Director, Enrollment Services - Financial Aid

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Sierra College is committed to Guided Pathways to increase student achievement and timely goal completion and to close equity gaps. In that spirit, the Director is responsible to ensure areas of oversight afford an inclusive educational and employment environment and are focused on equitable outcomes for all. Under administrative direction of assigned Dean, this position provides leadership for providing financial aid services that increase student enrollment, retention, persistence and completion. The Director of Financial Aid oversees financial aid staff who work to ensure students are properly funded, packaged, and prepared to start each semester. The Director of Financial Aid accomplishes this through:

• Overseeing student funding

• Reviewing and following-up on student packaging

• Monitoring and tracking student financial aid packages

• Preparing graduating and exiting students

• Managing team performance.

This position establishes and reviews internal policies and procedures as it relates to financial aid and student success, ensures compliance with Title 5, District policies as well as other applicable State, Federal laws and regulations, performs the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned areas of responsibility.

Need Help With Your Online Account?

• Use the online Help Guide or contact the NEOED Applicants Support Line at 855-524-5627 if you need assistance with your online applicant account.
• Applicant Support is available between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact the Human Resources Department at hr@sierracollege.edu .

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

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.

1. Assists in the development, implementation, evaluation and improvement of student financial aid services that contribute to increased student enrollment, success, goal attainment, and successful transition into the workforce or on to a 4-year college or university.

2. Plans, implements, prioritizes, assigns, supervises, participates and collaborates in the work of staff responsible for the administration of federal, state and local student financial aid programs; identifies resource needs and makes recommendations to allocate resources accordingly.

3. Assist with the development of strategic direction and sets priorities for financial aid efforts in accordance with the District’s goals and changing student needs.

4. Coordinates with the Centers and other departments providing enrollment, retention and completion services to ensure the implementation and intentional delivery of services District wide and serve as primary contact for financial aid in the District.

5. Authorizes prepared award packages in conformity with applicable federal, state, and local regulations; establishes and monitors for satisfactory academic progress of student financial aid recipients to ensure compliance with applicable requirements; oversees application of student financial aid probation and termination policies and procedures.

6. Assists in the development of short and long-range plans and goals to effectively and intentionally deliver student financial aid; develops and implements strategies to effectively integrate financial aid services with other District organizational units; modifies and/or revises policies and procedures as needed to ensure equity-mindedness, on-going compliance with Title 4 and 5, and other applicable regulations.

7. Develops and implements financial aid programming, services, and staff training that is culturally-responsive to the populations being reached and utilizing the principles of universal design to meet diverse student needs.

8. Coordinates with IIT and others as appropriate to help implement and maintain effective district technology solutions for the delivery of financial aid services.

9. Prepares and maintains records, files and reports regarding departmental operations; maintains audit trail of financial transactions; compiles and maintains program statistics; coordinates preparation of District requests for federal student financial aid funding.

10. Coordinates the development of internal documents and publications used in the administration of student financial aid programs and ensures that the documents/publications are culturally responsive to the populations being reached.

11. In collaboration with other stakeholders, provides leadership to deliver effective and innovative financial aid services and activities to improve student enrollment, success, goal attainment, and/or degree completion;

12. Attends and participates in professional group meetings; maintains awareness of new trends and developments regarding guided pathways and other community college initiatives

13. Performs related duties as assigned

MINMIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The following describes the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities required to enter the job and successfully perform the assigned duties.

Education and Experience Guidelines:

A bachelor’s degree in any subject matter field, Master’s degree or the equivalent preferred, and four years of progressively responsible management experience related to the duties of the positions is preferred. One year of progressively responsible management experience related to the duties of the position is required.

Knowledge of:

• Guided pathways tenets;

• Current strategies for student financial aid services to increase student enrollment, retention and success;

• Methods to successfully support individuals with varying backgrounds, which includes person with disabilities, various gender identities, sexual orientation, individuals from historically underrepresented communities and other groups.

