.
• Coordinate with the Student Affairs team to provide updates, anticipate conflicts, and develop solutions related to academic schedule changes affecting financial aid disbursement.

Personnel Leadership

• Supervise Financial Aid Coordinators, ensuring specialized counseling and financial aid services comply with government, donor, and institutional rules, regulations, and procedures. Oversee workflow, manage team schedules, address discrepancies with senior management, and conduct performance reviews and evaluations.
• Manage and monitor the financial aid daily budget and operations in alignment with allocated resources.
• Plan, process, award, reevaluate, and report on financial aid for College of Medicine-Phoenix students. Collect and analyze financial data to determine aid eligibility, independently process reevaluation requests using professional judgment under federal guidelines, and award financial aid packages.
• Collaborate with the Office of Admissions and Recruitment to allocate funds for recruiting admitted students. Coordinate with Financial Aid Coordinators to provide counseling, resolve processing issues, and evaluate applicants for Health Profession Programs and other scholarships and loans.
• Train staff on federal, state, institutional, and donor program policies and regulations. Analyze parental data to award funding for Health Professions Scholarship and Loan Programs. Ensure compliance with government regulations by reviewing documentation and addressing over-awards, under-awards, and other discrepancies requiring professional judgment.

Reporting and Analytics

• Review disbursement reports, federal student aid reports, and collect and compile data for financial aid indebtedness for accreditation agency reporting (annual LCME Financial Aid Questionnaire), or other units by request of the Dean's Office or other units that rely on financial aid data for scholarships or college awards and honors.
• Evaluate policies, procedures, and forms to develop improved methods. Initiates recommendations for policy or procedural changes.
• Assist in quality control of computer system procedures and reports and assists in testing new releases.
• Review, interpret, and disseminate technical information regarding computer processing procedures, debt management.
• Responsible for researching former College of Medicine graduates to determine specialty practices and locations of practices and other information for the Annual Operating Report and for the annual request for funding of medical students under the Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students, both Department of Health and Human Services reports.

Network and Connection

• Interact and liaise with university staff, faculty, scholarship donors, and outside agencies, such as student loan lenders and service providers, guarantee agencies, military services, and other agencies in resolving problems/issues for students.
• Represent the College of Medicine-Phoenix at regional/national meetings/committees (e.g., AAMC, GSA, COSFA, etc.) and participates in networking program development as necessary.
• Serve as an ex-officio member to College committees (i.e. Student Progress, Policy, and Scholarship).
• Liaison for PeopleSoft (UAccess) system changes, issues, and updates for the Office of Student Financial AidCOM. Assist in quality control of computer system procedures and reports and assists in testing. Provide technical advice and recommendations on policies and procedures.
• Complete the College of Medicine scholarship projections calculations and submits scholarship funds transfer requests from the Foundation to the University of Arizona accounts.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to analyze, synthesize, and present data to various audiences and stakeholders
• Ability to communicate effectively with different groups/individuals, written and oral.
• Skill in public speaking and presenting information to large groups.
• Skill in problem resolution and de-escalation of high stress situations
• Ability to work cooperatively and respectfully with a diverse group of students and faculty of the College of Medicine-Phoenix.
• Able to work with diverse populations.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience in higher education required.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of higher education/financial aid related work experience, including three (3) years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

College of Medicine-Phoenix, Office of Human Resources

HR-PHX@arizona.edu

Application: The online application should be completed in its entirety. Blank or missed information may be considered an incomplete submission.

Letter of Interest: Should clearly indicate how your skills and professional employment experience meet the Minimum and the Preferred qualifications (if applicable).