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Working Title:
Director of Student Financial Services, MnSCU Academic Supervisor 2
Institution:
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
MnSCU Academic Supervisor 2
Bargaining Unit / Union:
216: Middle Management Association
City:
MSTA - Moorhead CampusFergus Falls, MSTA - Wadena Campus
FLSA:
Job Exempt
Full Time / Part Time:
Full time
Employment Condition:
Unclassified - Unlimited Academic
Salary Range:
$34.11 - $51.28
Working Title: Director of Student Financial Services
Classification: MnSCU Academic Supervisor 2
Join Us at M State
Where your work helps create a success story for every student.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) is seeking passionate, talented professionals to join our learning‑centered community. Whether you are an educator, administrator, or staff professional, your work at M State will directly support students as they shape their futures and will strengthen the communities we serve.
With four welcoming campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, and Wadena, M State combines big‑college opportunities with a small‑college feel, offering nationally accredited programs, flexible learning options, and a deeply student‑focused culture.
Why Work at M State?
At M State, we are all in on student success.
Our work is guided by shared values of:
- Integrity – As dedicated professionals, we act with purpose in everything we do. We are sincere and honest in our relationships and communications, and hold ourselves accountable to doing the right thing even when no one is watching.
- Inclusion – We welcome, respect and accept people for who they are and celebrate the power of our collective differences in creating and shaping more robust, energized communities.
- Innovation – Through the power of our four campuses, strategic partnerships and creative problem-solving, we enhance communities. We incorporate technology to improve student experience, and we see continuous improvement as a constant.
Together, these values support our vision: A success story for every student.
Position Overview
M State is accepting applications for a Director of Student Financial Services. The campus location for this position is to be determined; Moorhead, Fergus Falls, or Wadena.
This position provides serves as a strategic leader and thought partner for the design, administration, continuous improvement, and future evolution of a comprehensive student financial services ecosystem that integrates regulatory compliance, fiscal stewardship, strategic enrollment finance, student affordability, financial literacy, community education, institutional communication, and student success. This position directs and administers the college’s financial aid and student financial services programs while leading strategic innovation and continuous improvement. This role provides visionary leadership and oversight of financial aid, student financial services, affordability strategy, and financial communications while ensuring compliance with federal, state, institutional, and accreditation requirements. The Director oversees the development and execution of annual goals and work plans, implements effective procedures, and collects and analyzes data to evaluate program outcomes. Beyond operational oversight, the Director positions financial services as a central institutional driver supporting access, recruitment, retention, persistence, completion, public trust, and long-term sustainability, while also providing direct supervision, coaching, and performance management to foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team. The Director leads a transformation from traditional financial aid administration to an integrated strategic financial ecosystem that aligns enrollment management, student success, and community engagement, creating a seamless student financial journey from prospect through completion and beyond. This position serves as both an operational expert and strategist, ensuring students, families, employees, and community stakeholders have clear, transparent, accessible, and empowering financial guidance that supports educational opportunity and the institutional mission.
The values that guide our work include: access and opportunity, equity, inclusion and belonging, cultural competence, cultural responsive pedagogy & service, and community engagement. Our educational environments are culturally relevant, responsive, and innovative to the students we serve. Our students are assets, we affirm their identities and lived experiences, and provide spaces that are emotionally safe and reflect who students are.
Customer Service.
On a daily basis, live the mission, vision and values of M State to ensure a positive experience for all students and stakeholders. Service to M State students and stakeholders is a core component of the position and work responsibilities.
Serve as the Director of the Financial Aid Department.
- Direct and administer financial aid and student financial services programs to ensure effective, compliant, and student-centered delivery of services.
- Lead and ensure regulatory compliance, governance, and fiscal stewardship. Provide comprehensive oversight of all financial services systems to ensure the institution maintains the highest standards of regulatory compliance, operational integrity, and fiscal accountability.
- Manage the daily operations of financial aid delivery systems, including awarding, disbursement, verification, and reconciliation processes.
- Ensure ongoing compliance with Title IV regulations, FAFSA administration, return-to-title calculations, satisfactory academic progress, verification, reconciliation, and audit protocols
- Direct and oversee institutional compliance with all applicable federal, state, tribal, institutional, and accreditation regulations related to financial aid, scholarships, grants, loans, veteran benefits, work-study, tuition payment systems, and student financial support
- Oversee fiscal controls, budget alignment, reconciliation systems, and stewardship of institutional resources. Systematically monitor, evaluate, and project the use and expenditures of all aid funds, ensuring effective utilization and full compliance with appropriate regulations, policies and procedures
- Prepare and submit accurate and timely applications for loan, grant and work funds to federal, state institutional and agency funding sources so that adequate aid funds are requested to meet student needs (i.e.: PPA, FISAP, monthly reporting to Federal/State Agencies, etc.)
- Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and translate them into operational and strategic institutional responses
- Develop, maintain, and continuously improve policies, procedures, controls, and governance frameworks and translate institutional mission into financial systems and strategies
- Lead audit preparation, response, corrective action planning, and risk mitigation
- Collaborate with executive leadership, enrollment, admissions, business office, student affairs, academics, advancement, workforce development, and community partners to align financial aid strategies, optimize the student financial experience, and ensure coordinated support from recruitment through completion
- Advance equity and access by ensuring financial aid policies, practices, and services reduce barriers and support diverse student populations and workforce pathways while strengthening student success and institutional effectiveness
Exercise Supervisory Authority and Provide Leadership for the Financial Aid Employees so the Department Operates in an Effective and Efficient Manner.
- Perform supervisory responsibilities in accordance with established equal opportunity/Affirmative Action, non-harassment, discrimination, and employee safety policies and procedures
- Review applications for the selection of interviews, interview candidates, hire employees, conduct probationary reviews, and independently make decisions regarding certifications and promotions. Conduct performance evaluations, grant or withhold step increases, and reward employees
- Create and approve position descriptions. Approve employment status changes and transfers based on performance, classification changes, and departmental needs
- Take corrective and disciplinary action, up to and including discharge and participate in grievance processes as appropriate
- Direct and orient new employees on their job duties, and provide employee training, coaching, and performance feedback. Set clear performance expectations and priorities. Assign, review, approve or deny completed work. Approve time records, as well as vacation and sick leave requests
- Ensure collective bargaining agreements and MnSCU policies and procedures are implemented and appropriately enforced
- Develop annual budget requests to support personnel, training, and professional development needs. Prepare annual goals and objectives to guide department operations, improve efficiency, and align with institutional initiatives and student success efforts
Lead the Institution’s Comprehensive Financial Communication Strategy to Ensure Students, Prospective Students, Families, and Community Stakeholders Experience a Coherent, Accessible, Empowering, and Strategically Aligned Financial Journey.
- Design, implement, and continuously revise a strategic financial communications framework spanning the full student lifecycle from prospect through alumni transition
- Map and improve every financial communication touchpoint from:
- Prospecting
- Recruitment
- FAFSA and scholarship education
- Admissions and yield
- Enrollment onboarding
- Persistence and re-enrollment
- Completion and repayment readiness
- Partner with Enrollment Management, Admissions, Student Success, Business Office, Marketing, and Communications to align messaging into a unified financial journey
- Eliminate fragmented communication and institutional silos that create confusion or barriers
- Revise award letters, financial instructions, payment communications, and support resources for clarity, transparency, accessibility, and strategic effectiveness
- Develop community-facing educational opportunities including:
- FAFSA workshops
- Parent and family financial planning sessions
- Scholarship readiness programs
- Community budgeting and educational financing workshops
- Adult learner and workforce learner financial literacy initiatives
- Position the institution as a trusted regional leader in educational financial empowerment
- Strengthen community trust, recruitment pipelines, and public engagement through financial education
- Use CRM, data segmentation, and communication analytics to improve effectiveness across diverse populations
Lead Financial Strategy Efforts That Support Enrollment, Student Affordability, and Long-Term Institutional Sustainability.
- Develop and continuously refine strategic financial aid leveraging models that support recruitment, conversion, affordability, and persistence
- Partner closely with enrollment management, admissions, finance, institutional research, and executive leadership to align aid strategies with institutional priorities
- Lead scholarship optimization strategies that maximize mission alignment and student opportunity while responsibly stewarding resources
- Analyze tuition discounting, net tuition revenue, demographic trends, FAFSA completion, and yield indicators
- Build predictive models that evaluate financial barriers, student decision-making, enrollment elasticity, and stop-out risk
- Support institutional strategic planning related to changing demographics, market conditions, workforce pathways, and financial competitiveness
- Ensure financial services functions as a strategic contributor to organizational resilience
Provide Support for Student Financial Wellness, Accessibility, and Success. Design and Lead a Student-Centered Financial Ecosystem That Supports Not Only Enrollment but Long-Term Persistence, Completion, and Life Readiness.
- Ensure equitable, student-centered financial counseling and support systems
- Expand financial literacy, budgeting, debt awareness, scholarship literacy, and repayment education
- Develop proactive intervention systems for financially vulnerable students
- Lead appeals, emergency aid, special circumstances, and basic needs financial pathways
- Reduce barriers to persistence by addressing financial confusion, unmet need, and preventable stop-out factors
- Support students and families through increasingly transparent and accessible communication
- Promote financial wellness as an essential component of student success
Lead the Improvement and Integration of Systems and Processes to Ensure Efficient Operations and a Streamlined, Student-Centered Financial Services Experience.
- Oversee SIS, CRM, automation, digital communication tools, and service delivery systems and improve workflow efficiency and remove unnecessary barriers
- Build technologically modern systems that improve accessibility and responsiveness and lead redesign of processes that impact student navigation and service quality
- Develop dashboards and performance indicators to monitor effectiveness
- Ensure innovation aligns with compliance, service excellence, and strategic priorities
Support for Campus and College Operations.
