Director Of Financial Aid

At Unity Environmental University, we value different perspectives, champion innovation, and create an environment where both employees and learners can excel. We are committed to fostering a workplace where talent and dedication drive success

Job Overview

The Director of Financial Aid leads the day-to-day administration of financial aid, ensuring students receive accurate and timely financial aid information and awards. This requires a strong working knowledge of federal financial aid requirements, financial aid systems, Unity's SEBUs and academic calendars, and the operational processes necessary to administer aid effectively.

he Director of Student Financial Solutions is the University's designated institutional lead for financial aid regulatory compliance and serves as the primary institutional point of contact with the U.S. Department of Education regarding Title IV administration, program reviews, regulatory inquiries, and other compliance matters. The Director of Financial Aid supports this function by ensuring that Financial Aid operations are conducted in accordance with established requirements, maintaining accurate records and controls and providing documentation and operational support as requested.

This role is funded through Research and Development in order to create institutional bandwidth. It begins with a structured learning period of a minimum of three to six months in which the incumbent shadows and learns from the Director of Student Financial Solutions. Specific tasks and projects are assigned during that period. Following the learning period, the incumbent is assigned a portfolio, either at the Enterprise level or dedicated to a subsidiary or SEBU, based on institutional need. Any portfolio assigned remains within the scope of this role. The portfolio assignment and any reports are determined by the institution and are not fixed at the time of hire.

POSITION SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

• Provide leadership for the Financial Aid unit, ensuring accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and adherence to established institutional policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead assigned institutional initiatives and projects, including work that may extend beyond the position's primary portfolio as organizational needs evolve.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert in financial aid administration and Title IV operations, partnering with the Director of Student Financial Solutions on regulatory interpretation, compliance matters, and institutional response.
• Monitor regulatory developments affecting financial aid operations and work with the Director of Student Financial Solutions to implement required operational changes.
• Identify operational, compliance, or control risks and promptly escalate concerns to the Director of Student Financial Solutions.
• Support the operational administration of financial aid, including eligibility determination, awarding, verification, satisfactory academic progress, disbursement readiness, and other financial aid processing in accordance with approved policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure financial aid processes are completed accurately, consistently, and within established institutional and regulatory timelines.
• Supervise the Financial Aid unit, establish performance expectations, maintain operational heuristics, and ensure appropriate staffing and workload distribution.
• Maintain appropriate quality assurance processes to identify errors, exceptions, processing delays, or emerging operational risks.
• Support Return to Title IV (R2T4) processes by ensuring Financial Aid responsibilities are completed timely and accurately, with appropriate documentation and reconciliation.
• Execute Financial Aid operations in accordance with compliance requirements, institutional policies, procedures, and guidance established by the Director of Student Financial Solutions.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of Title IV regulations, FERPA requirements applicable to financial aid operations, state aid requirements, federal guidance, and other regulations necessary to effectively administer financial aid.
• Support the Director of Student Financial Solutions in maintaining institutional readiness for audits, program reviews, regulatory inquiries, and other external reviews.
• Maintain complete and accurate documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with established financial aid policies, procedures, controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Support compliance calendars and monitoring activities by ensuring Financial Aid operational responsibilities are completed within required timelines.
• Maintain complete and accurate Financial Aid internal control documentation, workflow maps, process matrices, standard operating procedures, and supporting records.
• Maintain operational readiness for financial aid audits and program reviews and provide documentation, data, and process support to the Director of Student Financial Solutions and other institutional partners.
• Participate in financial aid audits, program reviews, and regulatory reviews as the operational subject-matter expert for the Financial Aid unit.
• Conduct regular quality assurance reviews to identify processing errors, data discrepancies, control weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish and maintain high customer service standards across all SEBUs, including phone, email, case management, response times, and adherence to SOPs.
• Collaborate with recruitment, advising, student success, and other student-facing teams to ensure employees are appropriately trained and confident in supporting students through financial aid processes.
• Identify recurring student pain points and develop operational solutions that reduce unnecessary complexity and improve the student experience.
• Partner with Institutional Effectiveness to maintain accurate reporting and improve financial aid data pipelines while modeling strong institutional data stewardship.
• Support new initiatives, policy revisions, and strategic planning related to affordability, access, financial aid administration, and financial wellness.
• Promote cross-training within the Financial Aid unit to ensure continuity, appropriate coverage, and succession readiness.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, transparency, ethical practice, accountability, student service, and operational excellence.

UNITY ENVIRONMENTAL UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Stay open to counterintuitive ideas and direct feedback. Unity employees are expected to think creatively and remain open to approaches that challenge initial instincts or traditional methods. Taking direction, seeking clarity, and executing with precision are critical to moving innovative work forward.
• Work confidently with AI, digital tools, and emerging systems. As a technology-enabled institution, Unity expects all employees to adopt a growth mindset around digital tools. This includes using AI systems to enhance productivity and decision-making, as well as learning new platforms and processes with curiosity and accountability.
• Deliver results in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Agility, resilience, and follow-through are essential. Employees must remain focused on outcomes even as priorities shift, iterating quickly and adjusting to change without losing momentum.
• Communicate with clarity and consistency. Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability and willingness to engage professionally by phone, video, and digital channels is essential. Employees must document decisions, convey key information clearly, and support alignment across teams.
• Model integrity and professionalism in all aspects of work. Every employee is responsible for upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating sound judgment, and maintaining an ownership mindset when it comes to their role and results.
• Own the accuracy of your work. While Unity equips employees with advanced systems and AI-enhanced tools, the responsibility for quality, precision, and correctness rests with the individual. Attention to detail and proactive error-checking are non-negotiable.
• Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability in all aspects of work. This includes responsible stewardship of resources, strategic decision-making, and ensuring long-term institutional impact.
• At Unity, we encourage input, feedback, and collaboration from all employees, your perspective matters. However, once a decision has been made, employees are expected to act as an extension of their supervisor's bandwidth, carrying out directives with clarity, consistency, and precision. We do not operate in independent silos; instead, we emphasize cross-functional collaboration and shared accountability.
• Perform other duties as assigned.