Director of Financial Aid

At Unity Environmental University, we value different perspectives, champion innovation, and create an environment where both employees and learners can excel. We are committed to fostering a workplace where talent and dedication drive success


Job Overview

The Director of Financial Aid leads the day-to-day administration of financial aid, ensuring students receive accurate and timely financial aid information and awards. This requires a strong working knowledge of federal financial aid requirements, financial aid systems, Unity's SEBUs and academic calendars, and the operational processes necessary to administer aid effectively.

he Director of Student Financial Solutions is the University's designated institutional lead for financial aid regulatory compliance and serves as the primary institutional point of contact with the U.S. Department of Education regarding Title IV administration, program reviews, regulatory inquiries, and other compliance matters. The Director of Financial Aid supports this function by ensuring that Financial Aid operations are conducted in accordance with established requirements, maintaining accurate records and controls and providing documentation and operational support as requested.

This role is funded through Research and Development in order to create institutional bandwidth. It begins with a structured learning period of a minimum of three to six months in which the incumbent shadows and learns from the Director of Student Financial Solutions. Specific tasks and projects are assigned during that period. Following the learning period, the incumbent is assigned a portfolio, either at the Enterprise level or dedicated to a subsidiary or SEBU, based on institutional need. Any portfolio assigned remains within the scope of this role. The portfolio assignment and any reports are determined by the institution and are not fixed at the time of hire.


POSITION SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

• Provide leadership for the Financial Aid unit, ensuring accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and adherence to established institutional policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead assigned institutional initiatives and projects, including work that may extend beyond the position's primary portfolio as organizational needs evolve.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert in financial aid administration and Title IV operations, partnering with the Director of Student Financial Solutions on regulatory interpretation, compliance matters, and institutional response.
• Monitor regulatory developments affecting financial aid operations and work with the Director of Student Financial Solutions to implement required operational changes.
• Identify operational, compliance, or control risks and promptly escalate concerns to the Director of Student Financial Solutions.
• Support the operational administration of financial aid, including eligibility determination, awarding, verification, satisfactory academic progress, disbursement readiness, and other financial aid processing in accordance with approved policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure financial aid processes are completed accurately, consistently, and within established institutional and regulatory timelines.
• Supervise the Financial Aid unit, establish performance expectations, maintain operational heuristics, and ensure appropriate staffing and workload distribution.
• Maintain appropriate quality assurance processes to identify errors, exceptions, processing delays, or emerging operational risks.
• Support Return to Title IV (R2T4) processes by ensuring Financial Aid responsibilities are completed timely and accurately, with appropriate documentation and reconciliation.
• Execute Financial Aid operations in accordance with compliance requirements, institutional policies, procedures, and guidance established by the Director of Student Financial Solutions.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of Title IV regulations, FERPA requirements applicable to financial aid operations, state aid requirements, federal guidance, and other regulations necessary to effectively administer financial aid.
• Support the Director of Student Financial Solutions in maintaining institutional readiness for audits, program reviews, regulatory inquiries, and other external reviews.
• Maintain complete and accurate documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with established financial aid policies, procedures, controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Support compliance calendars and monitoring activities by ensuring Financial Aid operational responsibilities are completed within required timelines.
• Maintain complete and accurate Financial Aid internal control documentation, workflow maps, process matrices, standard operating procedures, and supporting records.
• Maintain operational readiness for financial aid audits and program reviews and provide documentation, data, and process support to the Director of Student Financial Solutions and other institutional partners.
• Participate in financial aid audits, program reviews, and regulatory reviews as the operational subject-matter expert for the Financial Aid unit.
• Conduct regular quality assurance reviews to identify processing errors, data discrepancies, control weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
• Establish and maintain high customer service standards across all SEBUs, including phone, email, case management, response times, and adherence to SOPs.
• Collaborate with recruitment, advising, student success, and other student-facing teams to ensure employees are appropriately trained and confident in supporting students through financial aid processes.
• Identify recurring student pain points and develop operational solutions that reduce unnecessary complexity and improve the student experience.
• Partner with Institutional Effectiveness to maintain accurate reporting and improve financial aid data pipelines while modeling strong institutional data stewardship.
• Support new initiatives, policy revisions, and strategic planning related to affordability, access, financial aid administration, and financial wellness.
• Promote cross-training within the Financial Aid unit to ensure continuity, appropriate coverage, and succession readiness.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, transparency, ethical practice, accountability, student service, and operational excellence.

