Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships Job Summary

San José State University is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to serve as the Director of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (FASO). Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Director is responsible for the overall administration, leadership, and fiscal management of the university’s financial aid and scholarship programs. Serving over 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students and managing over $420 million in aid annually.

As a key member of the Enrollment Management Leadership Team, the Director of the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office will lead a team of approximately 25 employees, and manage a department budget of $1.5 million. This role requires a visionary leader who excels in compliance, service delivery, communication, and operational efficiency while fostering an inclusive and student-centered environment.

• Lead the planning, management, and evaluation of all federal, state, institutional, and scholarship aid programs
• Oversee regulatory compliance, fiscal accountability, and system implementation
• Supervise and develop staff across counseling, operations, and scholarship functions
• Collaborate with departments across campus to support student retention and timely graduation
• Serve as the campus expert on financial aid and scholarship policy and reporting
• Represent the university on internal and external committees, regional/national associations, and public events
• Develop and implement strategic plans, assessment tools, and service improvement strategies

• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner
• Understanding of federal, state, CSU, and institutional financial aid and scholarship policies and practices, with the ability to research, interpret, and apply them effectively
• Experience supervising financial aid and scholarship professional staff, with a commitment to professional development and building team capacity
• Experience identifying, developing, and implementing short- and long-term strategic goals and initiatives that enhance student success, improve customer service, and align with divisional priorities
• Ability to develop, implement, and manage a strategic plan in support of institutional enrollment and student success goals
• Ability to translate business processes into functional and technical requirements to support system and workflow improvements and enhancements
• Demonstrated knowledge of CMS, or relevant student information systems, database management, and imaging technology, as well as proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, and related applications
• Ability to leverage technology, automation, and data analytics to enhance financial aid processing, reporting, compliance, and student services
• Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and recommend actionable solutions
• Ability to prepare and manage program budgets, including developing proposals, making accurate projections, monitoring expenditures, and providing cost/benefit analysis regarding funding request
• Working knowledge of fiscal management and best practices
• Ability to train, lead, and inspire individuals and teams to accomplish institutional and divisional goals and objectives.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, faculty, staff, students, media, and community members
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals that clearly communicate complex policies and processes

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Five (5) years of relevant and progressively responsible management experience in an institution of higher education in Financial Aid & Scholarships

• Master’s Degree in a related field
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of relevant and progressively responsible management experience in an institution of higher education in Financial Aid & Scholarships

Classification:
Administrator III

Anticipated Hiring Range: $11,667/month - $12,500/month

CSU…