Director of Financial Aid

Description

Position Summary:

The Director of Financial Aid provides strategic leadership for the
College’s financial aid operations, ensuring regulatory compliance while delivering exceptional student experience that supports enrollment,
persistence, and completion. The position oversees the administration of all federal, state, institutional, and scholarship aid programs,
manages the College’s partnership with its outsourced financial aid service provider, and leads the continuous improvement of financial aid
policies, systems, and business processes. As a key member of the Enrollment Services leadership team, the Director collaborates closely
with Admissions, Student Accounts, the Registrar, Student Affairs, Finance, Information Technology, Academic Affairs, and external agencies
to remove financial barriers and advance the College’s enrollment and student success goals.

Essential Functions and
Responsibilities:

The following duties are representative of the work performed in this position. Other duties may be
assigned based on organizational needs.

Strategic Leadership & Financial Aid Administration:

• Provide
  strategic leadership for the College’s financial aid operation in support of institutional enrollment, retention, and student success goals.
• Direct the administration of all federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs in accordance with applicable
  regulations and College policies.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve financial aid policies, procedures, and business
  processes.
• Monitor departmental performance using data and key performance indicators to improve service delivery, operational
  efficiency, and student outcomes.
• Support institutional planning by providing financial aid expertise, analysis, and
  recommendations to senior leadership.

Compliance, Operations & Technology:

• Ensure compliance with
  all federal, state, accrediting agency, and institutional financial aid regulations, policies, and reporting requirements.
• Oversee
  verification, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), professional judgment reviews, Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculations, audits, program
  reviews, and required federal and state reporting.
• Oversee the administration and continuous improvement of financial aid systems,
  including Jenzabar J1, PowerFAIDS (or successor platform), and other technologies supporting financial aid operations.
• Ensure the
  integrity, accuracy, security, and confidentiality of student financial aid data and records.
• Recommend and implement operational
  improvements that increase efficiency and enhance the student experience.

Partnership & Team
Leadership:

• Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for assigned financial aid staff, fostering a
  collaborative, student-centered, and high-performing team.
• Direct and evaluate the College’s outsourced financial aid partner (FA
  Solutions), establishing performance expectations, monitoring service levels, and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.
• Coordinate workflow and communication between internal departments and external partners to ensure timely and accurate financial
  aid processing.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration across Enrollment Services and the College to achieve shared student success
  goals.

Student Success & Enrollment Collaboration:

• Ensure students and families receive accurate,
  timely, and compassionate financial aid counseling throughout the enrollment lifecycle.
• Collaborate with Admissions, Student
  Accounts, the Registrar, Student Affairs, Finance, Academic Affairs, and other campus partners to remove financial barriers and improve
  enrollment, persistence, and completion.
• Develop and support financial literacy initiatives, FAFSA completion events, outreach
  programs, and educational workshops that promote informed financial decision-making.
• Serve as the College’s subject matter expert
  on financial aid regulations, policies, and student financing options.

Communication, Assessment & Continuous
Improvement:

• Analyze operational and student success data to identify trends, improve processing timelines, and enhance
  service delivery.
• Prepare reports and presentations for institutional leadership and external agencies regarding financial aid
  operations, compliance, and performance.
• Lead change management initiatives that strengthen financial aid services, improve
  cross-functional processes, and support institutional strategic priorities.
• Perform other related duties as
  assigned.

Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• Associates degree in Higher Education
  Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or related field required.
• Minimum of five (5)
  years of progressively responsible experience administering financial aid programs in higher education, including experience with federal
  Title IV financial aid regulations.
• Minimum of two (2) years of leadership experience supervising employees, leading
  cross-functional teams, managing strategic initiatives, or overseeing outsourced service providers.
• Demonstrated experience managing
  financial aid operations, compliance, audits, reporting, and regulatory requirements.
• Equivalent combinations of education,
  professional experience, and relevant certifications may be considered.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and
Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations, state financial aid programs, and
  higher education compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply complex federal, state, institutional, and
  accrediting agency regulations.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop staff, manage vendor partnerships, lead change,
  and foster a collaborative, student-centered culture.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication
  skills with the ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical, organizational, project
  management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to use data to support decision-making and continuous
  improvement.
• Proficiency with student information systems, financial aid management systems, Microsoft Office applications, and
  reporting tools; experience with Jenzabar J1 and PowerFAIDS preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships
  with students, families, faculty, staff, external agencies, and strategic partners while maintaining the highest standards of
  confidentiality and professionalism.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Higher
  Education Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or related field.
• Experience working
  in a private, nonprofit institution of higher education.
• Experience managing outsourced financial aid operations or third-party
  vendor relationships.
• Experience leading financial aid technology implementations, business process improvements, or operational
  change initiatives.
• Experience using data analytics to improve financial aid operations, enrollment outcomes, and student
  success.
• Active participation in professional organizations such as NASFAA, MASFAA, EASFAA, or other relevant higher education
  associations.
• NASFAA Credential(s) or other professional certifications related to financial aid administration
  preferred.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position provides leadership and oversight for the
College’s financial aid operations. The Director may directly supervise assigned financial aid staff and is responsible for hiring,
onboarding, training, coaching, performance management, scheduling, and professional development, as applicable.

The Director also
provides strategic oversight of the College’s outsourced financial aid partner (FA Solutions), establishing performance expectations,
monitoring service delivery, ensuring contractual compliance, and fostering a collaborative partnership that supports institutional goals
and an exceptional student experience.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to remain in a stationary
  position and operate a computer for extended periods while performing administrative and analytical work.
• Ability to frequently move
  throughout the campus to attend meetings, collaborate with colleagues, and provide support to students, faculty, staff, and campus
  events.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual meeting platforms.
• Ability to
  operate standard office equipment, including computers, printers, scanners, copiers, and other technology required to perform essential job
  functions.
• Ability to occasionally lift and transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds, such as files, office supplies,
  presentation materials, or event equipment.
• Ability to work on occasional evenings and weekends to support enrollment events,
  orientation, commencement, financial aid workshops, open houses, registration activities, and other institutional events.
• Ability to
  travel occasionally between campus locations or attend professional meetings, conferences, or training programs, as
  required.

Work Environment:

• This position operates primarily in a professional office environment
  with frequent interaction with students, families, faculty, staff, and external partners. The role requires regular use of computers,
  telephones, and other standard office equipment.
• The work environment is collaborative and fast-paced, requiring the ability to
  manage multiple priorities, respond to changing deadlines, and maintain accuracy while handling confidential and sensitive
  information.
• The position requires regular interaction with students and families in a customer service-oriented setting and
  occasional travel between college locations, including the Billerica campus, as well as attendance at conferences, training, or professional
  meetings, as needed.
• The role is four days a week onsite at the Franklin Cummings Tech Boston Campus with the ability to be remote,
  possibly one day a week based on operational needs. Occasional evening and weekend hours are required to support enrollment activities,
  orientation, commencement, open houses, FAFSA workshops, registration events, and other institutional programs.

This position
operates primarily in a professional office environment. The College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state law.

Employee Expectations:

All
employees are expected to support the college’s student-centered mission, contribute to institutional growth and innovation, and collaborate
across departments to improve student recruitment, retention, graduation, and career placement outcomes.

Our college is an in-person
institution. Campus presence is the default expectation for all employees. In-person presence remains the expectation and the standard for
all staff. Flex arrangements are a discretionary privilege, not a right, and may be modified or discontinued if it is determined that flex
arrangements are diminishing service quality, team cohesion, or responsiveness to students, external partners, and colleagues. The student
experience and fidelity of institutional operations take priority over individual schedule preferences.

The salary for this position
is $85,000-$105,000; DOE.

Please note: Franklin Cummings Tech is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position
now or in the future. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing basis without
sponsorship to be considered for this position at Franklin Cummings Tech.

Franklin
Cummings Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all
employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender
identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.