• Financial aid trends, issues, strategies, regulations and compliance in the state, regionally, nationally, and internationally;

• Methods and techniques of federal needs analysis and student financial aid award packaging;

• Database management, student information systems, statistical data interpretation, and the application of information technology to financial aid services to contribute to student enrollment, success, retention, and completion;

• Collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution techniques;

• Accounting and budgeting methods, audit procedures, statistics, and data interpretation;

• Management concepts and practices, including change management, organizational and motivational techniques;

• Personnel management practices and techniques of supervision and staff evaluation;

• Employment processes, collective bargaining processes, data collection, and report writing;

• Laws, regulations, and legislation relevant to assigned program areas;

• Safety practices;

Ability to:

• Envision, develop and maintain short and long term strategic plans;

• Coordinate and direct financial aid services for historically underrepresented and underserved student populations;

• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, policies and procedures for providing financial aid services

• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals;

• Apply an equity-minded practice and ensure programs, services and processes are designed and delivered to meet the varying needs of all students;

• Participate in the preparation and administration of assigned budgets

• Promote comprehensive solutions involving a diverse body of stakeholders;

• Conduct ongoing research and evaluation of best practices;

• Identify and respond to sensitive organizational issues, concerns, and needs;

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate the work of assigned staff;

• Compile data and prepare accurate reports;

• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community

• Adhere to critical deadlines while working with frequent interruptions;

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships;

• Commitment to equity and student success;

• To interact and work effectively with a diverse population utilizing exceptional interpersonal and intercultural skills;

• Perform consistently under the pressure of deadlines and other administrative demands;

• Plan and manage in an environment of shared governance;

• Demonstrate integrity and consistency;

• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing;

• Effectively coordinate group work efforts;

• Effectively utilize social/interpersonal skills;

• Utilize listening and negotiating skills;

• Interact effectively with District faculty and staff, and the community;

• Set priorities and establish goals and objectives;

• Organize work and manage time effectively;

• Conduct effective meetings.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally walk, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents; and to operate assigned equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

WHY SIERRA?

• One of Aspen Institute’s Top 150 Community Colleges in the nation
• The Accrediting Commission recognized Sierra “for its exemplary practice of providing personnel with opportunities for continued professional development in order to meet its mission.” This includes providing students and employees with a robust set of programs, events, and conferences related to equity-mindedness and supporting the success of our students, etc.
• Public Employee’s Retirement System (PERS)
• 18 paid holidays (including extended time off during the winter break)
• 22 accrued paid vacation days per year
• Competitive benefits package
• Currently during summers, some employee groups participate in 4x10 schedules
• Qualifying Employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (in most cases)

Sierra College is a Community College located near Sacramento, California where a heavy emphasis is placed on academic excellence and student success. Since its founding in 1936, Sierra College has focused on quality instruction and meeting the evolving needs of the students and communities that it serves. The Sierra Community College District covers more than 3,200 square miles and serves the Northern California foothill counties of Placer and Nevada, as well as parts of El Dorado and Sacramento. We serve over 17,000 students throughout the region in both on-ground and online courses, including students at our main Rocklin Campus as well as at two centers located in Grass Valley and Tahoe/Truckee. Our District prides itself on academic excellence.

Sierra College has a strong commitment to the achievement of equity and inclusion among its faculty, staff, and students and values the rich, diverse backgrounds that make up the campus community. A strong candidate for this position must demonstrate a profound understanding of and experience with successfully supporting individuals with varying backgrounds. This includes persons with disabilities, various gender identities and sexual orientations, as well as individuals from historically underrepresented communities and other groups. Our District is committed to providing strategies for success and proactive student-centered practices and policies focused on eliminating equity gaps to ensure the District provides an inclusive educational and employment environment focused on strategies for success and equitable outcomes for all.

As an institution, Sierra College is committed to eliminating the equity gap in all student populations with dynamic, learner-centered practices and policies that fully engage the college community. The ideal candidate will share the College’s commitment to helping its racially and socioeconomically diverse students succeed in their degree and career objectives. Currently, Sierra College enrolls 17,800 students per term, where approximately: 23% of Sierra College’s students are Latin(o)(a)(x)(e), 3% are African-American/Black, 2% are Filipino, 6% are Asian, 1% are American Indian/Alaskan Native, 8% are Multiethnic and 55% are White.

