Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Job type: Full Time

Department: Financial Aid Office

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL AID

Position Description

LOCATION: Central, SC

CLASSIFICATION: Regular, full-time; exempt

REPORTS TO: Director of Financial Aid

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid assists the Director in overseeing and administering financial aid operations and serves as a key resource for staff, students, and campus partners. This position administers federal, state, institutional, and athletic aid programs; ensures compliance with applicable regulations; supervises Financial Aid Counselors; and manages critical operational processes related to awarding, verification, reporting, and student eligibility. The Assistant Director serves as the designated lead for office operations in the Director's absence and collaborates closely with Academic Records, Student Accounts, Admissions, Athletics, and Enrollment Management to support student success, regulatory compliance, and institutional enrollment goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In cooperation with the Director of Financial Aid, the Assistant Director of Financial Aid coordinates the Financial Aid Office's general operations in accordance with federal and state regulations. This position is essential in facilitating the transition period when regulations/policies are updated.

• Manages the administration of Student Loan Exit Counseling requirements for graduating, withdrawn, and less-than-half-time students.
• Advises students, parents, faculty, alumni, staff, and the public regarding financial aid matters and provides supervision and guidance to Financial Aid Counselors.
• Administers the South Carolina Tuition Grant (SCTG) program, including awarding, disbursement, reporting, reconciliation, and compliance with all SCTG Commission's requirements.
• Reviews electronic ISIRs daily and updates student information within PowerFAIDS to ensure accurate processing. Performs FAFSA verification according to federal regulations, identifies and resolves conflicting information, requests and tracks required documentation, communicates with students regarding outstanding requirements, and generates appropriate notifications and correspondence.
• Performs J1-to-PowerFAIDS student match processes, reviews unmatched records, resolves discrepancies, and ensures accurate student identification and data integrity between systems.
• Reviews and evaluates financial aid packages for current and prospective traditional undergraduate students to ensure accuracy, compliance, and alignment with institutional awarding policies.
• Processes and disburses all institutional aid and serves as backup to the Senior Financial Aid Counselor for the disbursement of private loans and outside scholarships.
• Serves as backup for EDConnect imports and exports; processes weekly Pell Grant and Direct Loan originations and disbursements as needed; and assists with the reconciliation of federal Title IV aid programs.
• Analyzes aid data for compliance with Title IV and state regulations and institutional policies.
• Collaborates with SC Tuition Grant (SCTG) Commission regarding accuracy of coding for SCTG eligibility, ensuring that the most up-to-date FAFSA is on file with the commission.
• Provides collaborative support to the Offices of Admissions and Student Accounts in serving students and families, including maintaining accurate financial aid data and records.
• Perform regular PowerFAIDS audits and task reviews to ensure the accuracy of financial aid awarding, coding, and budget information, and resolve discrepancies as needed.
• Administer the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) process following each academic term, including system updates, status assignments, and communication of eligibility determinations to students.
• Reviews and updates student information within Department of Education systems, including the FAFSA Partner Portal, National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system, ensuring accurate reporting and compliance with federal regulations.
• Serves as backup for NCAA contracts, athletic aid renewals, roster updates, and athletic aid appeals, ensuring continuity of operations and compliance with NCAA Division II regulations and institutional policies.
• Serves as a member of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals Committee and participates in the review and evaluation of student appeals.
• Assists the Director in regulatory reporting and data analysis activities, including the preparation of reports and datasets used for compliance monitoring, enrollment management, and financial planning.
• Works closely with the Admissions Office to coordinate, plan, and support recruitment and speaking events. Assists Financial Aid Counselors with event scheduling, preparation, and presentations to ensure consistent financial aid messaging and exceptional student service.
• Serves as the designated lead for office operations in the absence of the Director of Financial Aid, ensuring continuity of services and timely resolution of operational matters.
• Assists with the training, onboarding, mentoring, and performance development of Financial Aid Counselors to ensure consistent application of financial aid policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Identifies operational efficiencies and recommends process improvements to enhance compliance, customer service, and the effective administration of financial aid programs.
• Attends professional conferences, seminars, and training activities to remain current on financial aid regulations, policies, and best practices.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred. Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid, higher education administration, enrollment services, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Requires advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and the ability to analyze, reconcile, and report financial aid and student data accurately.
• Experience working in a higher education environment is strongly preferred.
• 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.
• The ability to work with minimal supervision or instruction, the willingness to work in a team environment, and a commitment to customer service are essential.
• SWU is committed to maximizing the use of technology in its daily operations and in achieving its strategic goals; the ideal candidate will be familiar with integrated database management systems, including reporting, and have a high comfort level with web-based, mobile, and PC applications, including but not limited to the use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Mental Demands

Confidentiality, Frequent Interruptions, Customer Interaction, Detailed Work, Mathematics, Reading, Reasoning, Stress Management, Verbal Communication, Written Communication. Requires comprehension of student financial aid forms, policies, and office procedures; strong organizational skills; ability to assimilate a large amount of detail.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Mission and Lifestyle Expectations. The university is a Christian liberal arts institution in the Wesleyan-Holiness theological tradition. Given SWU's unapologetically Christ-centered mission, all employees are expected to embrace the university's Statement of Faith, respect its Wesleyan heritage, and adhere to its lifestyle expectations.
• Physical/Environmental Requirements
• Visual acuity is necessary to do editorial work, proof documents, and manage files.
• Ability to sit for periods of time in an interior office environment. May require infrequent lifting of objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally items up to 20 pounds.
• May require the employee to infrequently work outside of the regular work schedule for special events.
• Pre-employment Screening. Employment is contingent on completing a background screening and credit check.