Associate/Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit

university with a 200-acre campus located along the scenic

shoreline community of Fairfield, CT. The University is comprised

of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students

pursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts and

Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of

Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health

Studies, and School of Education and Human Development. As an

expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield

embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging

critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering

ethical and religious values.

Job Description

The Associate/Assistant Director of Financial Aid is a key member

of Fairfield University’s Financial Aid leadership team, supporting

the administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of

financial aid operations. In alignment with the University’s

Jesuit, Catholic mission and commitment to cura personalis, this

role advances access, affordability, and student success through

ethical, student-centered service. The Associate/Assistant Director

partners with various members of the team to implement strategy,

oversee core processes, and enhance systems that support efficient

and equitable delivery of financial aid.

Job Responsibilities

• Support strategic planning, policy development, and operational

effectiveness as a member of the financial aid team.

• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and institutional

financial aid regulations and policies.

• Prepare financial aid appeals for review and serve on the

appeals committee.

• Manage an assigned student caseload and perform file review,

verification and academic progress evaluations as needed and in

accordance with all applicable policies.

• Process financial aid awards, adjustments, verification, over

awards and appeals.

• Monitor updates from the U.S. Department of Education, NASFAA,

and other professional organizations.

• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven work

environment.

• Counsel students, parents, and other related parties regarding

financial aid programs, eligibility, application procedures and

award processing.

• Review documentation for accuracy and consistency.
• Communicate with students and families.
• Collaborate with Bursar, Registrar, Enrollment and other campus

partners on assigned projects.

• Use PowerFAIDS and Workday and related systems to administer

aid, track records and support compliance.

• Support recruitment, open house, guidance counselor and special

events, and deliver financial aid and financial literacy

presentations on and off campus as needed.

• Maintain confidentiality and comply with FERPA and other

applicable policies.

• Assists in the administration of the Federal Work-Study (FWS)

program, including annual setup, awarding, and ongoing review of

student eligibility and fund utilization to ensure compliance with

federal regulations and institutional policies.

• Reviews weekly FWS payroll activity, including payroll loads

and student earnings; troubleshoots payroll issues and tracks FWS

earnings maximums, providing timely notifications to students and

supervisors as needed.

• Compiles and verifies FWS program data for internal reporting

and required federal submissions, including COD and the FISAP,

ensuring accuracy and timely completion.

• Maintains current FWS program documentation, guides, and online

content, and communicates routine program updates and reminders to

students and supervisors throughout the year.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in

financial aid administration.

• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and institutional

financial aid regulations.

• Experience with financial aid systems and data management.
• Demonstrated experience managing and overseeing members of the

financial aid team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education and

experience.

• Experience with PowerFAIDS, Workday Student, or similar

systems.

• Experience with Federal Student Aid Systems such as NSLDS, COD,

etc.

• Experience supervising staff or leading

projects/initiatives.

• Experience in a mission-driven, Jesuit, Catholic, or similarly

values-based institution.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Commitment to Fairfield University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission

and values, including cura personalis.

• Strong leadership, collaboration, and team development

skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the

ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention to

detail.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced,

service-oriented environment.

• Commitment to ethical practice, equity, and student-centered

service.

Work Environment / Conditions

• Regular access to confidential student financial and academic

records.

• Evening and weekend hours may be required during peak

processing periods.

• Occasional travel may be required.

The expected wage range for this position is $70,000 to $80,000

annually.

Category

Enrollment Management - Admin

Performs such other duties, responsibilities, and activities as

required by supervisor and as departmental/University needs

indicate.

• Disclaimer

The above information indicates the general nature and level of

work performed by employees within this classification. It is not

designed to contain and should not be interpreted as a

comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities,

activities, and/or qualifications required or expected of employees

assigned to this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may

change and new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without

notice.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory

background check.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all

employees and applicants for employment and prohibits

discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race,

color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status,

genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender

identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by

federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and

conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement,

promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of

absence, compensation and training.

Eligible employees may receive health, dental, retirement, paid

time off, tuition benefits, and other benefits according to

institutional policy.

Fairfield University Benefits

Load a resume or CV first, then upload supporting documents

including a cover letter at the bottom of the third page under the

"My Experience" section where it says to upload a Resume/CV.

You will be able to upload up to 5 other documents in this section.

You will be unable to edit your application, so please have all

documents available before applying. Faculty Positions : If

you need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine

them to upload or email the additional documents to the applicable

contact in the job description. Staff positions : If you

need to upload more than 5 documents, please either combine them to

upload or email them to hr@fairfield.edu