Director of Financial Aid

University of South Carolina; Lancaster (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

University of South Carolina seeks a Director of Financial Aid to oversee the administration of federal, state, and institutional aid programs and Veterans Affairs. The role includes supervising staff, ensuring customer service excellence, and maintaining strong cross-campus collaborations with Admissions, Records, Advising, and Student Accounts.

Responsibilities include managing aid programs, certifying veterans’ benefits, and coordinating with external agencies.

Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• NASFAA credentials in Federal Student Aid administration preferred.
• Experience supervising/administrating financial aid programs is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Federal, State, Institutional, and External Financial Aid programs, including awarding, disbursing, and audit resolution.
• Serve as Veterans Benefits Certifying Official and counsel Veterans on educational benefits.
• Manage College Work-Study program and coordinate with Admissions, Records, Advising, and Business Office.
• Train and supervise staff; ensure compliance with regulations and institutional policies.
• Occasional travel and evening/weekend presentations/workshops may be required.

Skills

Supervise personnel

Oral & written communication

Computer literacy

Federal/state regulations literacy

Data systems proficiency

Rule adherence

Accounting knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

5+ years relevant experience

Master’s degree (preferred)

NASFAA credentials (preferred)

Tools

Banner

Job description

Director of Financial Aid

The Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs (Director) will administer all federal, state, and institutional policies and procedures relating to student financial aid, scholarships, and Veterans Affairs. The Director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs Office, and is responsible for supervising office staff to ensure the highest level of personnel effectiveness and customer service. This role requires strong working relationships with Admissions, Records and Advisement, Student Accounts, and other key partners across the University. Ability to supervise and evaluate personnel and work with a complex data system, such as Banner is required. This office serves as a resource for area high school guidance offices and campus offices, as needed. The Director also serves as the Veterans Benefits Certifying Official and counsels Veterans and their family members on educational benefits available to them. The Director manages the College Work Study program for the University. Some travel and evening and weekend presentations/workshops will be required.

Job Details

Job Level: M2 - Managerial Business Title (Internal Title) Director of Financial Aid

Job Family: Student Administrative Services

Job Function: Financial Aid

Location: Campus Lancaster, Work County Lancaster

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule will be Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 5:00pm. Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Hours per Week: 37.5

Contract Type: Part/Full Time

Basis: 12 months

Hiring Range: Salary commensurate with qualifications.

Desired Start Date: 02/01/2027

Job Open Date: 11/06/2026

Job Close Date: Open Until Filled

Education & Experience

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in a job related field and 5 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.
• Preferred: Master’s degree
• Preferred: At least 2 years of experience in supervisory/administrative responsibilities.
• Preferred: NASFAA credentials in Federal Student Aid administration.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to supervise and evaluate personnel.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, faculty, staff, federal and state agency officials and the general public.
• Must be computer literate.
• Effective oral and written communication skills are necessary.
• Accounting and personal finance knowledge are helpful.
• Reading and comprehension of complex federal guidelines and regulations.
• Ability to retain vast amounts of information.
• Ability to adhere to rules and guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Management of Federal, State, Institutional and External Financial Aid Programs: Oversee the administration, awarding, disbursing, and audit resolution of all Federal, State and Institutional Financial Aid programs (Pell, SEOG , DL, FWS , PFELL , LIFE , LTAP , SNBG , NGCAP , Foundation Scholarships, Athletic Scholarships and other aid programs), following all federal and state regulations and institutional policies. The Director must have a strong understanding of all federal and state regulations related to the management of these aid programs, and must be able to direct staff in the management of these programs successfully. The Director must be able to train new staff in their specific duties related to this task. The Director also directly oversees the processing of LTAP Applications for Dually Enrolled High School Students, awarding those who are eligible, and working directly with the Dual Enrollment Coordinator, Admissions Office, and Business Office to resolve eligibility issues. The Director is also responsible for working with 3rd party agencies in the administration and awarding of external aid resources and internal tuition offset programs. This includes but is not limited to Free Tuition for the Dependents of Certain War Veterans, AmeriCorps, 4% Funds, Scholarship Recipient Tuition Rate, External Scholarships, and External Contracts in conjunction with the USCL Business Office. The Director must assure the proper awarding and disbursement of these awards, to assure that billing and other aid are adjusted appropriately. The Director must be able to train and supervise staff in their specific duties related to this task.
• As the Veterans Benefits Certifying Official, the Director will serve as an exclusive counselor for Veterans Education Benefits and will verify eligibility, certify enrollment status, confirm enrollment status monthly and assist Veterans in the application process. For National Guardsmen and Reservists, the Director will verify eligibility for the College Assistance Program and Tuition Assistance, and post awards to accounts in a timely manner. The Director will serve as liaison to Veterans Affairs officers of other colleges and the Veterans Affairs Office in Walterboro/Allendale. The Director will also serve as advisor to the Veterans and Military Persons Student Organization, and will report, for reconciliation and auditing purposes, to the Commission on Higher Education and the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office.