Financial Aid Specialist

Financial Aid Training & Development SpecialistThe Financial Aid Training & Development Specialist reports to the Director of Financial Aid Compliance with a dotted-line relationship to the Director of Financial Aid Operations. This role serves as the connection between Compliance and Operations by developing, delivering, and maintaining training programs that promote consistent application of federal regulations, institutional policies, system functionality, and Campus culture.By maintaining an active understanding of day-to-day workflows and participating in operational discussions, the Financial Aid Training & Development Specialist ensures training remains current, practical, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and operational needs. While this role supports operational effectiveness and regulatory compliance, it does not supervise day-to-day financial aid processing, awarding, packaging, or operational decision-making.Working closely with the Financial Aid Quality Assurance Analyst, the Financial Aid Training & Development Specialist uses quality review findings, operational trends, and regulatory updates to identify training opportunities, reinforce best practices, and support continuous improvement across the department.You're excited about this opportunity because you will…Design, develop, and deliver onboarding and continuing education for Financial Aid staff.Develop and deliver training related to financial aid technologies, system enhancements, workflow automation, and operational process changes, including new system implementations and enhancements to the SIS, COD, NSLDS, FAFSA Partner Portal, and related systems.Develop and maintain training materials, job aids, reference guides, and other learning resources.Coordinate refresher training and ongoing professional development to reinforce regulatory knowledge, operational consistency, and Campus culture, including identifying and recommending relevant training opportunities through Federal Student Aid (FSA), NASFAA, and other professional organizations.Track required training completion and evaluate training effectiveness through staff feedback and quality review results.Attend Financial Aid operational meetings to remain current on workflow changes, operational priorities, and system enhancements.Partner with Financial Aid Operations leadership to ensure training reflects current practices while reinforcing regulatory requirements and institutional expectations.Support implementation of new processes and institutional initiatives by developing training plans and communicating procedural changes.Serve as a resource to staff by providing guidance on policies, procedures, and system functionality.Develop, maintain, and periodically review Financial Aid training manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), job aids, reference materials, and process documentation.Partner with Financial Aid Operations and Financial Aid Compliance to ensure training materials accurately reflect current regulatory requirements, institutional policies, and operational workflows.Maintain version control and documentation standards for departmental training resources.Support development of knowledge management resources that promote consistency, continuity, and operational resilience.Collaborate with the Financial Aid Quality Assurance Analyst to identify trends, address knowledge gaps, and develop targeted training based on quality review findings.Use operational trends and staff feedback to recommend training priorities and process improvements.Coordinate cross-training initiatives to strengthen operational flexibility and business continuity.Monitor federal and state regulatory changes, Dear Colleague Letters, Electronic Announcements, FSA Handbook updates, and other regulatory guidance, incorporating applicable changes into training materials, job aids, and staff development programs.Coordinate training related to system enhancements, including Campuswire and other technology initiatives impacting Financial Aid operations.Support department readiness for compliance audits, program reviews, monitoring activities, and external regulatory reviews by ensuring staff training, documentation, and operational guidance remain current.We're excited about you because you're a…Learning & Development Champion: You enjoy helping others build knowledge, confidence, and consistency in their work. You understand that effective training goes beyond teaching processes—it empowers people to succeed.Regulatory Expert: You appreciate the importance of regulatory compliance and can translate complex federal requirements and institutional policies into practical guidance that staff can understand and apply.Operational Partner: You seek to understand operational workflows and build strong partnerships with the Financial Aid team, ensuring training remains relevant, practical, and aligned with current processes.Relationship Builder: You build strong connections across Compliance, Operations, and Quality Assurance, working with others to identify knowledge gaps, reinforce best practices, and support continuous improvement.Effective Communicator: You have a talent for breaking down complex topics into practical, easy-to-understand guidance, creating an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions and learning.Lifelong Learner: You stay current with regulatory changes, system enhancements, and industry best practices, and you are energized by opportunities to improve training, documentation, and staff development.Required Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in education, higher education administration, business, communications, organizational development, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.Three or more years of experience in Title IV financial aid administration, including experience interpreting and applying federal regulations in a higher education environment.Experience developing and delivering training for adult learners, including onboarding and ongoing staff development.Ability to translate complex regulations and operational processes into clear, practical training.Strong presentation, facilitation, written, and verbal communication skills.Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing business needs.Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships and work effectively across departments.Preferred Qualifications:Experience developing virtual instructor-led training materials, job aids, process documentation, and knowledge resources.Experience supporting operational or system changes through training and staff readiness.Familiarity with SIS platforms, COD, NSLDS, FAFSA Partner Portal, or other student information and financial aid systems.Experience incorporating quality assurance findings, audit results, or operational trends into training and staff development.Experience working in an online, multi-state, or rapidly growing higher education environment.Current NASFAA Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (FAAC®) certification or the ability to obtain certification within the first year of employment.Key Skills and Attributes:Experience training staff during system implementations or operational changeFinancial aid regulatory knowledge and operational awarenessTraining design, facilitation, and coachingAbility to translate complex regulations into practical, easy-to-understand guidanceRelationship building and cross-functional collaborationStrong written, verbal, and presentation skillsOrganization, prioritization, and adaptabilityProcess improvement and continuous learningStudent-centered mindset and commitment to institutional integrityWhat you'll get:A compensation package that includes a base salary + equity grantThe anticipated base salary range for this role is $73,000–$90,000, depending on work location.Actual compensation within the pay range will be determined based on factors including, but not limited to, skills, prior relevant experience, and specific work location. For roles that are available to be filled remotely, base salary will be localized.Medical, dental, and vision insurance401(k) matchFertility benefits via CarrotFlexible Time Away + paid holidaysOpportunity to make an impact – you'll be an integral player in bringing our vision to lifeUnfortunately, we are unable to offer new H-1B visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must already be authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring new H-1B sponsorship. However, we can support H-1B transfers and are able to sponsor TN visas for eligible Canadian and Mexican citizens.