Director of Financial Aid
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The Michigan School of Psychology, a private, non-profit graduate institution dedicated to excellence in clinical psychology education,
is seeking a highly responsible, motivated and organized individual to fill the full-time staff position of Director of Financial Aid. MSP
is a very small institution (total headcount of 196 for fall 2025) with a highly focused financial aid operation. Being a
graduate institution, financial aid is focused on federal student loans, private education loans, a few internal scholarships, and veteran
benefits. We do not participate in Pell Grants, work-study, or other undergraduate financial aid programs.
As a school that is
singularly focused on educating clinical psychologists, the MSP experience is different from any other school in the State of Michigan. All
students are committed to becoming licensed psychologists, and all faculty and staff share a passion and a commitment to the school, the
profession and the discipline. This makes the MSP environment truly unique.
The Director of Financial Aid will join an MSP team that
functions well as a collective and is prepared for continued success in the future. The ideal candidate is someone that wants to invest in
our mission “…to educate psychologists today who will transform our world tomorrow.”
The MSP campus is located in
Farmington Hills, Michigan, a suburb of metropolitan Detroit, the largest urban area in Michigan. A culturally and ethnically diverse area,
known as the world’s automotive capital, it also contains many major corporations. Metro Detroit is rich in arts, culture and business
opportunity with world class hotels, restaurants, entertainment, museums and theaters.
Job Title: Director of Financial Aid
Reports to: Vice President of Services & Operations
Supervises: n/a
Summary:
The
Director of Financial Aid is an integral leadership role responsible for the comprehensive administration of all student financing,
compliance, and accounts receivable functions. Serving as MSP’s primary expert, the Director manages the entire financial aid life
cycle—including application processing, verification, packaging, and disbursement of all federal (Title IV), state, private, and
institutional funds—while ensuring continuous regulatory adherence across all programs, including those for veteran benefits (Certifying
Official). This role is highly strategic, requiring active collaboration with leadership to integrate aid policy with enrollment and budget
goals and ensuring both high-quality student service and operational efficiency.
Key Responsibilities
Financial
Aid Operations and Processing
- Independently manage and execute the entire financial aid lifecycle, including but not
limited to application processing, needs analysis, verification, packaging, disbursement, student files, monthly enrollment reporting to
NSLDS via the National Student Clearinghouse, and reconciliation for all students. - Administer all institutional, federal (Title
IV), state, private, and internal/external aid programs, including Federal Direct Loans, institutional scholarships, and private educational
loans. - Serve as the college’s Certifying Official, ensuring timely and accurate processing and compliance for all veteran
educational benefits. - Monitor Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FA SAP) ensuring compliance with federal guidelines.
- Track and process appropriate Title IV Returns.
- Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to maintain accurate
and
up-to-date financial aid content on the MSP website. - Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional
regulations,
including consumer information requirements. Oversee and execute all required federal reporting (e.g., PPA, IPEDS, 1098-T). -
Manage and maintain the financial aid module within the student information system to ensure accurate and efficient processing
and
reporting. - Annually develop new student Cost of Attendance (COA) budgets, C-Flag verification triggers, systematic budget
codes,
aid fund codes, award letter templates, and process flows. - Annually develop loan disbursement and refund calendar.
- Develop, manage, and monitor the departmental budget to meet current and future needs ensuring that the
department is
delivering high quality services in the most cost-effective way.
Student Service and Counseling
-
Serve as the sole point of contact for prospective, new, and current students regarding financial aid, providing guidance on
funding
options, application processes, and financial literacy. - Participate in prospective student and admission workshops to
support
students seeking financial aid. - Track Direct Loan Entrance and Exit Loan Counseling requirements for federal loan
recipients.
Notify students when requirements are unmet. Inform and regularly update the MSP Registrar of DL Exit counseling status as a
graduation
checklist item. - Manage and review student appeals for professional judgment, and Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic
Progress (FA
SAP).
Policy, Strategy, and Institutional Advancement
- Draft, implement, and maintain all
financial aid
policies and procedures - Actively collaborate with MSP leadership to integrate financial aid strategy with
enrollment and budget
goals, identifying opportunities to leverage aid to support institutional mission and growth. - Prepare for
and collaborate with
MSP leadership on all internal and external audits and program reviews related to financial aid and veteran benefits. - Monitor the
institutional cohort default rate and provide annual reports. - Proactively monitor changes in federal,
state, and institutional
regulations and implement necessary updates to maintain continuous compliance.
College-Wide
Duties & Responsibilities:
The success of MSP relies heavily on collaboration, flexibility, and a shared commitment to its
mission, vision, and values. Due
to our size, it is essential that all employees contribute beyond their primary roles to support broader
campus needs. A collective effort
ensures that the school functions smoothly, fosters a strong sense of community, and maintains the
high-quality experience expected by
students and stakeholders alike. As part of this collaborative spirit, employees are asked to act in
accordance with the following (but not
limited to):
- Assist with school events: Orientation, Open Houses, Conferences, Career
Fair, Graduation, etc. - Participate in shared governance through committee service and/or other engagement.
- Attend
meetings, trainings,
professional development and other events. - Treat all members of the MSP community with respect,
professionalism and courtesy. - Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive campus culture.
- Adhere to all MSP policies and
procedures and relevant legal and
ethical standards. - Be open to new ideas, technologies and changes that support MSP’s strategic
plan. - Other duties as
assigned.
Qualifications
Required:
- Education: Bachelor’s
degree from an accredited
institution. - Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in a
financial aid office with a
strong preference for experience working with graduate students. - Comprehensive, deep working
knowledge of federal Title IV
regulations, disbursement procedures, and compliance requirements. - Proficiency with financial aid
management software and the
Department of Education’s systems (e.g., COD, NSLDS, FPP). - Demonstrated experience as a Veteran
Certifying Official or the
ability to quickly obtain certification and manage veteran benefits compliance. - Proficient use of
technology.
Looking for a candidate who:
- is a self-starter and can effectively manage all
responsibilities without daily
supervision or direct reports, - has attention to detail in processing, reporting, and policy
implementation, - has
excellent communication skills to effectively guide students, present information to leadership, and
communicate complex policies clearly,
and - has a commitment to providing exceptional, empathetic, and professional service to a
diverse graduate student population.
Salary:
Starting annual salary of $80,000 with final compensation
commensurate with experience.
Benefits:
This is a full-time salaried position with benefits. Benefits include
medical, dental and vision insurance, paid
time off, retirement benefits (after one year of service), flexible spending account, dependent
care spending account, life, short and
long-term disability insurance and an employee assistance program.
This position is exempt
from provisions of the Fair Labor
Standards Act (FLSA) and is not eligible to earn overtime pay for hours worked above 40 in a single
workweek.
Working Conditions:
This is not a remote position; work is performed in person on campus.
Applying:
The Michigan School of
Psychology (MSP) is fully committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and staff
and strongly welcomes applications from candidates
who would enhance our inclusive educational community. MSP is an Equal Opportunity
Employer.
A review of complete applications will
begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. An offer of
employment is contingent upon successful completion of a
Criminal Background Check.
ADA Statement
If you require a
reasonable accommodation in completing this application,
interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please
contact the Human Resources office at (248) 476-1122.
Clery Act
The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act mandates that all
Title IV institutions, such as MSP, prepare, publish
and distribute an Annual Security Report and provide notice of the availability of the
report to all prospective employees. You may view the
Annual Security Report on the MSP website. A paper version of the report is available
upon request.
Source ⇲
HigherEdJobs - Financial Aid
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