Financial Aid Technical Lead

MASFAA; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 88,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Iowa State University in Ames seeks a Financial Aid Technical Lead (Business Systems Analyst III) to guide the technology behind student financial aid and scholarships, ensuring reliable, efficient systems.

You will translate requirements into technical plans, build dashboards, lead upgrades, and train staff, with opportunities for professional growth and cross-team collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience translating business requirements into technical solutions.
• Previous experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience with Workday, Docfinity, and/or NextGen.
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Own and improve essential systems.
• Translate business needs into technical plans, build dashboards and reports.
• Troubleshoot complex issues and monitor system performance.
• Coordinate upgrades, testing, and releases with compliance and data governance.
• Lead financial aid technology initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Create clear documentation and train staff on new tools.

Skills

Translate requirements into tech

Higher education experience

Workday/Docfinity/NextGen

US work authorization

Tools

Workday

Docfinity

NextGen

Job description

Salary: $87,539.00 - $148,816.00 Annually

Application Deadline: Oct 25, 2026

Power the systems that help students move forward.

Iowa State University is seeking a Financial Aid Technical Lead (Business Systems Analyst III) to guide the technology behind a critical part of the student experience: financing a college education. Your work will strengthen the systems that support financial aid and scholarships, helping our Cyclones in the Making—and current students—pursue their Iowa State education.

We’re a “creative yes” organization. We approach challenges with curiosity, explore what’s possible, and work together to find a path forward. If you enjoy solving complex problems and building technology solutions with a clear human purpose, you’ll find meaningful work here.

Your impact

You’ll serve as the functional and technical owner of Student Financial Aid systems, connecting financial aid needs with reliable, effective technology. Working with Financial Aid leadership, Enrollment Solutions, campus technology teams, and vendors, you will:

Own and improve essential systems. Guide the configuration, administration, and integration of financial aid and scholarship platforms, collaborating with campus partners on Workday Student.

Turn needs into solutions. Translate business requirements into technical plans, build automated processes, and develop queries, reports, and dashboards that support financial aid operations.

Keep services dependable. Troubleshoot complex issues, monitor system performance, and address process gaps before they disrupt work.

Lead change with confidence. Coordinate upgrades, regulatory updates, testing, and releases while supporting compliance, security, and data governance requirements.

Move projects forward. Lead financial aid technology initiatives from planning through implementation, coordinating resources, dependencies, and stakeholder communication.

Help people succeed. Serve as a trusted technical resource, create clear documentation, and train staff to make effective use of new tools and functionality.

What will help you thrive

You combine technical judgment with an understanding of financial aid processes and the people who depend on them. You’re comfortable investigating a system issue, translating a complex requirement, and helping colleagues understand what comes next. You build strong partnerships, anticipate challenges, and balance opportunities for improvement with the precision that financial aid work demands.

Behind every financial aid process is a student making decisions about their future. Your expertise will help keep those processes reliable and responsive while giving staff better tools to support students.

You’ll have opportunities to shape essential technology, guide projects across teams, and see your solutions become part of everyday university operations. Conferences, training, and a national peer network will support your continued professional growth.

Bring your technical expertise and instinct for solving problems. Help us make the path forward clearer for students.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience translating business requirements into technical solutions
• Previous experience in a higher education setting
• Experience with Workday, Docfinity, and/or NextGen
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Why Choose Iowa State University?

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts