Director of Financial Aid

POSITION: Director of Financial Aid

SUPERVISOR: President

DEPARTMENT: Finance

SALARY: $65-70,000 based on level of experience

The Art Academy of Cincinnati is seeking a full-time, experienced, and student-centered Director of Financial Aid to join our team. The Director provides leadership and oversight for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, ensuring accurate and timely service to students and compliance with Title IV and other applicable requirements.

The position includes a six-month probationary period, after which a formal review will be conducted to assess performance and support continued success in the role.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Financial Aid provides strategic and operational leadership for the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. The Director oversees student eligibility, financial aid awarding, verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, Return of Title IV Funds, disbursement, reporting, and reconciliation to ensure the accurate and compliant administration of student financial aid.

Working collaboratively with students, families, the Finance Team, Admissions, the Registrar, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs, the Director provides clear financial aid guidance, manages required federal and state reporting, prepares for audits and program reviews, and develops policies and procedures that support regulatory compliance and effective service to students. The position supervises the Financial Aid Counselor and plays a key role in advancing student access, enrollment, and retention.

This position is full-time and exempt, with hours commonly scheduled Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Flexibility is required during peak processing periods, enrollment events, reporting deadlines, audits, and other periods of increased institutional activity.

Essential Duties:

1. Ensure that the Art Academy is in compliance with federal regulations governing the awarding of Title IV grants, student loans, and work-study.
2. Evaluate FAFSAs to determine federal and state financial aid eligibility.
3. Provide students with award packages detailing their aid options.
4. Monitor changes to FAFSAs that may affect aid eligibility and revise award packages as necessary.
5. Complete the verification process for selected FAFSAs.
6. Make professional judgment decisions in special circumstances.
7. Counsel students and parents about available financial aid options.
8. Counsel students about their obligations as borrowers and implement default-prevention initiatives.
9. Administer federal grants, including Pell Grants and FSEOG, including eligibility, reporting, and reconciliation.
10. Administer state grants, including OCOG, including eligibility, reporting, and reconciliation.
11. Manage the Federal Direct Loan Program, including originating, disbursing, and reconciling loan data with Common Origination and Disbursement and the Art Academy Business Office.
12. Provide presentations and workshops for students and parents about current financial aid information and options.
13. Review and update financial aid website information.
14. Complete IPEDS and FISAP reports.
15. Compile materials for annual federal and state audits.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial aid information clearly.
• Sound judgment and a commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, ethical practice, and regulatory compliance.
• A student-centered approach and commitment to helping students and families navigate the financial aid process.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities, meet firm deadlines, and respond effectively to changing regulations and institutional needs.
• A collaborative and solutions-oriented approach, with the ability to work effectively across departments and with students, families, auditors, consultants, and external partners.

Reporting Structure

This full-time, salaried position reports to the President and supervises the Financial Aid Counselor. The Director collaborates closely with the Finance Team, Executive Director of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean; Executive Director of Enrollment, Marketing, and Student Success; Registrar; Admissions; and Student Affairs to support regulatory compliance, student access, enrollment, and retention.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in related field.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, the Federal Student Aid Two-Factor Authentication token required to access U.S. Department of Education financial aid systems.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience administering financial aid in a college or university environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Title IV programs and federal and state financial aid regulations.
• Experience with eligibility determination, verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, Return of Title IV Funds, awarding, disbursement, reporting, and reconciliation.
• Experience administering Federal Pell Grants, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Work-Study, state aid, and institutional scholarships.
• Experience using financial aid management software and federal systems, including COD and NSLDS.
• Experience preparing documentation for annual financial aid audits, Title IV program reviews, and other compliance reviews.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret regulations, maintain compliant policies and procedures, protect confidential information, and meet federal and state deadlines.
• Must not be subject to federal debarment, suspension, or any restriction that would prevent the administration of federal student aid programs.
• Strong leadership, supervisory, analytical, organizational, communication, and student-service skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• Five or more years of progressively responsible financial aid experience, including leadership or supervisory responsibility.
• Previous experience as a Director or Assistant Director of Financial Aid.
• Certified Financial Aid Administrator® certification and FAAC® designation through NASFAA.
• Relevant NASFAA credentials in areas such as verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, Return of Title IV Funds, Federal Direct Loans, Pell Grants, and campus-based programs.
• Successful completion of Title IV training provided or approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Experience serving as the institution’s primary contact for Title IV audits, program reviews, corrective action plans, or Department of Education communications.
• Experience serving as a Destination Point Administrator or managing institutional access to Federal Student Aid systems and SAIG services.
• Experience administering Ohio financial aid programs, including the Ohio College Opportunity Grant.
• Experience with Campus Café or a comparable student information and financial aid management system.
• Active participation in NASFAA, OASFAA, or another professional financial aid association.

Program Summary

The Art Academy of Cincinnati’s mission is to create and sustain radical, forward-thinking, contemporary visual artists and designers whose creative contributions make a substantial difference in all the lives they touch. AAC, established in 1869, is an independent college of art and design that serves approximately 200-300 students. Degrees granted are the Associate of Science in Graphic Design; the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Design, Illustration, Painting and Drawing, Photography, Print Media, Digital Arts Animation, and Sculpture; and the Master of Arts in Art Education. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), AAC is a charter member of both NASAD and the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD). AAC is also accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE).

AAC is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment and encourages candidates representing diverse backgrounds to apply. AAC is committed to policies of equal opportunity and non-discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, or veteran status, as protected by law. This includes all educational programs and activities, admission of students, advertisements, and conditions of employment. This policy is consistent with relevant governmental statutes and regulations, including those pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

All policies and procedures of AAC can be reviewed in the Employee Handbook available on AAC’s website or through Human Resources. Any changes to the AAC Employee Handbook override the terms of this description.

Application Information

To apply, please submit the following:

• Letter of Interest addressing the job summary and qualifications
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• List of three professional references and contact information, including email and phone numbers

AAC conducts criminal background checks with E-Verify on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.