Associate Director (Duke FMA III)
Associate Director
(Duke HR termed as Financial Management Analyst III)
As Duke Financial Aid continues to increase its focus on student support, this leadership role will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of the student counseling and awarding experience, leading the team in reviewing complex aid applications using Institutional Methodology, and managing student awards in accordance with Duke policies and Title IV regulations. Reporting directly to the Assistant Vice Provost, the Associate Director (titled in the Duke HR system as financial management analyst III, a senior position within areas of finance) is responsible for supervising, coaching, and mentoring a talented team of counselors and assistant directors focused on ensuring equity in students' access to the full Duke experience. With an emphasis on proactive student outreach and care, this position will lead weekly counselor meetings, triage student concerns, appeals, and escalations, and coordinate appropriate responses. In addition, this critical position will oversee the assignment of specialty roles and additional duties to each counselor, ensure performance goals are met, and uphold the standard of care in keeping with the office's mission of holistic student support.
The FMA will be a leader in the office tasked with refining counseling processes and policies to enhance the student experience and find service efficiencies. Providing training in both the day-to-day technical requirements of the counselor position as well as the interpersonal skills needed to effectively communicate with students in need, this role will represent the heart of the aid office and will work closely with the Assistant Vice Provost to carry out the policies set by senior leadership. Additionally, the position will understand every step of the student financial aid process, the myriad types of assistance available, the processes required to deliver student awards, and the compliance requirements to deliver aid under both institutional methodology (IM) and Title IV regulations. As a key staff mentor and aid technician, this role will also serve as a backup to the core counseling functions and specialties for each member of the counseling team.
Finally, this role will oversee all written office communication delivery, providing easy-to-understand language and instructions on the aid website, final review of the monthly aid newsletter, review of aid offer template language, and oversight of all scheduled communications delivered from the aid office.
Work to be Performed
The Associate Director/FMA will be responsible for:
- Supervising a staff of counselors and assistant directors
- Triaging student appeals and case escalations
- Serving as the lead file reviewer for complex business returns and aid applications
- Leading counselor training efforts with emphasis in Institutional Methodology
- Maintaining the counselor training and policy manual
- Identifying areas for improvement and developing implementation plans for enhanced student support
- Partnering with the leadership to ensure consistency in the delivery of awards and communication with students
- Serving as the backup for counselor assignments and coordinating cross-training efforts
- Maintaining a small caseload of undergraduate students
- Overseeing language for all office communications, including website, newsletter final review, offer letters, programmatic outreach, and other assigned student communications
- Representing the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support in public presentations and campus settings
Required Qualifications at this Level
Education/Training:
Work requires knowledge and skills generally acquired through completion of a Bachelor's degree program, particularly in the area of business, economics, finance or related field.
Experience: Work requires a minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid. Experience with the College Board's Institutional Methodology strongly preferred.
Work to be Performed
The Associate Director/FMA will be responsible for:
- Supervising a staff of counselors and assistant directors
- Triaging student appeals and case escalations
- Serving as the lead file reviewer for complex business returns and aid applications
- Leading counselor training efforts with emphasis in Institutional Methodology
- Maintaining the counselor training and policy manual
- Identifying areas for improvement and developing implementation plans for enhanced student support
- Partnering with the leadership to ensure consistency in the delivery of awards and communication with students
- Serving as the backup for counselor assignments and coordinating cross-training efforts
- Maintaining a small caseload of undergraduate students
- Overseeing language for all office communications, including website, newsletter final review, offer letters, programmatic outreach, and other assigned student communications
- Representing the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support in public presentations and campus settings