The Office of Financial aid determines and award appropriate sources and levels of aid for students. The department offers extensive opportunities for need and merit-based aid to make William Peace University one of the most affordable private schools in the country.

The Director of Financial Aid manages financial aid processes and staff ensuring a strong commitment to customer service and problem solving. The Director is responsible for the overall administration of all financial aid programs and providing leadership and effective management to ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional financial aid program policies and regulations for traditional and adult nontraditional degree programs. The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for developing strategies, procedures, and policies that maximize the use of financial aid dollars to promote the recruitment and retention of students at William Peace University.

While the expectation is that the majority of work days/hours are conducted on-campus, this position does have the flexibility to maintain a hybrid work schedule that would allow for some remote work. It is the Director’s responsibility, at the discretion of the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, to establish a rotational office schedule with members of the Financial Aid team to ensure adequate office coverage

• Administer the comprehensive financial aid program, including federal Title IV student financial aid, state grants, loans and grants from private sources, along with institutional grants and scholarships. Collaborate with the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing on selecting merit-based scholarships.
• Manage the Office of Financial Aid personnel and operating budget.
• Manage the student financial aid budget and strategies for delivery of student aid and the analysis and implementation of appropriate financial aid models; strategically award financial aid for maximum return on recruitment, enrollment, and retention. This includes monitoring and oversight of the University’s Federal Work Study Program.
• Oversee debt management and financial literacy education for traditional undergraduate and School of Professional Studies students.
• Oversee the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Return of Title IV Funds process, including U.S. Department of Education and National Student Loan Data System notifications.
• Coordinate student loan processing between students, federal government, and the institution.
• Administer the appeals process related to SAP. Establish appeals committee and guidelines. Train committee and ensure procedural and regulatory compliance. Notify students of appeal outcomes and counsel on available options.
• Advise the Vice President on industry trends, financial aid best practices, and strategy development.
• Oversee the appropriate allocation of University sponsored and endowed scholarships as specified by donors and as required by the Office of University Advancement. Work closely with the Office of University Advancement on the appropriate management of these scholarships.
• Stay abreast of industry and technical knowledge and implement new regulatory requirements.
• Prepare, disseminate and oversee internal and external surveys and reports, contributing to institutional research preparation, reports for federal, state, regulatory agencies and institutional reports, and provide data for independent annual audits while serving as the primary resource for required audit functions for financial aid programs.
• Manage the financial aid parts of Datatel (student information system software) and databases. Oversee the automated packaging initiative.
• Develop, implement and revise operating policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, regulations and university policies related to financial aid and scholarships.
• Participate as a speaker for campus events such as Open Houses, Acceptance Day, FAFSA Day, and Pacer Camp.
• Represent the University at local, state, and regional financial aid functions in addition to serving as the University contact for media-related requests from the Office of Integrated Marketing and Communications.
• Serving on University committees and task groups.
• Directly supervise staff in accordance with the University’s policies and applicable laws.
• Interview and hire staff; assist with training; plan, assign and direct work; appraise performance; address complaints and resolve problems.
• Work effectively with a diverse population of students, employees, visitors, and guests.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and five years of progressive higher education financial aid experience with some supervisory/leadership experience preferably at the director level (full, associate, assistant)
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid programs and regulations
• Demonstrated commitment to student success and quality customer service delivery
• Experience supervising and mentoring employees
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other email, social networking and scheduling applications

• Master’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Experience with Ellucian Colleague (Datatel)