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Working Title:

Asst Director of Financial Aid

Institution:

Bemidji State University

Classification Title:

MSUAASF Range C

Bargaining Unit / Union:

211: Minnesota State University Association of Administrative Service Faculty

City:

Bemidji

FLSA:

Non Job Exempt

Full Time / Part Time:

Full time

Employment Condition:

Unclassified - Unlimited Academic

Salary Range:

Job Description

**Bemidji State University (BSU)** **and** **Northwest Technical College** **(NTC** **)** invites applicants to join our team as the **Assistant Director of Financial Aid** . The Assistant Director of Financial Aid assists the Director and Associate Director to plan, administer, manage, and coordinate the student financial aid programs at BSU and NTC. This position administers a number of Minnesota Office of Higher Education Programs, including but not limited to MN Postsecondary Child Care Grant, MN Indian Scholarship Program, and MN Teacher Training Preparation Grant, along with Tribal Grants, MN GI Bill Program, and other grant programs developed at the campus or state level. This individual counsels’ students and parents, as well as verifies awards, revises financial aid awards and participates in development of policies and procedures for the financial aid office and its programs.

Responsibilities of the Assistant Director of Financial Aid include:

+ **Administration of State Aid Programs. (25%)**

+ Administering several MN Office of Higher Education programs including the Postsecondary Childcare Grant Program, Fostering Independence Grant, DREAM Act, MN Teacher Candidate Grant Programs, NSP manual awards, etc. This includes requesting allocations/payments, calculating awards, provider verification for childcare grant, notification of award, award adjustments/overpayments and completing the year-end reports. This also includes updating procedures and policies for these programs as needed.

+ **Financial Aid Counseling. (20%)**

+ Meeting with current and prospective students and parents to discuss issues related to applying for and receiving financial aid at BSU, including financial aid eligibility, application procedures, governing regulations and debt management.

+ **Financial Aid Processing. (20%)**

+ Identifying and resolving conflicting financial and personal information using the MinnState ISRS financial aid system edits and verification processes. Calculating student eligibility and awarding appropriate financial aid funds. Initiating and reviewing Special Situation and Special Circumstance inquiries. Providing backup assistance for NTC processes when necessary; this includes but is not limited to packaging, tracking edits and loan certification.

+ **American Indian Programs. (15%)**

+ Administering the Office of Higher Education MN Indian Scholarship Program, the MN Teacher Training Preparation Grant, and the American Indian Scholars Program, along with any other grants that are developed at the state or university level. This includes completing budgets for each student, entering initial awards, award adjustments, and updating budgets periodically throughout the semester. This also includes reconciliation of these program awards/payments and yearly closeout procedures. This position also works closely with the Scholarship Coordinator position on Tribal Grants.

+ **MN GI Bill Program & Third Party. (10%)**

+ Administering the MN GI Bill program for BSU and NTC which includes completing budgets, award adjustments/overpayments, requesting funds and completing the year-end report. Processing third party paperwork and other unique payments for students for BSU, including county assistance forms and tribal grant budget/aid requests.

+ **Outreach. (5%)**

+ Participating in BSU Academic Advising and Registration programs, BSU FYE classes, and financial aid nights at area high schools.

+ **Other Duties. (5%)**

+ Assisting students participating in international travel academic programs _._ Aiding with the development of financial aid policies, procedures, computer software and systems at BSU and NTC and other duties as assigned.

Salary Range:

Depends on Qualifications; Range C ($47,607 - $93,342).

Minimum Qualifications

+ Master’s Degree plus one year of professional experience in a related field, OR Bachelor’s degree plus two years of professional experience in a related field, OR three years of professional experience in a related field, OR an equivalent combination of post-secondary training, education, and/or professional experience.

+ Work experience that demonstrates strong attention to detail sufficient to analyze applications, data, and numbers to avoid errors and ensure accuracy in one’s own work and in the work of others.

+ Knowledge of relevant computer hardware and software applications, preferably to include MS Office, including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook.

+ Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualification

+ Three (3) years of financial aid or related higher education experience.

