Assistant Director​/Financial Aid

Position Information

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number S-3984

Position Number

Position Number 68840

Type of Recruitment

Type of Recruitment External

Position Title

Position Title ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / FINANCIAL AID

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid serves as a key operational leader within the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid ( OSFA ), supporting the effective delivery of and compliance with federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. Under the direction of senior leadership, the Assistant Director ensures accurate application of policies and procedures across assigned aid programs, contributes to quality assurance efforts, and supports the day-to-day processing and communication of aid.

This position plays a critical role in supporting student access, retention, and timely degree completion by ensuring operational efficiency and regulatory alignment. Supervision Exercised

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and one year of experience in financial aid counseling or in a higher education student service, or financial services related setting OR

Associate’s degree and four years of experience in financial aid counseling, in a higher education student services, or financial services related setting.

Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking communication skills.

Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and perform under pressure with high accuracy.

Commitment to maintaining compliance, confidentiality and data integrity in accordance with FERPA , federal, state, and institutional aid policies.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated expertise in administering Title IV programs and interpreting federal and state regulations.

Strong analytical and decision-making skills, especially in applying professional judgment and reviewing aid eligibility.

Experience with enterprise systems (e.g., Colleague, Banner, Regent, COD , NSLDS , FPP ).

NASFAA credentials or other professional certification in financial aid.

Knowledge of Michigan financial aid programs.

Experience developing and delivering training or policy guidance.

Duties & Responsibilities

Executes day-to-day functions of assigned financial aid programs (e.g., Federal Direct Loans, Federal Pell Grant, Michigan Achievement Scholarship, institutional scholarships), ensuring timely and compliant processing.

Applies federal regulations to evaluate unusual circumstances, exercise professional judgment, and make decisions that impact aid eligibility.

Processes appeals for the federal Satisfactory Academic Progress ( SAP ) policy and other academic criteria to determine continued aid eligibility.

Responds to student and parent inquiries by phone, email, social media and in person; provides clear guidance on aid options, requirements, and problem resolution with the expectation of the highest level of customer service.

Assists with the maintenance of the OSFA website in partnership with University Communications to ensure up-to-date and accurate content.

Processes the awarding of $1.5 million in endowed, departmental, and annual scholarships, ensuring eligibility criteria are met and awards do not exceed cost of attendance or unmet need per federal and university regulation and policy.

Reviews and assists student eligibility for federal loans, ensuring adherence to grade-level progression, annual limits, and lifetime aggregate limits; counsels students on repayment options and resolves federal loan history issues.

Collaborates with the Athletic Compliance Office to ensure student-athlete aid is awarded in compliance with NCAA , institutional, and federal regulations.

Manages awarding processes and collaborative outreach for specialized graduate and professional programs,…