The successful candidate will join a College dedicated to the use of culturally responsive strategies and methods that meet the varying needs of our students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community. Sierra College demonstrates its commitment to equity by supporting ongoing professional development for students, faculty, and staff. These opportunities include trainings and workshops on equity and inclusion, active Academic Senate standing committees concerned with student success and equity, a Presidential Equity Advisory Committee (PEAC), culturally responsive student engagement centers, support for our undocumented and AB540 students, campus-wide equity summits, a robust set of programs, events, and conferences related to equity-mindedness and supporting the success of our diverse students.

Need Help With Your Online Account?

• Use the online Help Guide or contact the NEOED Applicants Support Line at 855-524-5627 if you need assistance with your online applicant account.
• Applicant Support is available between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact the Human Resources Department at hr@sierracollege.edu .

Helpful Tip:

Please note that as described above a strong candidate for this position must demonstrate a profound understanding of and experience with successfully supporting individuals with varying backgrounds; and therefore, hiring committees assess candidates for these knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Applicants may want to consider incorporating culturally-inclusive/equity-minded strategies practiced and/or evidence of the responsiveness to and understanding of the racial, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity of community college student populations throughout their application materials (including application and documents uploaded, if any).

Please see the Sierra College website for additional helpful tips and tools for prospective applicants .

Travel expenses may be partially reimbursed for candidates traveling beyond a 150 mile radius for second round interviews. All other travel expenses will be borne by the candidate (if in person interviews).

Key Information Regarding Our Hiring Process

Hiring Subject to Board of Trustees Approval

Please note that all new hires require approval from our Board of Trustees during one of their public meetings. Official hire dates will follow this approval. More information about the Board of Trustees and their meetings can be found at https://www.sierracollege.edu/administration/board-of-trustees/ .

H1B1 Visa Sponsorship Not Available

At this time, we do not offer H1B1 visa sponsorship for new employees.

Terms and Conditions of Employment:

Other terms and conditions of employment are specified in the applicable collective bargaining agreements on file in the District Human Resources Department. Position description of record on file in the Human Resources Department.

*Sierra Community College District currently operates campuses in Rocklin, Truckee and Grass Valley. In its management of a multi-campus environment, the District reserves right of assignment including the right to change assignment locations and shift assignments based on District need. Although this position may currently reside at the Rocklin campus, the assignment location may be subject to change as needed. Additionally, the district reserves the right to cancel, revise or re-announce this position as well as any and all positions at any time.

EEO / TITLE IX EMPLOYER

Sierra College is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination and the achievement of diversity and equity among its faculty, staff, and students.

Persons with inquiries about the application of Title IX and/or EEO may contact the Director of Diversity, EEO & Title IX (Title IX Coordinator) at the address below, at (916) 660-7006 or via email at EEOT9@sierracollege.edu .

Persons with questions regarding reasonable accommodation of physical and other disabilities should contact the Sierra College Human Resources Department at (916) 660-7105.

If you have limitations hearing or speaking, the State of California offers a specially-trained Communications Assistant (CA) that can relay telephone conversations for all of your calls. Dial 711 to reach the California Relay Service (CRS). Dialing 711 is for everyone, not just those who have difficulty hearing on a standard phone. If you prefer having your calls immediately answered in your mode of communication, dial one of the toll-free modality and language-specific numbers below. The call will be routed to the CRS provider.

TTY/VCO/HCO to Voice

English 1-800-735-2929

Spanish 1-800-855-3000

Voice to TTY/VCO/HCO

English 1-800-735-2922

Spanish 1-800-855-3000

From or to Speech-to- Speech

English & Spanish 1-800-854-7784

Closing Date/Time: Tue, 28 Jul 2026

Sierra Community College District

(916) 660-7100 Show more