+ Ability to work well with a team and in an individual capacity.

+ Proficiency in Power BI for data visualization, report building and dashboard creation.

+ Experience working with Microsoft Access for data management and developing queries

+ A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Working** **Conditions:

+ Some evening and weekend work is required.

+ Occasional overnight travel is required to attend conferences, training and planning sessions.

Physical Effort:

+ Communicating effectively with others and understanding information.

+ Some moving and transporting materials.

Other Requirements

+ All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.

+ Employment for this position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the Minnesota State University Associate of Administrative and Service Faculty (MSUAASF) – see agreement (https://www.msuaasf.org/current-members/contract/) .

+ In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to MinnState’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.

+ BSU and NTC are tobacco free workplaces ( see policy ) .

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)

Full-time / Probationary / Non-exempt / Monday-Friday, schedule requires some flexibility.

Telework (Yes/No)

Telework currently not available for this position.

**Inquiries about the position** :

Stephanie Bard, Director of Financial Aid

Phone: 218-755-2263

Email: [email protected]

If you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application, contact Mary Miller at [email protected]

About

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

It’s more than a job. It’s an opportunity for the extraordinary.

_On the idyllic shores of Lake Bemidji, cradled among the limitless natural beauty of the North Woods and neighbored by Minnesota’s three largest Indigenous nations, Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College offer opportunities for the extraordinary._

Bemidji State University has been ranked as one of the top 30 public institutions in the Midwest region by U.S. News & World Report each year since 2019. BSU offers its diverse student body a comprehensive spectrum of opportunities with nearly 120 undergraduate degrees and emphasis areas in more than 50 areas of study, 14 pre-professional programs, and 14 graduate programs and certificates.

As Bemidji State continues its second century of service, our vision is simple: we educate people to lead inspired lives. To achieve this, BSU centers diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value and strives to create a campus culture in which all members are free to be their authentic selves. BSU also proactively engages with Indigenous communities in northern Minnesota and nationwide toward its goal of becoming a destination university.

Northwest Technical College, one of only three pure technical colleges remaining in Minnesota, helps around 1,000 students align their education with their employment goals. NTC offers more than three dozen certificates, diplomas, and degrees in five career paths. For more than 50 years, NTC has prepared students for fulfilling careers in well-paying, in-demand fields. NTC's accessible, affordable, hands-on programs also help employers meet their ever-growing need for a highly skilled workforce. With an open-enrollment policy and affordable tuition, NTC meets students where they are with a convenient mix of on-campus, online, and hybrid courses.

BSU and NTC are members of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, the third-largest system of higher education institutions in the United States. The schools share a unique alignment, with administration and student services generally having dual responsibilities to serve both campuses. Through this alignment, NTC students can take advantage of services, support, activities, and opportunities at BSU that expand and enhance their college experience — such as full access to BSU’s library and the ability to live in BSU’s on-campus resident housing.

For the first time, a joint strategic planning process will guide the future directions for both institutions. The schools are pursuing four shared strategic priorities: student success, the Nisidotaading initiative, northern distinction, and telling our story. These priorities will serve as the foundations for master planning processes for facilities, academic programs, fundraising, information technology, intercollegiate athletics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, among others.

The Nisidotaading initiative — named for an Ojibwe phrase meaning “building mutual understanding” — is creating a statewide center of excellence. It will develop communities of practice meant to help Minnesota State colleges and universities better educate their campus communities on historical trauma and lived experiences of their Indigenous populations, and how to most effectively guide Indigenous students toward their educational goals. In addition, BSU is the first university in the United States to expose all of its students to a course on Indigenous people before graduation.

Bemidji State University acknowledges that it is located on land and water that is the current and ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe and Dakota. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced assimilation, and efforts to alienate the Indigenous inhabitants from their territory here. We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land, retained tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and cultural resilience. Indigenous people are spiritual and physical caretakers of this land to which we all belong. Bemidji State University respects these sacred lands, stands with the community members from these Nations, and will fight injustice in all its forms.

