Director of Financial Aid

POSITION DESCRIPTION: DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL AID DEPARTMENT: ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION: FULL-TIME STAFF SHIFT: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm. Some evenings and weekends SUMMARY: The Director of Financial Aid supports the administration and delivery of financial aid programs by ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations while providing high-quality service to students and families. This role oversees daily financial aid operations, counseling students on aid eligibility and options, managing verification and awarding processes, and supporting staff training and supervision. The Director collaborates with internal departments to improve processes, resolve complex cases, analyze data, and contribute to policy development, with a focus on accuracy, efficiency, and student success. REPORTS TO: Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management MAJOR DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES (may include but are not limited to): • Administers federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs in compliance with all applicable regulations and policies. • Oversees verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and special circumstance reviews. • Reviews, approves, and packages financial aid awards, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. • Ensures compliance with Title IV regulations, audits, program reviews, and institutional policies. • Supervises, trains, and evaluates financial aid staff and student employees. • Resolves complex or escalated financial aid cases and responds to inquiries requiring advanced knowledge. • Collaborates with Admissions, Registrar, Student Accounts, and other campus offices to ensure accurate and timely aid delivery. • Develops, implements, and documents financial aid policies and procedures. • Monitors deadlines, workflows, and processing timelines to ensure efficient operations. • Analyzes financial aid data, prepares reports, and supports strategic planning and decision-making. • Participates in outreach activities, workshops, orientations, and financial literacy programs. • Manages the student information systems and financial aid software in regard to the packaging and awarding of all financial aid. • Supports scholarship administration and coordination with internal and external stakeholders. • Stay current on regulatory changes and best practices in financial aid administration. • Demonstrated experience with financial aid awarding and disbursement of funds, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. • Strong understanding of disbursement rules, return of Title IV (R2T4), reconciliation processes, and coordination with student accounts or registrar functions. • Knowledge of Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) and Pell and Direct Loan reconciliation • Experience collaborating with Student Accounts/Registrar on disbursement schedules, refunds, and reconciliation. QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE: • Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, including Title IV regulations. • Demonstrated experience with verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and financial aid awarding. • Strong understanding of compliance, audits, and program reviews related to financial aid. • Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to counsel students and families effectively. • Ability to interpret and apply complex regulations, policies, and procedures accurately. • Proficiency with financial aid management systems, student information systems (Campus Café or Colleague preferred), and Microsoft Office applications. EDUCATION: • Master's degree in finance, education, business administration, public administration, or a related field. • Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration within higher education. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: • The physical abilities involved in the performance of essential duties are • Environment: Office environment, subject to interruptions; off-campus travel required. May require evening and weekend work. • Physical Abilities: Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer terminal; hearing and speaking to exchange information and make professional presentations; sitting for extended periods APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Applications should include a cover letter and resume and must be sent, preferably in PDF format, to humanresources@clintoncollege.edu. The subject line of the email should read "Director of Financial Aid." The process will continue until the position is filled. Clinton College provides equal access to employment opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies Employment at Clinton College is contingent upon a background check that is satisfactory to the College. Failure to provide written authorization for a background check will nullify the offer of employment.