Description

The Associate Director of Financial Aid Counseling provides leadership and oversight for all customer service and counseling operations within the Office of Student Financial Services (SFS). This position manages student-facing service channels including in-person visits, appointments, phone communications, written correspondence, and departmental messaging. The Associate Director oversees FAFSA verification, special circumstance reviews, professional judgment decisions, and Satisfactory Academic Progress processes. This role ensures high-quality service delivery while supporting the effective administration of student financial aid programs. 

REPORTING AND SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP(S):

• Reports to: Senior Director of Student Financial Services
• Direct Reports: Financial Aid Counselor (2), Student Worker Staff

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Manage, train, and support financial aid counseling staff and student employees
• Lead financial aid counseling processes and manage complex student cases and escalations
• Oversee all SFS customer service operations including phone, email, walk-in, appointment, and event support
• Coordinate and manage SFS communications including scheduled Colleague notifications and maintenance of the communication calendar
• Manage SFS social media presence and assist with website updates and content review
• Coordinate SFS-hosted and SFS-attended events including content development, scheduling, and presentations
• Oversee appeals processes including special circumstances, unusual circumstances, dependency overrides, and scholarship appeals
• Manage Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) processes including setup, notifications, appeals, and academic plan coordination
• Oversee FAFSA verification processes, ISIR flag resolution, and conflicting information review
• Oversee document intake processes and support operational workflow as needed
• Develop and implement financial literacy programming for prospective, current, and graduating students
• Collaborate with the Senior Director to develop, revise, and implement financial aid policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance and operational effectiveness
• Assist with audits, compliance reviews, and institutional reporting to ensure adherence to federal and institutional regulations
• Support annual financial aid system setup and assist with maintenance of financial aid processes within Colleague
• Lead internal training and professional development initiatives for team members
• Maintain knowledge of regulatory updates, industry trends, and best practices through training and conferences
• Perform other duties as assigned

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supports the University’s mission, vision and values.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous improvement.
• Performs other duties and completes special projects as needed and assigned.

Requirements

COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations
• Student counseling and customer service skills
• Leadership and staff development
• Written and verbal communication skills
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Financial aid systems and technical proficiency
• Organization and process management
• Collaboration and relationship building
• Adaptability and continuous learning

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum three years of experience in financial aid administration
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong technical and analytical skills, including experience working with financial aid systems

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree
• Experience with Ellucian Colleague or similar financial aid/student information systems
• Supervisory or team leadership experience

WORK ARRANGEMENT:

This position is primarily on-campus. After an initial training period and based on operational needs, the position may be eligible to work remotely up to one day per week with supervisory approval.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The essential functions of this position are primarily performed in an indoor setting with limited exposure to outdoor weather conditions. Work is often sedentary in nature and requires remaining in a stationary position for extended periods. Required abilities include speaking and hearing for in-person and virtual communication, using close and distance vision when reading documents or viewing screens, and performing tasks with repetitive fine motor skills. Work may require occasional lifting, bending, carrying, or otherwise moving objects weighing up to 15 pounds. Qualified applicants who can perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodations will be considered.