Central Washington University is recruiting a Financial Wellness Center Manager to join our Student Financial Services team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $52,588 - $64,420 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~10,000 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here.

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave.

The Role:

The Financial Wellness Center Manager will have a primary focus on understanding the costs of and strategies for financing higher education. This position manages the day-to-day operations of the Financial Wellness Center, provides guidance for the professional staff supporting aid application completion, and delivers financial wellness in support of institutional goals. This position will develop, design, and deliver financial wellness recruitment and retention activities. The successful candidate is part of the Student Financial Services leadership Team and is responsible for the oversight and evaluation of an effective financial wellness education program for prospective, current, and former students. All employees are expected to support CWU's commitment to diversity and to bring and support inclusion into the university environment.

Recruitment / Retention Outreach
- Plan activities for and represent the Financial Wellness Center at university recruitment, orientation, and retention activities
- Exercise independent judgment in the direction, development, and management of Financial Wellness Center outreach programs
- Develop and nurture relationships with high school counselors, creating an expectation that information about financing a college education will be delivered regularly at scheduled times
- Identify and develop successful strategies for diverse groups of students
- Create and present tools to promote understanding of college financing options
- Identify and/or develop tools to demonstrate the value of higher education
- Research and recommend tools to help students use financial aid and personal funds more wisely
- Develop and implement an early intervention strategy to identify financially at-risk students and provide targeted communications
- Collaborate with Student Accounts for balance outreach in advance of the quarterly enrollment window
- Establish and deliver a training program for institutional staff who assist students as they make borrowing and academic decisions

Financial Wellness Center Administration
- Responsible for the oversight and evaluation of an effective financial wellness education program for prospective, current, and former students
- Develop, promote, and collaborate on programs to educate students on financial aid options, scholarship searches, debt management, and loan repayment
- Represent the office on committees and develop relationships with relevant campus constituents to meet student and institutional needs
- Collaborate across campus to enhance student experience
- Develop, evaluate, and maintain policies and programs to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations
- Develop and track metrics to measure results of Financial Wellness Center programming
- Collaborate and train on the impact loan debt and financial aid eligibility have on academic success behaviors
- Review institutional specific data to develop targeted interventions to support CWU mission
- Assess student needs and regularly evaluate program effectiveness, adjusting materials as required

Supervisor Duties
- Actively engage in recruitment and hiring of new employees
- Clearly define performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provide ongoing informal feedback, coaching, and mentoring
- Ensure employees have appropriate resources
- Oversee and direct the work of staff
- Conduct formal performance evaluations of Financial Wellness Center staff
- Promote professional development opportunities
- Develop and foster supportive working relationships
- Ensure team motivation and engagement
- Regularly communicate with staff to positively influence staff engagement sense of belonging
- Recognize and reward employees for exceptional performance and/or take corrective actions in a timely manner
- Monitor employee hours worked and approve time and absence requests
- Adjust leadership style as needed to achieve results
- Value and encourage diverse perspectives, creativity, and teamwork

Financial Wellness Advising:
- Design and deliver presentations and materials on the value of higher education, financing college, financial wellness, and debt management to support institutional recruitment and retention targets
- Deliver and facilitate presentations and workshops to promote higher education attendance and aid application completion. Some workshops will be held during evenings and weekends at alternate locations
- Connect students with holistic campus and community resources
- Assist in the resolution of financial challenges using excellent problem-solving and crisis-management skills
- Engage participants in discussions about financial, academic, career, and personal development as it relates to college financial planning and wellness
- Design and deliver a program on the value of higher education, financing college, and general financial wellness for students who stopped out.

Professional Development:
- Remain current on and contribute to state and national conversations about effective practices and emerging trends in financial wellness
- Pursue professional development in both financial aid and wellness to thoughtfully integrate new developments and strategies
- Maintain current knowledge of federal regulations and best professional practices, including student eligibility requirements, repayment options, and default procedures
- Actively participate in SFS meetings and staff development opportunities

- Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree in adult education, counseling, or related field
• Three years of experience in counseling and/or advising high school and college students
• Proven ability to work independently and on a team , including strong interpersonal skills
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills
• Extensive presentation experience
• Demonstrated willingness and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in counseling, adult education, or related field
• Four years of experience in financial aid, financial literacy, or counseling with a diverse student population within a student service field
• Knowledge of federal student loan programs, student eligibility requirements, and repayment plans
• Certified as an AFC, CFP, or other financial education certification
• A record of promoting inclusivity in the work environment
• Demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for students through various activities

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Diversity: Recognizes the value of diversity and helps create environment that supports and embraces diversity.

*Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. This may be the job for you!

Salary: This position has a minimum annual salary of $52,588 and maximum annual salary of $76,253. The Hiring Department's expected hiring range is $52,588 - $64,420. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the hiring range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch)

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions. It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks, and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records Evening or weekend work and/or occasional travel is required at certain times of year.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave.

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.