Director of Financial Aid

John Wood Community College; Quincy (IL); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36-hour work week

Vacation leave 3.7 weeks

Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Insurance: Medical, Dental & Vision

Life and disability insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

John Wood Community College in Quincy, IL seeks a Director of Financial Aid to lead all aspects of federal and state aid processing, policy development, and compliance.

The role directs verification, awarding, and disbursement, oversees scholarships, and builds annual aid years in Banner, working with IT and Registrar to ensure accurate processing and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of relevant financial aid experience, including management experience, preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, budget processing, and staff supervision.

Responsibilities

• Directs the application, awarding, and disbursement process for financial aid, including verification and need analysis to determine student eligibility.
• Administers institutional scholarships alongside federal and state aid programs.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and revision of financial aid policies and procedures; serve as the primary resource for appeals, professional judgment reviews, and special circumstance requests.
• Leads administration and compliance for all Title IV federal financial aid programs, including Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Work-Study, and loan programs; ensures Program Participation Agreement requirements.
• Calculates and processes Return of Title IV (R2T4) for withdrawing students.
• Coordinates federal and state compliance reporting to ensure audits and Title IV program reviews, including FISAP, SAP reviews, gainful employment reporting, NSLDS enrollment reporting, and CWS reporting.
• Leads the College's upcoming Title IV Program Participation Agreement recertification (E-App).
• Administers state and veteran financial aid programs, including MAP, ECASE, and veteran education benefits.
• Serves as the database administrator for the Financial Aid module within Banner and builds new aid years in Ellucian Banner ahead of each award cycle.
• Partners with IT and the Registrar's Office on system updates, integrations, and reporting related to financial aid processing.
• Promotes financial literacy programs and resources; assists students and families with questions and enrollment barriers.
• Directly supervises the Financial Aid team and manages the department's operational budget.
• Serves on college-wide committees and performs other duties as assigned by the Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Office software

Ellucian Banner

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Ellucian Banner

Job description

This is a full-time, 12-month, exempt position that reports directly to the Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, located on JWCC's main campus in Quincy, Illinois. Position begins immediately.

Job Description

The Director of Financial Aid directs and coordinates the College's financial aid programs and services, ensuring students receive accurate, timely, and equitable access to financial resources for their education. The position leads the administration of federal Title IV programs and state aid programs, oversees compliance with all applicable regulations, and manages the financial aid team. The Director builds a financial aid operation that supports enrollment, retention, and student success, and serves as the College's primary resource for financial aid policy, process, and student advocacy.

Key Responsibilities

• Directs the application, awarding, and disbursement process for financial aid, including performing verification and need analysis to determine student eligibility.
• Administers institutional scholarships alongside federal and state aid programs.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and revision of financial aid policies and procedures, and serve as the College's primary resource for appeals, professional judgment reviews, and special circumstance requests.
• Leads administration and compliance for all Title IV federal financial aid programs, including Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Work-Study, and loan programs, including Program Participation Agreement requirements.
• Calculates and processes Return of Title IV (R2T4) for withdrawing students.
• Coordinates federal and state compliance reporting to ensure exception-free audits and Title IV program reviews, including FISAP, Satisfactory Academic Progress reviews, gainful employment reporting, NSLDS enrollment reporting, Federal Work-Study (CWS) reporting, and purge processing.
• Leads the College's upcoming Title IV Program Participation Agreement recertification (E-App).
• Administers state and veteran financial aid programs, including the Monetary Award Program (MAP), Educational Pathway Scholarship (ECASE), and veteran education benefits.
• Serves as the database administrator for the Financial Aid module within Banner, ensuring data integrity and accurate processing, and builds new aid years in Ellucian Banner ahead of each award cycle.
• Partners with IT and the Registrar's Office on system updates, integrations, and reporting related to financial aid processing.
• Promotes financial literacy programs and resources and works directly with students and families to resolve financial aid questions and barriers to enrollment.
• Directly supervises the Financial Aid team, including the Financial Aid Manager, Financial Aid Coordinator, Financial Aid Specialist, and part-time Financial Aid staff member, and manages the department's operational budget.
• Serves on college-wide committees and performs other duties as assigned by the Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management that promotes the John Wood Community College mission.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.

Experience

• 5+ years of relevant financial aid experience, including management experience, preferred.
• Working knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, budget processing, and staff supervision.

Skills And Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with students, families, faculty, and staff.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong expertise in Office and related hardware and software packages for reporting and processing.
• Understanding of, or ability to quickly learn, Ellucian Banner and related financial aid systems.

Working Conditions

• Professional office environment with occasional travel required for professional development related to Ellucian and financial aid.
• Work in well-lit, ventilated office spaces, as well as across campus.
• Ability to sit, stand, bend, lift (up to 25 lbs), and move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Subject to frequent interruptions and interaction with students, faculty, staff, families, and the public.
• Flexibility to work beyond regular hours during peak financial aid processing periods.
• Participation in ongoing professional development to stay informed about trends in the field.
• Ability to manage the mental and emotional demands of the role.

Work Schedule

• Full-time position with a typical schedule of Monday-Thursday (8:00am – 5:00pm) and Friday (8:00am – 12:00pm).
• Hours may vary based on financial aid processing and enrollment scheduling needs.

Salary

• This is an exempt position with a starting estimate annual salary of $65,000.

Benefits

JWCC offers a competitive benefits package!

• 36-hour work week, Friday's get off work at noon!
• Earn 3.7 weeks of vacation in your first year!
• Sick Leave and Personal Leave.
• 19 Paid Holidays!
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance; Only $5 per pay period for Employee Coverage!
• Wellness Program.
• College provided life and disability insurance!
• State University Retirement System.
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• JWCC Tuition Waiver for Employees + Dependents

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, marital status, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any legally protected status. If you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying for a job, please submit a request to [e-mail].

08/27/2026

Salary: $65000 per year