Director Financial Aid

The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for the effective administration of financial aid operations, loan default management, and student account activities. This role ensures full compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies while fostering a student-centered experience that supports retention, academic progress, and success. Reporting to senior leadership, the Director oversees financial aid delivery and operational excellence, leads a high-performing team, provides guidance to students and families on financial options, and collaborates cross-functionally with campus departments and external agencies.

Pay Range: $80-95K

Location:

Lisle, IL

• Competitive Insurance:
  Health, vision, and dental coverage for you and your dependents
• Health Plan Enrollment:
  Eligibility starts first of the month following completing one full month of employment
• Paid Time Off:
  Competitive paid time off programs for employees (Vacation, Sick, Flexible)
• Retirement Matching: 50% match on the first 6% of your contributions after 90 days
• Paid Parental Leave: 4 weeks of paid leave for both birthing and non-birthing parents to bond with a new baby
• Pet Insurance:
  Competitive coverage for your furry family members through ASPCA
• Tuition Waiver:
  Enjoy a tuition waiver after 6 months of employment for you AND your immediate family offered

• Lead and manage campus financial aid operations, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations
• Oversee the financial aid and student account administration of funding programs, including grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study opportunities
• Provide financial aid and literacy guidance to students and families throughout the student journey.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Student Services, Registrar, and other departments to effectively support students
• Drive a culture of integrity and accountability to ensure compliance with internal policies and external agency regulations
• Focus on increasing student satisfaction through streamlined and effective financial aid operations
• Continually improve operational efficiencies to ensure accuracy and compliance with all regulations
• Prioritize optimizing delivery mechanisms to support seamless financial aid processing and administration
• Facilitate regular, meaningful two-way communication to achieve productive agreement and solution by defining objectives, addressing issues, and removing potential obstacles for all parties
• Determine trends and key metrics to evaluate effectiveness of initiatives and support to business goals and adjust strategies accordingly
• Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
• Establish/maintain a high performance team of professional, motivated and engaged staff utilizing effective training, performance management and career-development activities while leading them to achieve established business results and performance metrics
• Recognizes and rewards employee contributions and achievements
• Other duties as assigned

• NASFAA credentials or Title IV-related certifications (preferred)
• Valid state issued driver's license (required)

• HS diploma/GED and a minimum of 10 years professional experience in a post-secondary education setting - or - Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, or related field and a minimum of six (6) years professional experience in a post-secondary education setting (required)
• Master's degree(preferred)
• Minimum five (5) years of supervisory/leadership experience in financial aid operations (preferred)
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience administering Title IV financial aid programs (preferred)
• Title IV proprietary education experience (required)
• Must not be in default on any Federal Student Loans and must remain in good standing while employed (required)

• Advanced knowledge of federal/state funding programs, including Title IV, Veterans Affairs, and institutional aid
• Proficient in financial aid systems and student information systems (e.g., Ellucian, Anthology, Campus Vue)
• Independently manage complex tasks and projects
• Coach and mentor junior team members
• Analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and implement effective solutions
• Present ideas in a compelling and structured format to diverse audiences
• Demonstrate refined listening skills and emotional intelligence
• Facilitate training sessions and cross-functional meetings
• Drive consistent results in a…