Executive Director of Student Financial Wellness & Aid

Rush University Medical Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 72,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Director of Financial Wellness to lead student financing strategy, governance, scholarship stewardship, and wellness integration across the university. You will serve as the final authority on policy, affordability, and access, partnering with senior leaders to align enrollment, compliance, and strategic risk management.

As a senior executive advisor, you will translate complex regulations and market dynamics into institutional

Qualifications

• Master's degree in finance, business, higher education, public administration, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in financial aid administration with deep Title IV and regulatory compliance expertise.
• Senior-level leadership with accountability for institutional outcomes.
• Ability to translate policy changes and market dynamics into strategy and executive decisions.
• Strong executive communication, analytical, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Experience leading enterprise systems, data initiatives, or large-scale organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the university's executive authority for student financing, finance policy, and wellness strategy, working in close partnership and consultation with the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
• Own risk and outcome accountability related to affordability, enrollment, compliance, and revenue exposure.
• Advise senior leadership on policy changes, funding disruptions, enrollment implications, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead development and stewardship of a comprehensive, lifecycle-based financial wellness strategy aligned with enrollment, retention, and equity priorities.
• Represent Rush University as the institutional voice and decision authority in national associations, regulatory discussions, and strategic partnerships.
• Provide governance for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, including audit outcomes, compliance posture, and regulatory risk management.
• Establish institution-wide policy, standards, and decision frameworks governing financial aid administration, scholarship strategy, and escalation of complex or high-risk student cases.
• Serve as the senior institutional leader for scholarship strategy, including governance, allocation philosophy, and alignment with recruitment, retention, and advancement priorities.
• Partner with Advancement, Enrollment, Finance, and Academic Leadership to optimize aid and scholarship resources in support of institutional goals.
• Provide executive sponsorship and outcome accountability for financial aid systems, data governance, and enterprise initiatives (e.g., Workday Student).
• Ensure systems and data infrastructure support regulatory compliance, institutional reporting, and strategic decision making at scale.
• Leverage data analytics and market intelligence to inform strategy, resource allocation, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop a multi-layered organizational structure, including Directors and Associate Directors, with clear authority, accountability, and succession planning.
• Define organizational design, leadership capability requirements, and performance expectations to support scalable, high-performing teams.
• Foster a culture of accountability, service excellence, innovation, and student-centered impact.

Skills

Senior leadership

Executive communication

Regulatory compliance

Financial aid governance

Strategic risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Master's degree in finance, business, higher education, public administration, or a related field

Doctorate and/or relevant professional certifications

Job description

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Director of Financial Wellness to lead student financing strategy, governance, scholarship stewardship, and wellness integration across the university. You will serve as the final authority on policy, affordability, and access, partnering with senior leaders to align enrollment, compliance, and strategic risk management.

As a senior executive advisor, you will translate complex regulations and market dynamics into institutional