Assistant Director, Student Financial Services

About the role

The Assistant Director of Student Financial Services provides specialized financial aid advising and proactive outreach to continuing and returning students with a focus on reducing financial barriers that impact student retention. This person will collaborate with campus partners to identify and support at-risk students through individualized counseling, targeted interventions, and enrollment support strategies. In addition, the role coordinates financial aid administration and compliance activities for the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) while promoting student success and persistence.

Responsibilities

• Provide individualized financial aid advising to continuing and returning students, including FAFSA troubleshooting, funding strategy guidance, and responsible borrowing counseling.
• Conduct targeted outreach and proactive intervention for at-risk student populations.
• Collaborate with campus partners to support retention initiatives, student success strategies, and case management for financially vulnerable students.
• Develop and maintain financial aid advising resources and training materials for academic advisors and campus partners.
• Coordinate financial aid administration for the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), including eligibility review, awarding, reconciliation, reporting, and compliance activities.
• Monitor compliance with federal, state, institutional, and program-specific financial aid regulations.
• Support winter and summer enrollment and retention initiatives through outreach and individualized counseling.

Requirements

• 1 year of financial aid, student services or higher education experience
• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Banner and/or Ellucian systems preferred
• Knowledge of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)
• Experience supporting retention, student success, or advising initiatives.

Benefits

• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 4 weeks of paid vacation beginning in the 6th year of employment
• Unlimited paid sick time
• 14+ paid holidays per year
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD)
• Life insurance
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation
• 403(b) defined contribution plan: First 6 years University contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%
• University contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years. Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7.
• Tuition Benefits: Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26. University pays 100% tuition only. Eligible dependents may be reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

About the Department/School

Student Financial Services consists of 5 pillars: financial aid, student accounts, student employment, the student loan center and financial literacy. We are here to support students and families throughout their journey, and are committed to providing exceptional customer service.

About Marist University

Founded in 1929, Marist is a comprehensive, independent four-year institution whose signature educational approach blends the liberal arts with pre-professional studies and emphasizes experiential learning to enrich classroom instruction. With campuses in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Florence, Italy, plus over 70 programs offering a variety of international study, Marist is a portal to the world and is devoted to nurturing a welcoming, inclusive community. Through six schools offering almost 50 majors, Marist cultivates the intellectual growth and well-being of its more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students and encourages them to color outside traditional academic lines as they pursue coursework and personal experiences that provide valuable occupational expertise and reflect their individual passions. Marist has been acclaimed a top institution in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse, Princeton Review, and others.