UNITY ENVIRONMENTAL UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Stay open to counterintuitive ideas and direct feedback. Unity employees are expected to think creatively and remain open to approaches that challenge initial instincts or traditional methods. Taking direction, seeking clarity, and executing with precision are critical to moving innovative work forward.
• Work confidently with AI, digital tools, and emerging systems. As a technology-enabled institution, Unity expects all employees to adopt a growth mindset around digital tools. This includes using AI systems to enhance productivity and decision-making, as well as learning new platforms and processes with curiosity and accountability.
• Deliver results in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Agility, resilience, and follow-through are essential. Employees must remain focused on outcomes even as priorities shift, iterating quickly and adjusting to change without losing momentum.
• Communicate with clarity and consistency. Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability and willingness to engage professionally by phone, video, and digital channels is essential. Employees must document decisions, convey key information clearly, and support alignment across teams.
• Model integrity and professionalism in all aspects of work. Every employee is responsible for upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating sound judgment, and maintaining an ownership mindset when it comes to their role and results.
• Own the accuracy of your work. While Unity equips employees with advanced systems and AI-enhanced tools, the responsibility for quality, precision, and correctness rests with the individual. Attention to detail and proactive error-checking are non-negotiable.
• Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability in all aspects of work. This includes responsible stewardship of resources, strategic decision-making, and ensuring long-term institutional impact.
• At Unity, we encourage input, feedback, and collaboration from all employees, your perspective matters. However, once a decision has been made, employees are expected to act as an extension of their supervisor's bandwidth, carrying out directives with clarity, consistency, and precision. We do not operate in independent silos; instead, we emphasize cross-functional collaboration and shared accountability.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this position you must be able to execute each of the position specific responsibilities while meeting the position expectations.

Additionally, the position specific education, skills and competencies listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodations may be made upon approval by the supervisor and Human Resources, to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.


POSITION SPECIFIC EDUCATION, SKILLS AND COMPENTCIES:


Required:

• Bachelor's Degree. Master's degree preferred.
• 5-7 years working Financial Aid at an institution of higher education.
• Experience administering Financial Aid within a BBAY model.
• Strong critical thinking and data analysis skills.
• Ability to work in a continually changing environment, to take the initiative to determine best practices, and to implement change.
• Supervisory experience.
• Experience with complex administrative data systems.
• Budget management skills.
• The ability to assimilate and interpret complex data, and sensitivity to issues related to recruitment and retention of a diverse student body.
• Strong communication skills.
• Must have strong organizational and management skills.
• Ability to efficiently operate a personal computer and associated software (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information.
• Ability to interact in an effective and appropriate manner with diverse populations, the Unity Environmental University community and the public.
• Ability to maintain files accurately, in paper and electronically.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks while maintaining quality outputs.
• Ability to effectively supervise staff, maintaining KPIs.
• Ability to plan project outcomes and give attention to detail.
• Ability to develop and implement operating policies and procedures.
• Ability to function effectively within a matrix organizational structure, maintaining open lines of communication while being discreet, courteous and well poised.

WORK SCHEDULE / AVAILABILITY REQUIREMENTS


Work hours are specific to the requirements of this position and can include days, evenings, and weekends as scheduled by their supervisor to best support students. Working extended hours required as needed. Must be flexible and cooperative in fulfilling responsibilities and meeting the Institution's needs. Although Unity Environmental University employees are generally scheduled to work at their specifically assigned locations, there are times when travel is necessary, and employees are required from time to time to attend events, meetings, or work temporary assignments at any Unity Environmental University location.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS


While performing the duties of this job, it is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand or walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The use of either hand for repetitive movements such as grasping, grasping and turning, and fine manipulation is required as is the ability to use the telephone for internal and external communications.


ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS


Work is performed mostly in an office setting. The noise level in the work environment is normally moderate. Exposure to changes of temperature or humidity 1-33% of the time.