- Recognition of broad and varied professional responsibilities which include but are not limited to support for campus and college operations such as: registration events, Spartan Welcome Days, Commencement, this is not an exhaustive list
- Support the operation of college and campus operational area(s) beyond the financial aid office
- Serve on campus, college and community committees as assigned, approved and appropriate that seek to enhance the student experience
- Other related duties as assigned by the Associate Vice President of Recruitment & Retention
What We’re Looking For
Minimum Qualifications
- Minimum of three (3) years of experience in financial aid administration with demonstrated expertise in operations and compliance. A master’s degree in finance, accounting, education, business, human services, or another related field may substitute for 18 months of experience; a bachelor’s degree finance, accounting, education, business, human services, or another related field may substitute for one year of experience; an associate’s degree finance, accounting, education, business, human services, or another related field may substitute for six months of experience
- Experience supervising staff or providing lead work direction
- Extensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and experience managing financial aid operations, awarding processes, and compliance programs. Demonstrated financial stewardship and budget oversight experience. Familiarity with financial aid systems (e.g., Oracle, Salesforce, PowerFAIDS, ISRS data entry, processes, and reporting). Ability to accurately and effectively communicate complex rules and regulations to diverse stakeholder groups with a commitment to equitable access and student success
- Experience using data to inform decisions and improve outcomes and the ability to assess, imagine, and design new programs and initiatives. Exceptional skills in collaboration, communication, and change management, with experience in process improvement and automation and building partnerships across division
- Ability to maintain composure and make sound decisions in fast-paced or high-pressure situations
- Must have a propensity for detail, a concern for accuracy and demonstrate the ability to work with confidential materials and information
- Ability to exhibit intercultural competency and ability to work with diverse populations
Preferred Qualifications
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance, accounting, education, business, human services, or another related field
- Five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, including financial aid administration, enrollment management, admissions, or student affairs and supervising staff or leading teams
- Extensive experience in the development, documentation, and implementation of policies and procedures
- Experience working in a collective bargaining environment
- Experience working within the Minnesota State system or a similar multi-campus public higher education system.
Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)
- 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Please note our summer hours: effective May 20 – July 28, 2026 – summer hours will be Monday through Thursday 7:30 AM – 5 PM and Friday 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM (excluding the following weeks which will be five, 8-hour days due to the holiday)
- Juneteenth – June 17 - June 23
- Fourth of July – July 1 – July 7
Application Procedure
The vacancy is posted online through July 5, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 12:01 a.m. on July 6, 2026. To apply, submit a letter of interest, resume, three professional references, and any applicable transcripts. Internal applicants need to apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday.
NOTICE: The college regrets that it is unable to offer H-1B sponsorship. The successful candidate under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations must be able to accept work in the U.S. by the day employment begins.
Salary
This is the correct salary range for this position, disregard the full range listed by this website: $34.11- $49.39 per hour or $71,222 - $103,126 annually
Questions About the Position? Contact Heidi Balgaard, M State’s Staff Recruiter, at
Heidi.Balgaard@minnesota.edu
About
M State is a regional student-focused institution that is poised for a strong future. It is the sixth-largest outstate college in the Minnesota State system and the largest two-year college in Greater Minnesota, serving more than 10,500 students in credit and non-credit courses each year. M State offers big-college resources and a small-college feel on our four welcoming campuses and in our many online courses and programs. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to the values of integrity, inclusion and innovation, and that dedication is reflected in our programs and in the support we offer to our students.
Minnesota State is an equal opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status. All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States.
If you need accommodations to take part in the application process, please contact Human Resources at (218) 736-1512. For more information regarding M State, refer to our website at: www.minnesota.edu. Minnesota State Community and Technical College, a member of the Minnesota State system, is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer.
NOTICE: In accordance with the Minnesota State Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, employees driving on college/university business who use a rental or state vehicle shall be required to conform to Minnesota State’s vehicle use criteria and consent to a motor vehicle records check.
This vacancy notice may be removed at any time for any reason.
Benefits Information:
At Minnesota State, we take your well-being and work-life balance seriously. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that features low-cost medical and dental insurance with affordable deductibles, employer-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and pre-tax healthcare and dependent care accounts with a roll-over option. To further support your holistic health, employees also have access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health, legal, and financial counseling. Detailed plan details, rates, and coverage choices can be reviewed directly via the State Employee Group Insurance Program (SEGIP) website.
To support your life outside of work, our package includes 12 paid holidays, generous vacation and sick time, and six weeks of Paid Parental Leave. We also help you secure your financial future with a robust Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement accounts, and various investment options. Furthermore, we invest in your growth by providing dedicated professional development and tuition waivers for both you and your dependents. Please note that specific benefit eligibility and coverage levels may vary depending on the type of position, employee classification, and collective bargaining agreements.
Desired Start Date:
08-01-2026
Position End Date:
Open Date:
06-12-2026
Close Date:
07-06-2026
Posting Contact Name:
Heidi Ruth Balgaard
Posting Contact Email:
heidi.balgaard@minnesota.edu