Director of Financial Aid (M200)

Position Summary & Description

Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) seeks a visionary

experienced leader with a proven commitment to student success to

serve as its next Director of Financial Aid. The ideal candidate

will be someone who brings strong leadership, management, and

information technology skills, has extensive knowledge of tuition

discounting, centralized institutional aid models, and understands

how financial aid contributes to successful recruitment, retention,

and persistence of students. The candidate will have experience

implementing processes to enhance departmental effectiveness,

ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, and

leveraging information technology resources at both a strategic and

tactical level to improve efficiency to better serve students and

make better use of staff resources. The candidate will demonstrate

excellent communication skills and be regarded as approachable by

students, staff, colleagues, and other constituents.

The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for the leadership and

management of the Office of Financial Aid to administer all

federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid, while

supporting and advancing institutional goals to provide an

exceptional student-centered experience positively influencing

student recruitment, retention, and success. This position also

serves as a member of the Centralized Scholarship Workgroup. The

Financial Aid Office and the Director are key partners with the

Office of Student Billing and its Director. The new Director will

work together with Student Billing to ensure seamless

communications and outstanding customer service for students.

The Director aids in developing best practices and informing

decisions to leverage aid to maximize recruitment and retention

efforts for all student levels (undergraduate, graduate, clock

hour), that align with the University’s Strategic Plan and

Presidential Goals. This position serves as a member of the Student

Affairs senior leadership team and advises the Vice President for

Student Affairs on financial aid related matters. The Director

works collaboratively across the University to purposefully

leverage financial aid and coordinate outreach to achieve targeted

enrollment goals, and works collaboratively to establish student

financial aid policy and procedures.

The Director oversees Financial Aid Office operations for

continuous improvement and efficiencies, by serving as the

operational lead, functional expert, and data steward for Ellucian

Banner Financial Aid. The Director develops and executes strategies

to lead the office in providing exemplary, student-centered

customer service.

Essential Skills for the position

• Expertise in federal, state, and local financial aid programs,

policies, and regulations.

• Critical and strategic thinking and organizational skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate with internal and external

audiences.

• Strong written and oral communication skills and interpersonal

skills.

• Functional knowledge of Ellucian Banner Financial Aid.
• Ability to learn new technologies to improve efficiencies.
• Strong analytical ability and problem-solving skills.
• Proactive thinking and ability to troubleshoot.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and delegate
• Ability to collaborate with and manage professional and student

staff. Adaptability and flexibility.

• Student-Centered philosophy.
• Experience with tuition discounting.
• Ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Understanding of university policies, procedures, and

processes.

• Knowledge of university systems, communication tools, and

operations.

• Understanding of the enrollment cycle for all student

levels

For maximum consideration, please submit applications by

February 22, 2026

This management position is a non-represented

position.

Position Qualifications

MINIMUM

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3-5 years of professional experience working within an

accredited associate's or bachelor's degree-granting college or

university financial aid office or related professional experience

within a two year or four year accredited college or university

environment.

PREFERRED

• Master’s Degree
• NCAA compliance experience
• Experience working within collective bargaining

environments

• Financial aid office experience at a bachelor’s degree-granting

college or university

Candidates must have the communication skills and cross-cultural

abilities to maximize their effectiveness with diverse groups of

students, colleagues, and community members.

Candidates must communicate effectively and perform well in the

interview(s).

Essential Functions

The work of this position occurs in a typical office

environment. Although infrequent, periods of heavy exertion may

occur. Incumbent must have the following abilities:

• Ability to travel to field locations and meeting/training sites

by motor vehicle when required.

• Communicate both orally and in writing to issue, receive and

carry out instructions and orders effectively and to convey

information to a variety of co-workers and the general public

• Use a variety of common office machines such as telephones,

calculators, copiers, computer terminals, keyboards, video display

terminals, auxiliary printers and similar equipment.

• Perform manual duties such as lifting and carrying various

weight limits.

• Operate office equipment which may require stooping, kneeling,

bending, stretching and prolonged standing.

• Provide assistance and guidance to internal and external

customers.

• Follow oral and written instructions

Special Instructions to Applicants

• A complete application will consist of a cover letter, resume,

names, and email addresses of three references submitted in this

online application system at Employment at IUP.

• Automated reference requests will be generated when the

application is submitted by the applicant.

• You will receive a confirmation email when your application has

been successfully submitted.

• Official transcripts will be required prior to start date
• Please do not fax, mail or e-mail any documentation.

All offers of employment are subject to and contingent upon

confirmation of work eligibility and completion of a satisfactory

background investigation which includes, but is not limited to, Act

34, Pennsylvania Criminal Record Clearance; Act 151, Child Abuse

Clearance; and Act 114, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

Criminal Background Checks.

IUP is an equal opportunity employer and, in compliance with

federal and state laws and university policy, is committed to

providing equal employment opportunities for all persons without

regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability,

veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender

expression.