Asst. Director of Student Advising & Finance

The Chicago School; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,503,000 - 102,868,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chicago School is seeking an Assistant Director of Student Advising to lead student-centered advising, financial aid guidance, and strategic data reporting. This role connects Student Support, Academic Affairs, and Student Finance to advise on progression and aid implications while developing reports for enrollment, compliance, and operations.

The position oversees complex student cases, interprets regulations, and creates data reports to drive decisions and improve student success and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in Financial Aid, Student Finance, Enrollment Services, or Student Services.
• Experience with academic advising in a college or university setting.
• Experience producing reports and analyzing institutional data.
• Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations.
• Strong understanding of higher education policies and student lifecycle processes.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students experiencing academic, financial, or enrollment challenges and identify appropriate solutions.
• Collaborate with Academic Departments, Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions, and Student Accounts to resolve complex student issues.
• Review and evaluate student petitions, appeals, exceptions, and special circumstances related to each eligible student’s funding.
• Assist with onboarding and training new Student Services staff.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex advising cases requiring cross-departmental coordination.
• Support student retention initiatives through proactive outreach and intervention.
• Develop, maintain, and distribute recurring reports supporting Student Finance, Student Services, and university leadership.
• Extract, validate, and analyze student data from SIS, CRM, and reporting platforms.
• Identify data trends and present actionable recommendations to leadership.
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity while adhering to institutional policies and federal regulations.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Data accuracy

Collaboration / relationship-building

Customer service / conflict resolution

Multitasking / prioritization

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Colleague

Banner

PeopleSoft

CampusVue

Excel

Job description

The Chicago School is seeking an Assistant Director of Student Advising to lead student-centered advising, financial aid guidance, and strategic data reporting. This role connects Student Support, Academic Affairs, and Student Finance to advise on progression and aid implications while developing reports for enrollment, compliance, and operations.

The position oversees complex student cases, interprets regulations, and creates data reports to drive decisions and improve student success and