Career Center

Department: Student Finance
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Student Finance is responsible for charging, billing, and collecting tuition and fees for all schools and programs at the University (close to $1 billion per academic year), along with providing customer support for 18,000 students and parents on the Evanston and Chicago campuses.  The department also administers the Northwestern Loan program, including originating and servicing these loans. Student Finance values excellent customer service and continuous improvement, in support of the educational mission of the University.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Student Finance the Associate Director Student Services leads the service team responsible for customer service and account management. Together they ensure accurate and compliant account management and quality service delivery to students, parents, sponsors, and internal partners.

• Manages the Student Finance customer service and account management programs.
• Manages operations to ensure that tuition and fees of close to $1 billion annually are correctly charged and billed, and that receivables are collected in a timely manner.  This includes both student accounts and institutional loans.
• Supports the University’s goals of providing transformative customer service and continuous improvement in processes and use of technology.
• Manages financial operations &/or analysis in support of area/unit's mission & in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Financial Aid, Facilities, Purchasing, IT, Provost, etc. 
• Reviews a portfolio of multiple schools/depts' financial operations comprised of work that involves some extremely difficult problems &/or decisions.
• Manages daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual financial processes for the area or program.
• Applies industry and professional standards, interprets university policy and procedure, federal and state laws, granting agency guidelines, and other regulations (as applicable); recommends accounting policy for the university.
• Represents &/or guides business area on internal & external financial affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions.

Please Note: Supervisor provides objectives & deadlines.  Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objective & deadlines & overall compliance with policy & procedures.  EE completes some activities without direction, informing supervisor only of potentially controversial matters, &/or far-reaching implications.

Specific Responsibilities:

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Establishes proper accounting & audit trails for revenue & expenses related to programs & initiatives. 
• Oversees monthly reconciliation & reports on current financial performance, impact on year-end forecast & opportunities & risks.
• Develops metrics for evaluating performance against key operational and service performance indicators (KPI) and directs operations to meet or exceed these goals.

Transactions:

• Oversees accurate, efficient, and compliant workflow of all transactional processes across areas/units. 
• May serve as primary Level III school approver for NU Financial transactions. 
• Provides optimal customer service and financial guidance to areas/units. 
• Oversees processing of all daily financial transactional activity.
• Reviews exceptions forms and reimbursements that require special attention.
• Reviews status of related university unit accounts and processes; troubleshoots issues as needed.
• Leads and provides support for internal &/or granting agency audit requests.

Administration:

• Identifies current & future resource planning & allocation issues & develops, leads, & supervises complex studies & analyses that will assist senior staff in reaching resource planning and allocation decisions. 
• Processes & presents associated data & information through the application of sophisticated database, graphic & spreadsheet tools. 
• Acts act as project manager for design and implementation of regulatory and system changes.
• Manages operation of a computer system or system processes that support the area or program.
• Ensures that service level goals are met.
• Ensures that department policies and procedures are accurate, current, and readily available to staff, internal partners, and students as appropriate.

Training:

• Provides training and support to related university units or program participants
• Develops and manages the delivery of outreach and training programs for internal partners and customers as well as students and parents.
• Ensures the development, maintenance, and delivery of onboarding and training plans for staff in the department.

Supervision:

• Supervises employees
• Trains employees
• Hires employees
• Evaluates employees' performance
• Provides work direction to other employees
• Develops employees and fosters an environment and culture of continuous learning and growth in the department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as accounting, business administration, finance, or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.  
• 5 years financial, budgeting &/or preparing account reconciliations or financial statements along with financial analysis or other relevant experience.
• 5 years higher education administration experience (preferred focus on areas of student service).

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in the use of spreadsheet, database, and word processing software.
• Strong understanding of financial reporting.
• Familiarity with FASB requirements.
• Experience with student enterprise systems and financial enterprise systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in Accounting, Finance, or MBA
• Prior Student Accounts or Bursar experience
• 5 years’ experience leading team, preferably accounting and/or customer service

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Understanding of higher education student finance function and issues
• Analysis and troubleshooting skills
• Strong leadership skills and ability to motivate team members
• Integrity and focus, attention to detail with understanding of bigger picture.
• Able to work in a fast-paced and operation-critical environment.
• Excellent abilities and understanding of delivering excellent customer service

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.
  

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About Northwestern University

Northwestern University is a major private research university with 12 academic divisions located on three campuses in Evanston, Chicago, and Education City in Doha, Qatar. We have approximately 2,500 full-time faculty members, 17,000 graduate and undergraduate students, and over 5,700 full and part-time staff. Northwestern University combines innovative teaching and pioneering research in a highly collaborative environment. It provides students and faculty exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth.

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