Director of Financial Aid Operations

Department: Financial Aid EV
Salary/Grade: EXS/12

Job Summary:

Reporting to the University Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Financial Aid Operations is the second most senior manager in the office, and acts as the primary manager in the absence of the university director of financial aid. In partnership and consultation with the University Director, manages the daily processes of the undergraduate financial aid office, ensures institutional procedures are implemented and regulatory deadlines are achieved while providing excellent customer service to students, families, and colleagues. Supervises daily operations of a processing team that consists of 5 exempt and 2 non-exempt staff; provides oversight and support to the staff managing various project areas that include federal and state grants, loans, federal work-study, study abroad, athletic aid, institutional aid, special circumstance review, outside scholarships processing, summer awards, document intake and data-entry.

Specific Responsibilities:

Financial Aid Packaging and Professional Judgment

• Develop and approve financial aid offers for new and returning students by analyzing family financial information, applying federal, state, and university policies to determine eligibility, and balancing institutional goals for access, recruitment, and retention.
• Interpret complex regulations and use professional discretion in exceptional cases (such as job loss or medical hardship) to adjust aid through a process called professional judgment, ensuring fairness for students facing unique challenges.
• Review appeals for additional aid by evaluating individual circumstances and documentation to determine whether financial assistance can be increased beyond standard eligibility.
• Develops, implements, and assesses strategic financial aid programs tailored to the composition and goals of the incoming class.

Federal Program and Fiscal Management

• Manage $15 million in federal campus-based funding (grants and work-study) by overseeing account setup, supervising staff in fund processing, and ensuring aid is awarded and disbursed correctly to eligible students.
• Establish and monitor program budgets, track monthly expenditures, and reconcile accounts to confirm that financial aid funds are spent accurately and in compliance with regulations.
• Collaborate with university accounting to submit annual federal reports and maintain accurate records, ensuring all fiscal responsibilities and reporting requirements are met.
• Oversee the reconciliation process for the Federal Direct Loan program to ensure all loan funds are accounted for and balanced with federal records.
• Leads and manages professional staff responsible for awarding financial aid, including coordinating, assigning, and monitoring daily operations and priorities.

Regulatory Compliance and Institutional Coordination

• Monitor and interpret federal and state financial aid regulations to ensure university practices stay compliant, and regularly update policies, procedures, and staff training based on regulatory changes.
• Lead monthly coordination meetings across six financial aid offices at the university to promote consistent practices, share updates, and ensure collaborative compliance.
• Test and validate the University's financial aid software system (PeopleSoft) during upgrades to confirm accuracy and reliability of aid processing, then communicate relevant changes to staff.
• Maintain and update the university's Consumer Information webpage and coordinate the required annual notice to ensure compliance with federal disclosure requirements.
• Facilitate annual federal audits by coordinating document collection and working directly with external auditors to verify compliance with aid regulations and institutional policies.

Policy Development and Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Assist the University Director of Financial Aid in developing and documenting office policies and procedures to ensure consistency, transparency, and regulatory compliance.
• Contribute to the leadership and continuous improvement of office operations by evaluating existing processes and proposing enhancements for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with academic departments, the registrar, and student services to streamline support systems, promote student success, and support timely degree completion across the university.
• Evaluates existing business processes and recommends improvements to enhance workflow efficiency and overall program effectiveness.

Counseling and Student-Facing Support

• Provide professional, in-depth counseling to students, parents, and staff to explain financial aid eligibility, resolve concerns, and guide families through the financial aid process.
• Evaluates existing business processes and recommends improvements to enhance workflow efficiency and overall program effectiveness.

Miscellaneous

Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Bachelor's degree;
• Five years' experience in financial aid;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral;
• Ability to work as a leader in the office and member of the team.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Experience in explaining, processing, reviewing federal financial aid regulations.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Master's degree;
• Experience in an office that uses the PeopleSoft student information system;
• Experience in a highly selective, complex, institution of higher education.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Microsoft Office suite; comfort with technology including the use of web-based online forms tools; user-focused knowledge of what is possible in the PeopleSoft system.

Target hiring range for this position will be $127,000 - $137,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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