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Associate Director Financial Aid Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Uofl

$66K/yr

The Associate Director, Financial Aid, within the University of Louisville School of Nursing provides high-level, individualized financial aid leadership and student-facing service for a complex and ...

University of Miami

$90 - $130/hr

The Associate Director, Financial Assistance oversees the operation of the financial aid program ... Develops financial aid policies and administers academic plan programs. * Hires, mentors ...

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$25K

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$91.5K

How much do associate director financial aid jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate director financial aid in the United States is $64,837.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $55,000.00 and $74,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an associate director of financial aid do?

An Associate Director of Financial Aid assists in managing a college or university's financial aid office. They oversee the administration of federal, state, and institutional aid programs, ensuring compliance with regulations. Their responsibilities include supervising staff, evaluating student eligibility, and developing policies to improve aid processes. They also collaborate with other departments to support student success and address financial concerns.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate director of financial aid?

To thrive as an Associate Director of Financial Aid, you need expertise in federal and state financial aid regulations, financial analysis, and typically a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field. Proficiency with financial aid management systems (such as Banner or PowerFAIDS), student information systems, and compliance software is crucial. Exceptional leadership, attention to detail, and strong interpersonal communication skills help in managing teams and guiding students through complex processes. These skills ensure regulatory compliance, effective administration of aid programs, and positive student outcomes.

How does the associate director of financial aid collaborate with other departments to support student success?

The Associate Director of Financial Aid regularly partners with Admissions, Registrar, and Student Affairs to ensure students receive holistic support throughout their academic journey. This role often involves participating in cross-departmental meetings, developing joint outreach initiatives, and streamlining processes to assist students effectively. By fostering these collaborations, the Associate Director helps identify and address financial barriers, ensuring students have the resources and guidance they need to persist and succeed.

What is the difference between Associate Director Financial Aid vs Financial Aid Director?

AspectAssociate Director Financial AidFinancial Aid Director
CredentialsBachelor's degree; experience in financial aidBachelor's or master's degree; extensive financial aid experience
Work EnvironmentSupports financial aid operations, reports to directorOversees entire financial aid department, strategic planning
Employer & Industry UsageColleges and universities, financial aid officesColleges, universities, and higher education institutions

The Associate Director Financial Aid typically handles daily operations and reports to the Financial Aid Director, who manages the overall strategy and department leadership. Both roles require similar credentials, but the Director position involves broader oversight and strategic responsibilities.

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Associate Director Financial Aid jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Director Financial Aid job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $64,837 per year, or $31.2 per hour.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, FINANCIAL AID

Brazosport College

Lake Jackson, TX • On-site

$62K - $99K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 4 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Supervise daily office operations and provide leadership to staff in the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office.

  • Assist in the administration of various financial aid programs, including reviewing complex cases and overseeing awarding, disbursement, and eligibility determinations.

  • Support compliance activities, maintain regulatory adherence, and collaborate on system configuration, testing, and reporting processes.

Job description

Associate Director, Financial Aid & Scholarships
Position Type: Administrative/Staff
FTE: Full-Time
Department: Financial Aid & Scholarships
Position Summary
The Associate Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships provides operational leadership and day-to-day management of the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office. Reporting to the Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships, this position supervises daily office operations, provides direct leadership and support to staff, assists with the administration of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs, and supports departmental compliance, reporting, systems administration, and continuous process improvement.
The Associate Director works collaboratively with the Director to implement departmental priorities, maintain regulatory compliance, and ensure the timely and accurate delivery of financial aid services. This position serves as acting director during the Director's absence.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
  • Assist the Director in coordinating the daily operations of the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office.
  • Provide direct day-to-day supervision, leadership, mentoring, coaching, scheduling, and performance management for assigned staff.
  • Monitor staff productivity, workload distribution, processing timelines, and customer service standards to ensure efficient office operations.
  • Provide guidance and technical support to staff regarding complex financial aid regulations, policies, procedures, and system functionality.
  • Identify staff training needs and coordinate professional development opportunities.
  • Assist the Director with implementing departmental goals, operational initiatives, and strategic priorities.
  • Serve as acting director during the Director's absence.

Financial Aid Administration
  • Assist in the administration of federal, state, institutional, private, and scholarship financial aid programs in accordance with applicable regulations and institutional policies.
  • Review complex financial aid cases and provide recommendations regarding Professional Judgment, Dependency Overrides, unusual enrollment history, and other specialized eligibility determinations.
  • Assist with oversight of financial aid awarding, adjustments, eligibility determination, packaging, and disbursement processing.
  • Coordinate operational activities related to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), appeals, reinstatement processing, and student communications.
  • Assist with Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculations and post-withdrawal disbursement processing.
  • Coordinate the federal verification process and resolution of conflicting information.
  • Support scholarship administration and institutional aid processing.

Compliance and Regulatory Support
  • Assist the Director in maintaining compliance with federal, state, institutional, and accreditation requirements.
  • Assist with the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of departmental policies, procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Monitor regulatory changes and assist in implementing procedural and system updates.
  • Support federal program reviews, state audits, internal audits, and compliance monitoring activities.
  • Assist with documenting processes and maintaining compliance records.

Systems Administration and Technology
  • Serve as the department's primary functional resource for the Student Information System (SIS) and financial aid technologies.
  • Collaborate with Information Technology and software vendors regarding system configuration, testing, troubleshooting, upgrades, and implementation of new functionality.
  • Test software updates, patches, enhancements, and system configurations prior to production implementation.
  • Assist in developing automated awarding strategies, workflow improvements, system configurations, and quality assurance processes.
  • Develop and maintain system queries, reports, dashboards, and data validation procedures to support operational effectiveness.
  • Monitor electronic interfaces and data exchanges with the U.S. Department of Education and other external agencies.
  • Support implementation of technology initiatives that improve operational efficiency and student service.

Reporting, Reconciliation, and Data Analysis
  • Assist with the preparation, reconciliation, validation, and submission of required federal, state, institutional, and scholarship reports.
  • Support reconciliation activities for federal, state, institutional, and scholarship financial aid programs.
  • Assist with preparation and validation of reports including, but not limited to:
    • FISAP
    • Financial Aid Database (FAD)
    • Financial Value Transparency/Gainful Employment
    • Enrollment Reporting
    • Net Price Calculator
    • Default Management
    • State reporting
    • Institutional reporting
    • Other required federal, state, and institutional reports
  • Analyze financial aid operations and data to identify trends, improve data integrity, strengthen compliance, and recommend process improvements.
  • Assist with quality assurance activities designed to maintain accurate student records and financial aid processing.

Customer Service and Campus Collaboration
  • Provide guidance to students, parents, faculty, staff, and external agencies regarding financial aid policies, procedures, eligibility, and regulatory requirements.
  • Collaborate with Admissions, Registrar, Business Office, Information Technology, Academic Advising, and other campus departments to support enrollment and student success initiatives.
  • Represent the department on institutional committees, cross-functional teams, and special projects as assigned.

Process Improvement
  • Evaluate departmental processes and recommend improvements that enhance operational efficiency, compliance, and customer service.
  • Support implementation of business process improvements, workflow automation, and technology enhancements.
  • Develop documentation and cross-training materials that promote operational consistency and business continuity.
  • Assist the Director with strategic initiatives that support enrollment management and student success.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
  • 100% on-site presence

Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
  • Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience administering financial aid programs in a higher education environment.
  • Demonstrated experience supervising, leading, mentoring, or coordinating the work of professional staff.
  • Working knowledge of Title IV federal financial aid regulations.
  • Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
  • Ability to interpret and apply complex federal and state regulations.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting regulatory deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Five (5) years of progressively responsible financial aid administration experience.
  • Experience administering federal, state, institutional, and scholarship financial aid programs.
  • Experience with enterprise Student Information Systems (SIS), including Anthology Student, Banner, Colleague, Jenzabar, PeopleSoft, Workday Student, or comparable higher education systems.
  • Experience configuring or supporting financial aid system automation, workflow management, software testing, or system implementations.
  • Experience with U.S. Department of Education systems and services, including COD, NSLDS, FAFSA Partner Portal, SAIG, EDConnect, FISAP, and FAA Access/FAA Partner systems.
  • Experience assisting with financial aid reporting, reconciliation, compliance monitoring, and regulatory submissions.
  • Experience with business process improvement, quality assurance, and operational documentation.

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