Director of Financial Aid

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Financial Aid & Enrollment, the Director manages financial aid processes, systems, and staff. The Director oversees the administration of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and high-quality service delivery, while collaborating with campus partners to support enrollment goals and student success.

Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Associate Vice President for Financial Aid & Enrollment, oversee the design, implementation, and ongoing review of financial aid administrative processes, with attention to efficiency, appropriate use of technology, and compliance with all federal, state, institutional, and private loan requirements.
• Provide day-to-day leadership of Financial Aid Office operations, ensuring services for students and parents are delivered efficiently, scale appropriately with enrollment, meet compliance standards, and incorporate paperless processes when feasible.
• Ensure the consistent application of best practices in financial aid administration, with a focus on accuracy, timeliness, regulatory adherence, and alignment with university, state, and federal policies and procedures.
• Support institutional recruitment and retention goals by collaborating with the Associate Vice President to plan and execute clear, timely, and effective financial aid communications for prospective students, enrolled students, and their families.
• Advance a culture of continuous improvement through staff development, performance management, regular review of operational workflows, and the use of data to guide decision-making.
• Work collaboratively with Admissions, Student Accounts, Enrollment Management, Information Technology, and other campus offices to promote coordinated services and a cohesive student experience.
• Monitor and assess the effectiveness of financial aid operations and communications through the preparation and analysis of compliance, quality control, and productivity reports; provide data and reporting as requested.
• Deliver advanced financial aid counseling and resolve complex cases involving FAFSA processing, verification, conflicting information, and eligibility determinations, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and institutional policy.
• Supervise assigned exempt and non-exempt staff, including Assistant Directors and professional personnel; provide training, conduct performance evaluations, manage workloads, and ensure consistent policy interpretation and high levels of customer service.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration, higher education, financial services, compliance, or a related field, including demonstrated supervisory and leadership experience.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with best practices of using technology in financial aid.
• Familiarity with relational databases including Banner and other recruitment systems.
• Ability to learn quickly, to multi-task, and to work independently.
• The ability to uphold human dignity and respect by recognizing each person's worth, valuing diverse perspectives, and treating others with kindness, fairness, and empathy.
• Must be able to respect, support, and contribute to the University's Catholic and Jesuit mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Direct experience administering federal student aid programs and working within a higher education environment.

Schedule

• Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Additional hours as required.
• Full-time, 12-month position.