Syracuse University · 2 months ago
Assistant Director, Federal Programs
United States
Full-time
Remote
Mid Level
$62K/yr - $62K/yr
3+ years expSyracuse University is a private, international research university committed to delivering an exceptional student experience. The Assistant Director of Federal Programs will support the administration of federal and private loan programs, supervise loan processors, and ensure compliance with federal regulations while managing the financial aid calendar and related processes.
Public Relations
Responsibilities
Collaborate with the Associate Director of Federal Programs to create and maintain the financial aid calendar, using published academic calendars to define academic years, loan periods, and payment periods for Federal Pell Grants and Direct Loans
Incorporate program-specific variations and cohort needs, including Borrower-Based Aid Year structures for summer awarding
Update and monitor all related dates in the Student Information System (PeopleSoft), using queries and data reports to proactively identify and resolve discrepancies throughout the year
Supervise and support two loan processors, managing workload distribution and deadlines in alignment with the aid year cycle and processing peaks
Review batch and manual awarding reports to identify and correct errors, ensuring timely and accurate processing
Provide guidance to the loan and counseling teams on complex aid eligibility scenarios
Assist directly with loan processing during peak periods, including support for summer and Winterlude awarding, Pell and loan troubleshooting, and reconciliation tasks
Monitor and help manage increasing private loan volume, much of which requires manual processing
Oversee the NSLDS Transfer Monitoring process by identifying students requiring monitoring, ensuring timely submission to NSLDS, and reviewing response files
Evaluate responses to confirm whether students are receiving aid at other institutions, and resolve any conflicts related to annual or aggregate loan limits
Make necessary adjustments to awards in compliance with federal regulations and coordinate communication with counselors and affected students
Manage the administration of the Federal TEACH Grant program
Identify eligible students at the time of admission or transfer, ensure proper coding prior to awarding, repackage aid if necessary, and confirm ongoing eligibility through SAP and other federal requirements
Assign and track TEACH Exit Counseling for program completers
Maintain ELMSelect loan presentation and offerings by reviewing lender usage reports provided by ELM
Update lender listings based on recent student borrowing trends, ensuring transparency and providing a historical record of lenders selected by students
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Minimum of 3 years of experience in financial aid administration, with a focus on federal aid programs
Knowledge of federal regulations governing Title IV aid, including Direct Loans, NSLDS, and TEACH
Experience with financial aid management systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, Banner, PowerFAIDS) and third-party platforms (e.g., COD, ELM, NSLDS)
Strong supervisory, organizational, and analytical skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook)
Experience with ELM Select administration
Experience using querying software such as Tableau (or similar product)
Ability to analyze and streamline operational workflows
Demonstrate strong attention to detail, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to effectively prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
Exceptional organizational skills and adaptability to evolving federal regulations are essential
Proven supervisory experience with effective communication and interpersonal skills is required to lead and support a team
Must possess advanced computer proficiency, including experience with complex financial aid management systems and reporting tools
Preferred
Thorough understanding of federal and private loan programs, compliance requirements, and student aid processes is highly preferred
Company
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Sophie Clinton
Co-Founder, Co-Director of the Food Service Accountability Committee
Dara Royer
Chief Marketing Officer / SVP Marketing & Communications Division
Recent News
Central New York Business Journal
2026-01-14
2026-01-12
2025-10-25
Company data provided by crunchbase