Assistant Director, Financial Aid Systems

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Boasting a 300‑acre tree‑lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6‑to‑1 undergraduate student‑to‑faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close‑knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid is an integral part of the Office of Financial Aid within the Enrollment Division at Rice University, a highly selective research institution located in the heart of Houston, Texas. The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for the administration of all sources of student financial aid in a manner strategically driven to meet the enrollment goals of Rice University.

The office is also responsible for ensuring that students and families are informed about the financial assistance available to them, including information on all federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs.

The Assistant Director will be responsible for projects or initiatives that have a defined scope, moderate to high levels of complexity, and external visibility, and require autonomous (independent) execution. As part of a team, the Assistant Director will provide technical support for Banner and other software to the Office of Financial Aid and administer the university’s financial aid programs and policies for undergraduate and/or graduate students.

The Assistant Director is also responsible for drafting procedures, problem solving, and special projects. The ability to communicate financial aid policies and convey complex financial information is essential. The position has minimal interaction with students and families.

The Assistant Director will be building skills to learn the work of the Enrollment Division at a highly selective institution. Familiarity with business processes, institutional methodology, verification, and financial aid systems, as well as knowledge of Rice University and/or experience in a higher education environment, is desired.

The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience in financial aid administration with progressive responsibilities and exhibit excellent functional and technical financial aid knowledge. They will have demonstrated initiative in utilizing professional development resources available to them. Experience with system testing, development of instructional materials, and implementing system solutions is desired. Current or past experience managing a Federal Student Aid fund portfolio and Banner aid‑year setup is preferred.

Automic experience is a plus.

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in‑office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. The hybrid schedule will be 60–90% remote after a probationary period. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

• Other requirements:
  Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. Some travel expected.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

• Bachelor’s degree
• 2+ years of experience in higher education financial aid and a…