At Minnesota State, the work we do is more than just a job. In their pursuit of purpose, connection, and growth, our employees play a critical role on our campuses. They develop policies, provide essential services, and work to improve the well-being and quality of life for our students and for all Minnesotans. Minnesota State is committed to equity and inclusion, and we invest in our employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities. **Unlock your potential through possibility.**

The City of Bemidji

Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College lie amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. Bemidji State occupies a wooded campus along the western shore of Lake Bemidji while Northwest Technical College lies just three miles east, near Bemidji’s robust industrial district.

The city sits between Minnesota’s three largest American Indian tribal nations: the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Red Lake Nation and the White Earth Nation. When settling the Bemidji area in 1750, the Ojibwe people named the lake Bemidjigamaag, which means “a lake with crossing waters” as the Mississippi River flows in from the south and exits on the east. Today, a city proper with a population of around 15,000 serves as a regional economic and cultural hub for about 100,000 Minnesotans.

Located just minutes away from a thriving downtown Bemidji, both the BSU and NTC campus communities have convenient access to affordable restaurants, fine-dining experiences, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores — including a natural foods co-op — city parks, and nearly unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. Small, locally-owned shops and art sculptures line Bemidji's downtown streets, while national chains are also found in and around the area. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows, restaurants offer weekly live music performances, the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits, and annual festivals bring the community together throughout the year.

Additionally, the North Woods setting means students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities available at their fingertips year-round. With more than 400 lakes — and a 240-acre research forest owned by BSU — within 25 miles of the city, there is easy access to kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, hunting, hiking, biking, foraging, fishing, and more. An expansive network of multi-use trail systems is available for running, cross-country skiing, single-track or fat-tire biking, and skijoring. Further, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing lie just north of Bemidji at the Buena Vista Ski Area.

Bemidji is also near two of Minnesota’s 66 state parks: Lake Bemidji State Park, which sits along Lake Bemidji’s northern shore, and Itasca State Park, home to the majestic Mississippi River Headwaters. Both parks are popular recreational and camping destinations where locals and tourists gather for sailing, swimming, and fishing during the summer months, and skating, hockey, curling, and—yes—more fishing in the winter.

Of course, no tour of Bemidji is complete without a visit to — and a selfie with — its two most famous residents: the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and his trusty companion, Babe the Blue Ox. The famed duo, which has greeted visitors to Bemidji since 1937, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once ranked by Kodak as the second most-photographed statue in America.

For further information, visit our websites at:** **http://www.bemidjistate.edu** **and** **https://www.ntcmn.edu

**Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at** Bemidji 2.0 (http://tcbmag.com/news/articles/2017/february/bemidji-2-0)

Other Resources:

+ Visit Bemidji – https://www.visitbemidji.com/

+ 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji – https://www.218relocate.com/

+ Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce – https://www.bemidji.org/

+ Explore Minnesota – https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji

Statement of Notice

Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College prohibit discrimination and sexual violence of any kind. Contact the Center for Civil Rights Investigation Office if you have concerns regarding discrimination and/or sexual violence. Per Minnesota State System Procedure 1B.3.1 , all universities and colleges must provide contact information of their Title IX Coordinator.

Megan Zothman, Campus Human Resources Officer & Title IX Coordinator

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Phone: (218) 755-2502

1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Deputy Hall, Room 335, Bemidji, MN 56601

_Bemidji State University / Northwest Technical College are Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employers and Educators. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Consumers with hearing or speech disabilities may contact us via their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service._

Benefits Information:

At Minnesota State, we have a GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE! Our generous benefits include 11 paid Holidays, Vacation Time, Sick Time, six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, low cost medical and dental insurance with low deductibles ($250 - $1500), a Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement plans and other retirement investment options, pre-tax medical and dental expense (with roll-over option) and dependent care accounts, employer paid life insurance, short and long term disability, as well as professional development and a tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents, etc. We promote the health and well-being of our employees and take work/life balance seriously.

Desired Start Date:

12-01-2025

Position End Date:

Open Date:

10-02-2025

Close Date:

11-05-2025

Posting Contact Name:

Mary Miller

Posting Contact Email:

[email protected]