Executive Director Of Financial Aid (55937)

Claflin University seeks an experienced student-centered and strategically minded Executive Director of Financial Aid to lead the Universitys comprehensive financial aid and scholarships program.

Reporting to the Vice President for Enrollment Management the Executive Director of Financial Aid will provide leadership for the day-to-day administration compliance awarding communication and continuous improvement of financial aid programs serving undergraduate and graduate students.

The Executive Director of the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) is a core member of the Division of Enrollment Managements team and provides strategic student-centered and technically expert leadership for the Universitys financial aid and scholarships programs. Working closely with the Vice President for Enrollment Management the Executive Director assists with the development and implementation of enrollment-related strategies policies and initiatives in order to achieve University enrollment goals and desired outcomes.

This position plays a key role in advancing Claflin Universitys Strategic Plan including its commitments to providing students with access to exemplary educational opportunities in its undergraduate graduate and continuing education programs.

The Executive Director provides innovative and strategic vision leadership and operations management in the administration of all federal state institutional and private financial aid and scholarship programs. Responsible for a financial aid program of $20 million for approximately 1800 students the Executive Director oversees the planning organizing and directing of all services provided. The Executive Director both integrates and ensures compliance with federal state institutional and private aid rules and regulations.

Responsible for managing Federal Title IV aid programs state grant and scholarship programs institutional scholarships and any other student aid provided by outside donors. This includes ensuring compliance with all federal state and institutional aid regulations policies and reporting requirements reconciling federal and state aid accounts and communicating financial aid policies and changes clearly to students. Oversee annual audits internal reviews and risk management activities related to Title IX programs.

Serves as the Universitys primary contact for the U.S. Department of Education and state aid agencies regarding program administration and collaboration with the Vice President and the Enrollment Management leadership team the Executive Director exercises strategic leadership in the development and implementation of institutional policies regarding the evaluation of financial need and the packaging of aid in order to realize University enrollment goals including access for and retention of a diverse student population.

Consistent with the Universitys commitment to operational excellence the Executive Director will lead modernization of OFAs systems and processes reducing manual and duplicative work strengthening data integration and reporting and improving timeliness accuracy transparency and student experience of financial aid services. Recognizing that sustainable well-supported staff are essential to reliable service the Executive Director will prioritize staff retention sustainable workloads onboarding and training professional development clear expectations and accountability and succession planning across OFA.

The Executive Director is expected to represent the University through leadership and active participation in national regional and statewide professional organizations and through professional publications.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations with the ability to think strategically about financial aid leveraging institutional scholarship resources enrollment goals student affordability and net tuition revenue.

Qualifications

Minimum Training and Experience

• Bachelors degree from an accredited institution
• Masters degree preferred with at least 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid higher education administration enrollment services or a related field and two (2) years of supervisory or leadership role within Enrollment Management

• Demonstrated progressive experience in the supervision management mentoring and professional development of staff preferably within financial aid enrollment management higher education or similarly complex administrative environment.
• Requires advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel PowerFAIDS and J1 as well as the ability to analyze reconcile and report financial aid and student data accurately.
• Experience administering federal state institutional and private financial aid programs.
• Experience with Jenzabar or other higher education ERP systems.
• Experience leading financial aid system implementation upgrades or process-improvement initiatives.
• Experience with federal and state financial aid audits or program reviews.
• Experience administering institutional scholarships and/or endowed scholarship programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Title IV financial aid programs and regulations.
• Familiarity with office management techniques is essential along with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills; excellent writing and editorial skills are required.
• Confidentiality integrity and discretion are essential.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing excellent service to students and families.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty staff administrators students and families.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations state financial programs and institutional aid administration.
• Ability to interpret complex federal regulations and translate them into institutional policies and procedures.
• Excellent analytical organizational problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional customer service and student-centered practices.
• Strong financial management budgeting reconciliation and reporting skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal written and interpersonal communications skills.