Associate Director, Financial Aid

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Fairfield (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairfield University is seeking an Associate Director of Financial Aid to join the Financial Aid leadership team. This role supports the administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of financial aid operations, advancing access, affordability, and student success through ethical, student-centered service.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will lead day-to-day operations, manage systems such as NetPartner, oversee SAP processes, and collaborate with campus partners to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration.
• Experience with financial aid systems and data management.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations.

Responsibilities

• Support strategic planning with the Executive Director and policy development.
• Provide leadership for day-to-day operations, including staff guidance, workflow coordination, and process improvement.
• Create and maintain office policies and procedures manual in accordance with federal, state and university policies.
• Oversee verification and SAP processes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and clear communication.
• Manage financial aid systems and technology (e.g., NetPartner), including implementation of enhancements.
• Support institutional reporting requirements, including FISAP, and collaborate with Institutional Research on data analysis and reporting.
• Prepare audit documents and act as liaison to auditing firm during the annual A-133 audit and/or state audit as needed.
• Manage state grant program awarding, reconciling and reporting requirements.
• Lead development and maintenance of financial aid communications, including website content, publications, and outreach materials.
• Serve as liaison to campus partners to support a coordinated, student-centered approach to service delivery.
• Assist in the administration of the appeals process and serve on the appeals committee.
• Advise and counsel students and families regarding financial aid programs, application processes, and financing options.
• Serve as liaison to the advancement and development office in support of the university endowment selection and awarding process.
• Collaborate with the university School Certifying Official on matters related to Veteran’s Benefits and eligibility.
• Manage an assigned student caseload and perform file review and verification as needed.
• Support onboarding, training, and professional development of staff. Conduct performance reviews of direct reports.
• Present financial aid and financial literacy information at on-and off-campus events.
• Monitor updates from the U.S. Department of Education, NASFAA, and other professional organizations and implement changes as needed.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations and policies.
• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven work environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Communication

Analytical skills

People management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

PowerFAIDS

Workday Student

NSLDS

COD

Job description

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuituniversity with a 200-acre campus located along the scenicshoreline community of Fairfield, CT. The University is comprisedof approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate studentspursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts andSciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School ofEngineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and HealthStudies, and School of Education and Human Development. As anexpression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfieldembraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouragingcritical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fosteringethical and religious values.

The Associate Director of Financial Aid is a key member of Fairfield University’s Financial Aid leadership team, supportingthe administration, compliance, and continuous improvement offinancial aid operations. In alignment with the University’sJesuit, Catholic mission and commitment to cura personalis, thisrole advances access, affordability, and student success throughethical, student-centered service. The Associate Director partnerswith the Executive Director to implement strategy, oversee coreprocesses, and enhance systems that support efficient and equitabledelivery of financial aid.

Job Responsibilities

• Partner with the Executive Director to support strategicplanning, policy development, and operational effectiveness.
• Provide leadership for day-to-day operations, including staffguidance, workflow coordination, and process improvement.
• Create and maintain office policies and procedures manual inaccordance with federal, state and university policies.
• Oversee verification and satisfactory academic progress (SAP)processes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and clearcommunication.
• Manage financial aid systems and technology (e.g., NetPartner), including implementation of enhancements and electronicprocesses.
• Support institutional reporting requirements, including FISAP,and collaborate with Institutional Research on data analysis andreporting.
• Prepare audit documents and act as liaison to auditing firmduring the annual A-133 audit and/or state audit as needed.
• Manage state grant program awarding, reconciling and reportingrequirements.
• Lead development and maintenance of financial aidcommunications, including website content, publications, andoutreach materials.
• Serve as liaison to campus partners to support a coordinated,student-centered approach to service delivery.
• Assist in the administration of the appeals process and serveon the appeals committee.
• Advise and counsel students and families regarding financialaid programs, application processes, and financing options.
• Serve as liaison to the advancement and development office insupport of the university endowment selection and awarding process.Maintain and manage the endowment selection process.
• Collaborate with the university School Certifying Official onmatters related to Veteran’s Benefits and eligibility.
• Manage an assigned student caseload and perform file review andverification as needed.
• Support onboarding, training, and professional development ofstaff. Conduct performance reviews of direct reports.
• Present financial aid and financial literacy information at on-and off-campus events.
• Monitor updates from the U.S. Department of Education, NASFAA,and other professional organizations and implement changes asneeded.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutionalfinancial aid regulations and policies.
• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven workenvironment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience infinancial aid administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and institutionalfinancial aid regulations.
• Experience with financial aid systems and datamanagement.
• Demonstrated experience managing and overseeing members of thefinancial aid team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of education andexperience.
• Experience with PowerFAIDS, Workday Student, or similarsystems.
• Experience with Federal Student Aid Systems such as NSLDS, COD,etc.
• Experience supervising staff or leadingprojects/initiatives.
• Experience in a mission-driven, Jesuit, Catholic, or similarlyvalues-based institution.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Commitment to Fairfield University’s Jesuit, Catholic missionand values, including cura personalis.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and team developmentskills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with theability to work effectively with diverse populations.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with strong attention todetail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced,service-oriented environment.
• Commitment to ethical practice, equity, and student-centeredservice.

Work Environment / Conditions

• Regular access to confidential student financial and academicrecords.
• Evening and weekend hours may be required during peakprocessing periods.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Category:

Enrollment Management - Admin

Performs such other duties, responsibilities, and activities as required by supervisor and as departmental/University needsindicate.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to allemployees and applicants for employment and prohibitsdiscrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race,color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status,genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genderidentity or expression, or any other characteristic protected byfederal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms andconditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement,promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves ofabsence, compensation and training.