Director, Financial Aid

The Director of Financial Aid provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for all federal, state, and institutional student financial aid programs. This position ensures compliance with applicable laws and regulations, promotes access and affordability for students, and supports institutional goals for enrollment, retention, and completion. The Director leads a team of financial aid professionals and collaborates with campus departments to deliver high-quality student services.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

• Receives general direction from the Dean of Student Affairs.
• Exercises direct supervision over the Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Financial Aid Coordinators.

 

Duties & Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

 

ESSENTIAL AND OTHER IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS STATEMENTS:

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

Essential Functions:

• Provide leadership and management of the Financial Aid Office, including supervision, training, and evaluation of staff.
• Maintain the College’s financial aid data and ensures timely and accurate submission of required federal, state, and local reports and funding requests.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations governing student financial aid.

• Review and maintain the Cost of Attendance budget as required by federal guidelines.

• Oversee the awarding, disbursement, reconciliation, and reporting of federal (Title IV), state, and institutional aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study, and student loans.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with Department of Education requirements, including annual audits, program reviews, and submission of federal reports (e.g., FISAP,IPEDS, Gainful Employment).
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of changes in laws, regulations, and best practices in financial aid administration.
• Conduct regular audits and eligibility checks of student records and files to maintain accuracy and policy compliance.
• Develop and manage the financial aid budget and oversee fiscal accountability for aid programs.
• Coordinate with other campus departments (Admissions, Business Office, Registrar, Foundation) to streamline financial aid processes and enhance the student experience.
• Monitor the College’s student loan default rate and implements effective default management strategies. Develop and implement a comprehensive loan default management and financial literacy program to educate students and families on funding options, cost of attendance, debt management, and responsible borrowing.
• Analyze data to assess the effectiveness of financial aid programs in meeting student needs and institutional goals; make recommendations for improvement.
• Maintain and update the Student Information System to ensure accurate awarding of aid, reliable reporting, and integrity of student records.
• Participate in strategic enrollment planning, retention initiatives, and practices that support access and success.
• Represent the college at local, state, and national meetings and maintain active involvement in professional organizations.

Other Important Functions:

• Participate in recruitment activities at local high schools; provide information regarding student resources to students and potential students.
• Participate in professional development to stay abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of financial aid processes; provide staff support to a variety of boards and committees.
• Answer questions and provide information to students and the public on college activities; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints.
• Ensure financial aid staffing at special events such as College Information Night, New Student Orientation, Open House, etc.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

 

Qualifications

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Operational characteristics, services and activities as it applies to a financial aid program.
• Regulations, policies and procedures related to all state and federal financial aid grant and loan programs
• Record keeping and reporting procedures
• Principles of budget preparation and control
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation
• Modern office procedures, methods and use of technology and computer equipment to enhance processes and workflow
• All pertinent Federal, State, college, and local policies, procedures, laws, codes and regulations

Ability To:

• Manage and coordinate the work of professional, clerical and technical personnel
• Select, supervise, train and evaluate staff
• Interpret and explain college financial aid policies and procedures
• Collect, interpret and evaluate narrative and statistical data
• Gain cooperation through discussion and persuasion
• Effectively develop, implement and evaluate programs and strategies designed to deliver student financial aid services in an efficient manner
• Prepare clear and concise reports.
• Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:

-making observations

-communicating with others

-reading and writing

-working with numbers

-operating assigned equipment

• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following:

-sitting for extended periods of time

-operating assigned equipment

• Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of:

-making sound decisions

-demonstrating intellectual capabilities

-working with numbers

-evaluating the effectiveness of programs and personnel

-responding to questions

-evaluating various alternatives and making appropriate choices

-maintaining confidentiality

• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing  
• Demonstrate positive interpersonal communication skills to interact effectively using diplomacy and tact with stakeholders
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including a variety of college and government officials, community groups, and the general public.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES:

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Required Experience & Education:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Four years of financial aid experience, including importing and packaging, writing financial aid policies and procedures, federal and state reporting, and processing R2T4s, SAP, and verifications
• Four years of supervisory experience
• Effective written and oral communication skills
• A demonstrated proactive approach to identifying problems, creating innovative solutions, and managing projects

 

Preferred Experience & Education:

• Related experience in a North Carolina Community College setting
• Experience with Colleague
• Experience with SharePoint, Etrieve, and Informer Reports

 Training:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, accounting, or a related field.  

 

Supplemental Information

 

Special Instructions to Applicants:

• This position REQUIRES UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AND/OR TRAINING CERTIFICATIONS be submitted in addition to the application. Please have these documents ready to upload when applying.

 

• Candidates are required to submit OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS for all degrees obtained prior to their first day of work or hire date. If highest level of education is High School diploma or equivalent, proof of completion is required.

 

• Candidates who have obtained their education outside of the US and its territories must have their academic degree(s) validated, at their own expense, by an outside credential evaluation service as equivalent to the Baccalaureate or Master's degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.  

 

• To claim veterans’ preference, all eligible persons shall submit a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to Human Resources during the application process. Human Resources will verify eligibility.