Assistant Director of Financial Aid

South College of Tennessee, Inc.; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Front Loaded PTO

Tuition Assistance

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) - with Employer Contribution

Job summary

South College of Tennessee, Inc. is seeking an Assistant Director of Financial Aid to support the Director in day-to-day Financial Aid Office operations and lead Financial Aid Officers and Federal Work Study students. The role ensures compliance and contributes to reconciliation, appeals, and process oversight.

The position requires regulatory expertise and the ability to train and collaborate cross-departmentally, with a focus on accurate records, disbursements, and timely aid administration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in financial aid administration required.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Perform duties of a Lead Financial Aid Officer as needed to ensure operational continuity and service excellence.
• Oversee daily operations of financial aid processing, counseling, and service delivery, ensuring timely and compliant administration of aid programs.
• Supervise and support Financial Aid Officers and Federal Work Study students, including onboarding, training, scheduling, and performance feedback.
• Coordinate reconciliation activities for federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
• Conduct preliminary reviews of professional judgment and appeals requests in alignment with federal guidelines and institutional procedures.
• Serve as a resource for applying Title IV, state, and institutional regulations to daily operations.
• Collaborate with campus departments to ensure accurate records, disbursements, and regulatory compliance.
• Stay informed of changes to financial aid regulations and maintain current knowledge of industry best practices.
• Perform complex cognitive activities such as problem-solving, regulatory analysis, and decision-making under pressure.
• Demonstrate advanced written and verbal communication skills in routine and high-stress scenarios involving students, families, and staff.
• Adapt to changes in systems, priorities, staffing, and regulations in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Skills

Financial aid administration

Regulatory compliance

Staff supervision

Operations management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Description

Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Benefits

• Front Loaded PTO
• Tuition Assistance
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• 401(k) - with Employer Contribution

South College - We are one of the nation's fastest growing institutions of higher learning … come grow your career with us. In order to fully meet our Mission to our students, we require a diverse combination of perspectives, backgrounds, life experiences, and ideas from our faculty and staff and will provide them with an equitable and inclusive work environment -where respect and open interchange of ideas are at the heart of that culture.

Over 20,000 Students

10 Campuses

Competency Based Education

Online

Assistant Director of Financial Aid Description

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid supports the Director in managing the day-to-day operations of the Financial Aid Office while continuing to perform core financial aid functions as needed. This position supervises Financial Aid Officers and Federal Work Study students, ensures compliance with regulatory and institutional requirements, and contributes to reconciliation, appeals, and process oversight. The Assistant Director serves as a subject matter expert in financial aid administration, supporting training, process improvement, and cross-departmental collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Perform duties of a Lead Financial Aid Officer as needed to ensure operational continuity and service excellence.
• Oversee daily operations of financial aid processing, counseling, and service delivery, ensuring timely and compliant administration of aid programs.
• Supervise and support Financial Aid Officers and Federal Work Study students, including onboarding, training, scheduling, and performance feedback.
• Coordinate reconciliation activities for federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
• Conduct preliminary reviews of professional judgment and appeals requests in alignment with federal guidelines and institutional procedures.
• Serve as a resource for applying Title IV, state, and institutional regulations to daily operations.
• Collaborate with campus departments to ensure accurate records, disbursements, and regulatory compliance.
• Stay informed of changes to financial aid regulations and maintain current knowledge of industry best practices.
• Perform complex cognitive activities such as problem-solving, regulatory analysis, and decision-making under pressure.
• Demonstrate advanced written and verbal communication skills in routine and high-stress scenarios involving students, families, and staff.
• Adapt to changes in systems, priorities, staffing, and regulations in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in financial aid administration required.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff and ensure compliance in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills.