Financial Aid Manager

University of Illinois Chicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid time off

Tuition waivers for employees and/or,及

Tuition waivers for dependents

Job summary

University of Illinois Chicago seeks a Financial Aid Manager to oversee daily financial aid operations, ensuring compliant administration of federal, state, and institutional aid across four sites. The role balances leadership with hands-on student services.

Reporting to the Director/Associate Director, you will monitor Title IV compliance, resolve complex student files, and collaborate with college partners to enhance the student experience.

Qualifications

• 3 years combined from college coursework or degrees, plus work experience in office/customer service.
• Supervisory experience in higher education, student services, or related setting.
• Strong understanding of financial aid processes and policy guidance.

Responsibilities

• Manage federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs across the four sites.
• Package eligible students for financial aid and oversee awarding processes.
• Supervise financial aid advisors and ensure regulatory compliance (Title IV).
• Serve as liaison between lenders, students, and university departments.

Skills

Office management

Customer service

Supervisory experience

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Associate's Degree

College coursework (3 years total)

Job description

Hiring Department: Administration

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1043075

FTE: 1

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30AM - 5:00PM

Shift: Days

# of Positions: 2

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Salary Range (commensurate with experience): $64,369.50 - 68,289.00 / Annual Salary

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has nearly 260,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

The Financial Aid Manager assists in managing the daily operations of the financial aid office, ensuring the accurate, efficient, and compliant administration of federal, state, and institutional aid programs. Reporting to the Director and/or Associate Director, this role balances administrative leadership with direct student service, supervising financial aid advisors, and overseeing complex awarding processes. The Financial Aid Manager serves as a key technical and regulatory resource, monitoring compliance with evolving Title IV regulations while resolving complicated student files and professional judgment appeals. Additionally, this position collaborates with college partners to enhance the student experience.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Helps to manage all federal, state, miscellaneous agency, and university programs awarded within the office.
• Complete debt management/repayment plans appointments with COM Students.
• Packaging eligible students for financial aid.
• Acts as a financial aid liaison for the COM with other University departments.
• Helps maintain consistent and constant communication with the students and administrators at the Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana sites.
• Extensive Travel to the Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana sites.
• Works with students experiencing long term financial problems and third party agencies to resolve these problems and present options available to such students.
• Assists with special projects.
• In the absence of the Director and/or Associate Director, the Assistant Director is responsible for the daily supervision of the office.
• Process and determine financial aid for all four sites
• Serve as a liaison between lender and student
• Complete financial aid discrepancy reports
• Complete verification process
• Work closely with Financial Planning and Student Accounts to provide financial aid counseling to students, communicating policies and procedures, tracking documentation and awarding financial aid
• Verify financial aid applications for completeness, enrollment status, academic progress, etc.
• Work collaboratively with fellow staff members and promote a cross trained student-centered atmosphere.
• The Financial Aid Counselor will counsel students and their families regarding financial aid eligibility, available assistance programs, and their rights and responsibilities associated with these programs.
• Be responsible for assisting with the distribution of information on various financial aid programs available to students and conducting financial aid presentations on campus and in the community.
• Review all document intake received via fax, mail, email, or walk in traffic and accurately distributes said documents among staff.
• Updating of documents.
• Reviews and verifies all documents of compliance with federal and state regulations as well as university policies. T-Card and P-Card authorizations

Minimum Qualifications Required

• Any one or combination totaling three (3) years (36 months) from the following categories:
• College coursework in any discipline, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
• 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
• Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
• 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
• Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
• Work experience managing office, business, or customer service/relations activities.
• Two (2) years (24 months) of higher education, student services, or closely related experience.
• One (1) year (12 months) of supervisory experience in higher education, student services, or closely related setting.

Illinois Residency is required within 180 days of employment.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates.

Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.