Director, Financial Aid

Director, Financial Aid

Salary

$100,092.00 - $139,410.00 Annually

Location

800 College Ave, Weed

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

202200152

Department

Student Services

Opening Date

01/12/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits

Description

DIRECTOR, FINANCIAL AID

FIRST REVIEW APRIL 24, 2026 - OPEN UNTIL FILLED

ESTIMATED STARTING SALARY

$8,341 - $9,664 MONTHLY

$100,092 - $115,972 ANNUALLY

FULL SALARY RANGE IS LISTED ABOVE

12 MONTHS / 40 HOURS PER WEEK

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED WITHOUT A COVER LETTER, RESUME, AND TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Under the direction of an administrator or manager, plans, organizes, manages, and directs the day-to-day operations, workflow, and activities of the Financial Aid Office; performs advanced analytical review related to advising and packaging financial aid programs; oversees and coordinates technical and specialized resources based on emerging trends in student demographics and financial aid needs; oversees government agencies and organizations related to financial aid matters; participates in the determination of eligibility and awarding financial aid funds and grant resources; develops internal processes and comprehensive policies and procedures related to the area of assignment.

College of the Siskiyous seeks applicants who possess the skills and qualities necessary to provide exceptional support to our diverse student body. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment that reflects the richness of our community. If you share our commitment to social and racial justice and are passionate about creating a more equitable educational experience, we encourage you to apply.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Director, Financial Aid demonstrates specialized knowledge of financial aid programs and grants to develop and implement student-centered and fiscally accountable services, student eligibility, and financial aid delivery; administers local, state, and federal student financial aid and grants processing and mandated reporting; develops and implements financial aid policies, procedures, and processes to ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Essential responsibilities are designated by *.

• Directs, plans, organizes, and supervises assigned staff, activities, and operations of the Financial Aid and Veterans' Office. *
• Trains and evaluates assigned staff; monitors staff performance; partners with Human Resources (HR) in the review and evaluation process; resolves employee performance concerns referencing the appropriate collective bargaining agreement (CBA); recommends employee discipline up to and including termination, as appropriate. *
• Participates in the district and college screening committee and hiring processes, including but not limited to recruitment, applicant screening, interview, selection, hiring, and onboarding of new staff; works with HR to complete and process new-hire paperwork in accordance with established policies and procedures. *
• Develops, updates, and maintains a comprehensive policies and procedures manual in accordance with federal regulations and department and college policies. *
• Creates, implements, and administers a quality control system to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations to minimize financial liability. *
• Develops, updates, and disseminates communications to convey and describe financial aid programs and services in accordance with federal consumer information laws, including publications and forms. *
• Oversees and manages the day-to-day operations of the Financial Aid department; creates, updates, and maintains the department's master calendar; plans, organizes, and implements special projects; communicates department activities, events, deadlines, and timelines through a variety of sources, including but not limited to email distribution, correspondence, memoranda, webpage updates, and flyers. *
• Analyzes, oversees, and provides quality control for verification of students' eligibility for financial aid programs; prepares and processes financial aid awards to eligible students. *
• Coordinates the provision of services with local agencies and organizations; reviews and identifies current and emerging technology needs; coordinates, assists, and executes automation projects for program improvements with Information Technology (IT) services, as needed. *
• Determines and recommends college policies and procedures to enhance and increase the effectiveness of the college's financial aid program; establishes criteria for packaging awards, evaluating efficiency, and reviewing and resolving issues and/or concerns. *
• Extracts data and information, verifies accuracy of data, prepares and generates various mandated federal, state, and district financial aid reports. *
• Participates in the district's annual budget planning process; plans, prepares, and administers annual budget for the operation of the Financial Aid Office; assists administrator with Veterans' Office budget. *
• Plans and communicates financial aid disbursement schedules; generates cost of attendance; executes annual Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system financial aid setup. *
• Tracks and monitors student academic progress for continued financial aid eligibility; reviews student appeals and special circumstances for consideration; reviews, verifies, corrects, and updates Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for approved appeals. *
• Prepares, executes, and troubleshoots disbursement processes for all financial aid funds and generates payment records. *
• Supervises maintenance and retention of confidential student files; ensures all electronic student financial aid records are extracted accurately and imported into the Student Information System (SIS); processes corrections, reports potential Pell recipients, reports Pell actual disbursements; updates and maintains records for the authorization, disbursement, and reconciliation of all federal, state, and local student aid and program funds; coordinates with outside departments to resolve financial aid issues. *
• Reviews and evaluates student need; conducts follow-up studies on program effectiveness; prepares and disseminates information related to the college's financial aid programs through the development of written materials and oral presentations.
• Attends and participates in a variety of meetings, committees, trainings, workshops, and conferences including participatory governance committees and the accreditation process. *
• Performs related duties that support the overall objective of the position.

Minimum Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related discipline: AND
• Three (3) years of experience; in financial aid; WITH
• One (1) year of supervisory or management experience;

OR

• Any combination of education and experience which would provide the required qualifications for the position.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in a related discipline.
• Experience with an ERP system, such as Banner or another integrated software.
• Experience in the oversight of federal and state aid programs.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Possession or an ability to obtain a valid driver license, if driving is required as an essential responsibility of the position.
• Travel for various off-site meetings, trainings, conferences, workshops, and/or events in support of the overall objective of the position.

