Assistant Director - Financial Aid Counseling

Utah Valley University; Orem (UT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Utah Valley University seeks an Assistant Director of Financial Aid Counseling to lead the Financial Aid Counseling II team on main campus in Orem. The role oversees federal aid compliance, reporting accuracy, and staff training, while ensuring student access to financial resources.

The position emphasizes leadership, regulatory expertise, and collaboration with the division, offering growth and impact on student success through effective finance navigation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field with two years of related professional experience, or six years total combined education/experience.
• Progressive experience in financial aid operations and regulatory compliance is preferred.
• Ability to train and supervise staff and implement policies.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Financial Aid Counseling II team operations and reporting accuracy.
• Ensure compliance with Return of Title IV, Federal Work Study, Direct Loan, Pell, and Gainful Employment.
• Provide regular training on regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Hire, supervise, and develop Financial Aid Counseling II staff.
• Collaborate on training materials, emails, and forms with leadership.
• Perform other duties to support department operations.

Skills

Need analysis

Verification

Packaging strategies

Loan awarding

Default prevention

Return of Title IV

Gainful Employment

Evaluation of progress

Interpersonal skills

Public speaking

Team leadership

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Associate degree in a related field

Three years of college coursework in a related field with three years of related professional experience

Tools

Banner

Job description

Assistant Director - Financial Aid Counseling

Salary: $59,899.00 - $70,470.00 Annually

Job Type: FT Exempt Salaried Staff

Job Number: FY2706612

Closing: 10/11/2026 11:59 PM Mountain

Location: Main Campus - Orem

Division: VP Student Affairs

Utah Valley University offers an opportunity to make a meaningfulimpact on students' educational journeys while serving in aleadership role within Financial Aid and Scholarships. As theAssistant Director, you will help ensure students have access tothe financial resources they need to achieve their academic goalsby overseeing federal aid compliance, maintaining high standards ofaccuracy, and guiding a team dedicated to student success. Thisposition combines leadership, regulatory expertise, and service,providing a rewarding opportunity to influence both operationalexcellence and the student experience.At UVU, you will join a student-focused institution that valuescollaboration, continuous improvement, and professional growth. Therole offers the opportunity to hire, mentor, and develop staff;lead critical compliance initiatives; and work directly withstudents and families as they navigate the financing of theireducation. For professionals passionate about leadership,problem-solving, and helping students access opportunities throughhigher education, this position offers a meaningful and impactfulcareer path.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Oversees the operation and processes of the Financial Aid andScholarships Office, Financial Aid Counseling II team. Ensures alltasks and reports are completed accurately and on time. Coordinateswith the Business Systems Analyst to ensure all reports in thecoordinator area are received on time and contain accurateinformation. Oversees compliance with Return of Title IV, FederalWork Study, Direct Loan, Pell Grant, and Gainful Employment.
• Provides regular training for the Financial Aid andScholarships Office staff in regulations, policies, and procedures.Assists co-workers in answering questions, researching studentaccounts for accurate processing of federal student aid funds, andlooking for system abnormalities and processing errors. Conductsregular spot checks on each employee's work to ensure accurateprocessing.
• Hires and supervises Financial Aid Counseling II employees.Trains and counsels all Financial Aid and Scholarship staff.
• Consults with the Financial Aid and Scholarships OfficeDirector, Associate Directors, and other Assistant Directorsregarding development, implementation, and maintenance of trainingmaterials, emails, and forms. Verifies the accuracy of printedmaterials and the website.
• Assists co-workers as needed to ensure the department'ssuccessful operation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Licenses / Certifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with abachelor's degree in a directly related field and two years'experience related to the Summary of Duties; OR a combination ofeducation and/or experience totaling six years.

For Example:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and two years of relatedprofessional experience.
• OR an associate's degree in a related field and four years ofrelated professional experience.
• OR one year of college coursework in a related field and fiveyears of related professional experience.
• OR two years of college coursework in a related field and fouryears of related professional experience.
• OR three years of college coursework in a related field, andthree years of related professional experience.
• OR six years of progressively responsible experience related tothe duties of the position.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of federal regulations pertaining to financial aid,including need analysis, eligibility assessment, verification,packaging strategies, loan awarding, default prevention, FederalWork Study, Return of Title IV, Gainful Employment, and evaluationof academic progress.
• Knowledge of financial aid institutional policies andprocedures.
• Knowledge of computerized financial aid systems, preferablyBanner.
• Knowledge of computer applications such as word processing,spreadsheets, databases, PowerPoint, internet tools, email systems,and other general computer skills.

Skills

• High technical aptitude and skill in problem solving, technicaltroubleshooting, decision-making, and prioritizing.
• Effectively uses interpersonal skills and communication skills,including tact, diplomacy, understanding, compassion, and valuingall contributions, while maintaining adherence topolicies.
• Skills in leading a group of employees to accomplish commondepartmental and university goals.
• Skills in maintaining an established work schedule, includingoccasional evenings and weekends for outreach programs.
• Skills in making public presentations to large and smallgroups, and one-on-one.
• Effectively using organizational and planning skills, withacute attention to detail, exacting accuracy, andfollow-through.
• Skills in maintaining confidentiality of work-relatedinformation and materials, including information from studentrecords.

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively with individuals from all differentbackgrounds.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems in an effective andprofessional manner.
• Shows initiative and has the ability to effectively prioritizetasks to meet deadlines.
• Ability to learn quickly.
• Ability to effectively provide knowledge, training, andexpertise to students, faculty, and staff.
• Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborativeenvironment.
• Ability to gain and maintain access to federal student aiddatabases.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality pertaining to all studentrecords in compliance with federal and state regulations (i.e.,FERPA, GRAMA, etc.).
• Ability to effectively create, compose, and edit writtenmaterials.

EEO Statement

UVU employment decisions are made on the basis of an applicant'squalifications and ability to perform the job without regard torace, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity, gender expression, age (40 and over), disability,veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, or pregnancy-relatedconditions, genetic information, or other bases protected byapplicable federal, state, or local law.