The Director of Financial Aid provides strategic leadership for the University’s Office of Financial Aid, overseeing the administration of all financial aid programs in support of enrollment, retention, and student success. This position develops and implements policies, procedures, and operational practices that promote access, affordability, regulatory compliance, and high-quality service while ensuring alignment with federal, state, and institutional requirements. The Director oversees departmental operations, staffing, technology, budgeting, and financial aid systems that support traditional, online, and accelerated academic programs. The Director serves as the University’s lead administrator for financial aid compliance, ensuring continued institutional eligibility for federal financial aid programs and adherence to Title IV, FERPA, data privacy, and related regulatory requirements. This position oversees audits, reporting, compliance reviews, financial aid appeals, institutional aid strategies, budget forecasting, expenditure monitoring, and data analysis to support sound decision-making, operational effectiveness, and continuous improvement. The Director leads and develops financial aid staff through recruitment, training, supervision, performance management, and cross-training to ensure exceptional service delivery and operational efficiency. Working collaboratively with Enrollment Management, Admissions, the Registrar, Student Billing, Academic Affairs, and other campus partners, the Director aligns financial aid operations with institutional enrollment and student success goals while supporting outreach, financial literacy initiatives, student engagement, committee service, and other strategic initiatives as assigned. Examples of Duties - Serve as the University’s primary compliance officer for financial aid, ensuring continued institutional eligibility for participation in federal financial aid programs, including oversight of Program Participation Agreement and E-APP/ E-CAR processes - Lead all financial aid-related audits, compliance reviews, and regulatory reporting, including federal, state, veterans’ benefits, and internal audits; ensure timely resolution of audit findings and implementation of corrective actions - Oversee the administration and optimization of financial aid systems and ERP platforms to ensure operational efficiency, data integrity, and effective service delivery - Develop and manage institutional aid packaging strategies, forecast aid budgets, monitor expenditures, and evaluate financial aid trends to support strategic decision-making and enrollment goals - Conduct financial aid data analysis and develop recommendations to optimize aid allocation, operational effectiveness, and student outcomes - Oversee the review and approval of complex financial aid appeals, including professional judgment requests, special circumstances, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals, and income reduction appeals, ensuring equitable and student-centered resolution - Reconcile financial aid records with student billing operations to ensure accuracy and compliance in student account management - Represent the University in professional financial aid associations, regulatory forums, conferences, and training to maintain institutional awareness of evolving regulations and best practices - Participate in recruitment, outreach, and student engagement initiatives, including presentations to prospective students, families, and external stakeholders regarding financial aid programs and funding opportunities - Collaborate with campus partners to promote financial literacy initiatives and support student financial wellness, including strategies aimed at reducing student loan default rates - Serve on institutional committees and support strategic initiatives related to accreditation, assessment, enterprise systems, data governance, student support services, and student basic needs initiatives - Perform other duties and special projects as assigned Typical Qualifications - Earned master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Business Administration, Finance, Counseling, Public Administration, or a related field - Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration, higher education, or related student services leadership - Extensive knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations, state financial aid programs, veterans educational benefits, and institutional aid administration - Demonstrated experience managing audits, compliance reporting, and regulatory reviews - Strong knowledge of satisfactory academic progress (SAP), Return of Title IV (R 2 T 4), verification, need analysis, packaging, and fund reconciliation processes - Experience supervising and developing professional and support staff - Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills - Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills with the ability to work effectively with diverse student and stakeholder populations - Experience with financial aid management systems, student information systems, and reporting platforms - Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, monitor expenditures, and allocate financial resources effectively - Ability to interpret complex regulations and translate them into clear institutional policies and operational procedures - Commitment to student success, compliance excellence, and continuous process improvement