Associate Director of Financial Aid
About the role
The Associate Director of Financial Aid – Advisement is a senior leader within the Office of Financial Aid who serves as the primary representative and voice of financial aid for Rocky Vista University students. Reporting to the Executive Director of Financial Aid, this role is charged with advancing the student experience by providing comprehensive financial aid advisement, ensuring compliance with federal and institutional policies, and fostering collaboration across key university departments.
Responsibilities
Supervise, train, and evaluate counseling staff to ensure accurate, efficient, and student-centered advisement.
Provide direct advisement to students regarding aid eligibility, award adjustments, loan options, repayment obligations, and debt management strategies.
Serve as the primary financial aid representative at student-facing events (orientation, class meetings, information sessions, and workshops).
Develop and deliver presentations to incoming, continuing, and graduating students on loan options, repayment, budgeting, and financial wellness.
Oversee the credit application and loan counseling processes for federal and private loans, ensuring compliance with Title IV and institutional requirements.
Manage loan entrance and exit counseling processes; ensure students understand borrowing responsibilities and repayment options.
Certify/Manage Direct Loan applications and process loan returns, adjustments, and cancellations along with the Enrollment and Financial Aid Operations teams.
Develop and implement debt management programs, including individual counseling, repayment planning, and post-graduation financial education.
Review and approve complex loan adjustments, increases, and reductions in accordance with federal regulations.
Oversight of the student facing VA benefits process. Ensure there are at least 3 certifying officials across the team including one on campus.
Maintain active interaction with Admissions to ensure prospective and admitted students are fully informed about financial aid opportunities and requirements throughout the admissions process.
Partner with the Registrar to ensure accurate enrollment data for aid packaging and compliance.
Collaborate with the Bursar to support billing, payment, and aid disbursement processes.
Cookordination with Clinical Education Operations to align aid processing with clinical placements and scheduling.
Work across departments to streamline processes and provide holistic support for students.
Use Jenzabar, PowerFAIDS, UC4, COD, and NSLDS extensively to process, monitor, and reconcile financial aid activity.
Monitor reports to ensure timely and accurate packaging, awarding, disbursement, and loan certification.
Oversee compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, including FERPA, Title IV, COD, and NSLDS requirements.
Maintain knowledge of federal regulations, lender policies, and institutional practices; recommend policy and process updates as needed.
Collaborate with the Financial Aid leadership team on strategic planning, policy development, and operational improvements.
Oversee FAFSA processing, ISIR review, need analysis, and verification, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
Collaborate with leadership on system testing, automation improvements, and operational planning.
In conjunction with the Enrollment and Financial Aid Operations leadership, collaborate on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) reviews and Title IV refund calculations.
In conjunction with the Enrollment and Financial Aid Operations leadership, collaborate and coordinate all Enrollment and Financial Aid audits, including internal reviews, external audits, and accreditation reviews; ensure timely file retrieval, review, and submission.
Provide coverage for core functions as needed to ensure uninterrupted service to applicants and students.
Perform other duties and special projects assigned by leadership.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum 7 years of progressive financial aid experience, including 3 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
Demonstrated experience with federal loan programs, private loan processing, and debt management counseling.
Familiarity with Title IV regulations, COD, NSLDS, and financial aid reporting systems.
Strong track record of student engagement and delivering financial aid presentations.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to manage complex data and reports.
Extensive experience with Jenzabar, PowerFAIDS, Banner, UC4, COD, and NSLDS systems.
Ability to balance regulatory compliance with a compassionate, student-focused approach.