Other Details

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

• District and college policies, procedures, rules, and regulations related to the area of assignment.
• Principles and practices of financial aid.
• Laws, policies, rules, and regulations pertaining to various federal student aid programs.
• Federal tax forms.
• Database processes required for financial aid functions.
• California Education Code related to the area of assignment.
• Organizational operations, policies, and objectives.
• General functions, policies, rules, and regulations of a community college.
• Applicable codes, regulations, policies, procedures, and laws.
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Record-keeping, record and file retrieval, filing, file sharing, and filing systems methods and techniques.
• Effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy.
• Operation of computers, software programs and applications, and hardware peripherals.
• Mathematic calculations.
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).

Ability to:

• Independently perform the essential responsibilities of the position.
• Provide technical expertise in financial aid.
• Interpret laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to financial aid grants, loans, and scholarships.
• Interpret student transcripts, federal tax forms, and requests for information from various agencies.
• Develop and monitor budgets.
• Plan, coordinate, organize, and prioritize workload to meet schedules and timelines.
• Coordinate flow of communications and information as needed.
• Generate and prepare comprehensive reports related to the area of assignment.
• Compose effective correspondence.
• Type or input data at an acceptable rate of speed.
• Answer telephones and greet the public courteously.
• Maintain a variety of records, logs, and files.
• Utilize a computer to input and/or extract data, maintain automated records, and generate computerized reports.
• Work independently with little direction.
• Direct and supervise the work of assigned staff.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Determine appropriate action within clearly defined guidelines.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide with speed and accuracy.
• Demonstrate a sensitivity to and appreciation for the academic, ethnic, socio-economic, disability and gender diversity of students and staff attending or working on a community college campus.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others during the course of work.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this class.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this classification, employees are regularly required to sit or stand for extended periods of time; talk or hear in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel, operate personal computers and other standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms; bend at the waist, kneel, or crouch to file materials.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to distinguish basic shades and colors, and the ability to adjust focus.

Employees are frequently required to walk and stand and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data, information, and documents; use math and mathematical reasoning; analyze and solve problems; learn and apply new information and skills; perform highly detailed work under changing intensive deadlines on multiple concurrent tasks; and interact with District administration, management, staff, students, vendors, the public, elected officials, and others encountered in the course of work, some of whom may be dissatisfied or disruptive.

Work Environment

The work environment described herein are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this classification. Incumbents in this classification may encounter frequent interruptions by college personnel, students, and the public.

Employees work under typical office conditions with constant interruptions; noise levels may vary depending on activities of the office, division, or department.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires us to identify the essential () duties/functions of the position. We have indicated those duties with an () on the job description.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

College of the Siskiyous (Siskiyous) acknowledges and condemns the history of colonization of the Indigenous Tribes who originally inhabited the land on which our institution stands. We acknowledge their continued existence and wisdom regarding this place and area.

It is our mission and vision to foster a community that is inclusive, responsive and supportive of all of its members equitably. It is important for our students and staff to understand the history of our area, acknowledge the past, collaborate with our communities, and facilitate course work which empowers our students with the tools to lead with respect.

All members of the College community are responsible for creating, maintaining, and developing a learning environment in which differences are embraced, sharing is encouraged, equity is sought, and inclusiveness is practiced. We will continually assess our progress to ensure that diversity initiatives disrupt and eliminate harmful policies within our college community. Siskiyous welcomes and embraces students and employees from all backgrounds including, but not limited to: ability or disability, age, ancestry, body type or size, citizenship or immigration status, economic status, educational status, employment status, ethnicity, food or housing insecurity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, incarceration experience, language, marital or partner status, military or veteran status, national origin, neuro-diversity, physical or mental health status, political affiliation, race or racial identity, religion, reproductive status, sex, and/or sexual orientation.

The College strives to ensure that its diversity initiatives are anti-racist and inclusive. Our ultimate goal is to eliminate oppressive policies within our College community.

SELECTION PROCESS

After the preliminary screening, selected candidates will be invited to the campus for an initial interview with the Search Committee. Videoconference interviews (in lieu of an in-person initial interview) will be offered. Candidates to be interviewed will be selected from applicants who most closely meet the minimum and desired qualifications. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview. The Search Committee will recommend finalists to the Superintendent/President for a final interview.

The District reserves the right to re-advertise the position or to delay indefinitely filling of the position if it is deemed that applicants for the position do not constitute an adequate applicant pool or if funding is not available.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employees must satisfy all the pre-employment requirements prior to appointment that include, but are not limited to, tuberculosis clearance (EC 87408.6), fingerprint processing, and verification of their legal right to work in the United States. A pre-employment physical examination may be required.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations in completing the application or interview process must notify the Human Resources Office in advance.

College of the Siskiyous is an equal opportunity employer. Siskiyou Joint Community College District ("College of the Siskiyous") does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religious preference, age, disability (physical and mental), pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), gender identity, sexual orientation, genetics, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, in selection and hiring of job applicants or treatment in employment, at any of its campuses. College of the Siskiyous also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and workplace violence.

College of the Siskiyous is accredited by the Accrediting commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

The District offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage to full time employees and qualified dependents. In addition, the District provides vacation, sick leave and paid holidays. The employee participates in CalPERS through District and employee contributions.

Employer College of the Siskiyous

Address 800 College Ave.

Weed, California, 96094

Phone 530-938-5555

Website http://www.siskiyous.edu