Posted: Nov 4, 2026

Associate Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid

North Carolina State University - Raleigh, NC

Full-time

Application Deadline: Nov 16, 2026

Posting Number	PG195006EP
Internal Recruitment	No
Working Title	Associate Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid
Anticipated Hiring Range	Commensurate with experience
Work Schedule	Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm
Job Location	Raleigh, NC
Department	Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
About the Department	The mission of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is to deliver a quality, affordable education to all students, regardless of their financial circumstances. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid administers a comprehensive array of programs (need and merit-based) to more than 22,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students annually, committing and disbursing in excess of $350 million per year.

Essential Job Duties	As the Associate Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for scholarship administration, processing and management. In this role you will play a key role in advancing the university’s scholarship programs by overseeing institutional resources, strengthening business processes and ensuring effective management of scholarship funds. Working as a member of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid leadership team, the role contributes to the development and enhancement of financial aid systems, applications, policies and research initiatives. The role also leads and develops professional staff, oversees technical operations and builds strong partnerships across campus to support effective scholarship administration and student success. Key Responsibilities: Scholarship Processing and Management Leads the administration and oversight of scholarship programs and processes within the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, ensuring accurate and effective management of university scholarship funds. Directs the selection and awarding process for a growing portfolio of university-wide scholarships, partnering with University Advancement to establish funds, define award criteria, coordinate recipient selection and notification, and manage renewal requirements. Oversees the identification and resolution of scholarship funding errors and discrepancies, ensuring accurate records at both the student and fund levels. Coordinates data analysis, reporting and information requests related to scholarship requirements, fund management and donor relations. Reviews proposed scholarship fund agreements and evaluates award parameters to ensure they can be effectively supported within the university’s student information system. Serves as a trusted resource and strategic partner to colleges, departments and university stakeholders, providing guidance on scholarship awarding, recipient selection, fund management, and donor relations. Evaluates the technology and system needs of scholarship programs and staff, recommending software solutions and enhancements that improve efficiency, accuracy and service delivery. Team Supervision and Leadership Leads and supervises a team of six scholarship professionals, providing direction, coaching and support for scholarship processing, administration and program operations. Establishes training and oversight practices that strengthen staff knowledge, promote consistent processes and support effective resolution of complex financial aid and scholarship matters. Provides leadership and guidance on nonstandard scholarship and financial aid situations, helping staff navigate complex issues and deliver accurate, timely outcomes. Outreach and Engagement Represents the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid through university-wide outreach and engagement initiatives, delivering presentations and communicating scholarship policies, processes and opportunities to campus and external audiences. Builds and maintains partnerships with colleges, academic departments and external scholarship programs, serving as a liaison and providing guidance on effective awarding practices, recipient selection and fund management. Represents the office on university committees, including the Teaching Fellows Program, Scholarships and Student Aid, and Athletics Compliance, contributing operational expertise and supporting the development and implementation of university policies. If you are an experienced professional with a background in scholarship administration, team leadership and financial aid operations, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the university’s scholarship programs. Join the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid in strengthening scholarship processes, supporting campus partnerships and helping ensure institutional resources are effectively managed to support student success.
Other Responsibilities	Evaluate student eligibility for financial aid and determine appropriate financial assistance and funding commitments. Advise students and families on special circumstances that may affect their ability to finance a university education. Develop and deliver educational programs that help students and families understand financial aid options, application processes and loan repayment. Partner with University offices to communicate financial aid policies and procedures, support policy development and advance new financial aid programs. Represent the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid on University committees, contributing financial aid expertise to campus policy discussions.

Essential Job Duties

As the Associate Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for scholarship administration, processing and management. In this role you will play a key role in advancing the university’s scholarship programs by overseeing institutional resources, strengthening business processes and ensuring effective management of scholarship funds. Working as a member of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid leadership team, the role contributes to the development and enhancement of financial aid systems, applications, policies and research initiatives. The role also leads and develops professional staff, oversees technical operations and builds strong partnerships across campus to support effective scholarship administration and student success.

Key Responsibilities:

Scholarship Processing and Management

Leads the administration and oversight of scholarship programs and processes within the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, ensuring accurate and effective management of university scholarship funds.
Directs the selection and awarding process for a growing portfolio of university-wide scholarships, partnering with University Advancement to establish funds, define award criteria, coordinate recipient selection and notification, and manage renewal requirements.
Oversees the identification and resolution of scholarship funding errors and discrepancies, ensuring accurate records at both the student and fund levels.
Coordinates data analysis, reporting and information requests related to scholarship requirements, fund management and donor relations.
Reviews proposed scholarship fund agreements and evaluates award parameters to ensure they can be effectively supported within the university’s student information system.
Serves as a trusted resource and strategic partner to colleges, departments and university stakeholders, providing guidance on scholarship awarding, recipient selection, fund management, and donor relations.
Evaluates the technology and system needs of scholarship programs and staff, recommending software solutions and enhancements that improve efficiency, accuracy and service delivery.

Team Supervision and Leadership

Leads and supervises a team of six scholarship professionals, providing direction, coaching and support for scholarship processing, administration and program operations.
Establishes training and oversight practices that strengthen staff knowledge, promote consistent processes and support effective resolution of complex financial aid and scholarship matters.
Provides leadership and guidance on nonstandard scholarship and financial aid situations, helping staff navigate complex issues and deliver accurate, timely outcomes.

Outreach and Engagement

Represents the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid through university-wide outreach and engagement initiatives, delivering presentations and communicating scholarship policies, processes and opportunities to campus and external audiences.
Builds and maintains partnerships with colleges, academic departments and external scholarship programs, serving as a liaison and providing guidance on effective awarding practices, recipient selection and fund management.
Represents the office on university committees, including the Teaching Fellows Program, Scholarships and Student Aid, and Athletics Compliance, contributing operational expertise and supporting the development and implementation of university policies.

If you are an experienced professional with a background in scholarship administration, team leadership and financial aid operations, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the university’s scholarship programs. Join the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid in strengthening scholarship processes, supporting campus partnerships and helping ensure institutional resources are effectively managed to support student success.

Other Responsibilities

Evaluate student eligibility for financial aid and determine appropriate financial assistance and funding commitments.
Advise students and families on special circumstances that may affect their ability to finance a university education.
Develop and deliver educational programs that help students and families understand financial aid options, application processes and loan repayment.
Partner with University offices to communicate financial aid policies and procedures, support policy development and advance new financial aid programs.
Represent the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid on University committees, contributing financial aid expertise to campus policy discussions.

Minimum Education and Experience	Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Degree preferred) and a minimum of two years of current, professional, higher education financial aid administration experience.
Other Required Qualifications	Must have significant training and experience in financial aid, demonstrate a thorough knowledge of rules and regulations governing state and federal student aid programs Exceptional written and oral communication skills, along with demonstrated leadership and counseling skills. This position requires a keen eye for detail, exceptional organizational and time management skills and strong, positive interpersonal skills. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to effectively work with faculty, students, parents, guidance counselors, donors and university colleagues.
Preferred Qualifications	Minimum of five years of current, professional, higher education financial aid administration experience. Knowledge of PeopleSoft including expertise in query and reporting tools.

Job Open Date	11/03/2026
Anticipated Close Date	11/16/2026
Special Instructions to Applicants	Please include as attachments a resume/CV, cover letter, and contact information for at least 3 professional references. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

* How did you learn of this opportunity?
- NCSU Website
- Job Alert (automated email from our system)
- NCSU Executive Search Services
- Monster.com
- CareerBuilder.com
- InsideHigherEd.com
- HigherEdJobs.com
- Other Online Job Board
- Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
- Job / Career Fair
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- Professional Journal
- Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
- Radio / Television Advertisement
- Professional Organization
- Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC)
- Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
- NCSU Employee Referral
- Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
- Other
If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.
(Open Ended Question)
* Do you have (or will you have by date of hire) a bachelor's degree or higher?
- Yes
- No
* Do you have significant years of current, professional, higher education financial aid administration experience?
- Yes
- No
* Please briefly describe your staff supervision experience.
(Open Ended Question)

Application Materials Required

Required Documents

Resume
Cover Letter
Contact Information for References