Director of Financial Aid

Job DetailsJob Location: Misenheimer Campus - Misenheimer, NC 28109Position Type: Full-Time StaffEducation Level: Master's DegreeTravel Percentage: Travel requiredJob Shift: DayJob Category: EducationPfeiffer University seeks an experienced, student-centered, and strategically minded Director of Financial Aid to lead the University's comprehensive financial aid program. 

Reporting to the Vice President for Enrollment Management, the Director will provide leadership for the day-to-day administration, compliance, awarding, communication, and continuous improvement of financial aid programs serving undergraduate and graduate students. 

The Director will serve as a key member of Pfeiffer's enrollment management leadership team and will work closely with Admissions, Student Development, Student Accounts, the Registrar, Finance, academic leadership, and other campus partners to ensure that financial aid supports the University's enrollment, retention, affordability, and student-success objectives. 

The successful candidate will combine strong technical knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations with the ability to think strategically about financial aid leveraging, institutional scholarship resources, enrollment goals, student affordability, and net tuition revenue.

This is an opportunity for a financial aid professional who wants to have an institution-wide impact and help shape how Pfeiffer uses financial aid as both a student-support resource and a strategic tool.

Essential Responsibilities

A. Financial Aid Leadership & Administration

•    Provide leadership and oversight for the University's comprehensive financial aid operation.
•    Administer federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs in accordance with applicable regulations and University policies.
•    Oversee the complete financial aid cycle, including application processing, verification, awarding, adjustments, disbursement, reconciliation, and annual closeout.
•    Establish and maintain effective financial aid policies, procedures, and internal controls.
•    Ensure accurate and timely financial aid processing for prospective, newly admitted, and continuing students.
•    Oversee financial aid for undergraduate, graduate, online, transfer, adult, and other applicable student populations.
•    Monitor financial aid calendars, deadlines, and processing milestones to ensure a positive student experience.

B. Strategic Enrollment & Financial Aid Management

•    Partner with the Vice President for Enrollment Management and enrollment leadership to develop financial aid strategies that support institutional enrollment goals.
•    Develop, evaluate, and refine institutional financial aid and scholarship awarding strategies.
•    Analyze financial aid packaging, discounting, scholarship utilization, yield, retention, and enrollment outcomes.

•    Provide financial aid data and analysis to support enrollment forecasting, enrollment planning, and institutional decision-making.
•    Monitor the impact of financial aid policies on enrollment, student demographics, retention, and net tuition revenue.
•    Collaborate with Admissions to develop coordinated approaches to scholarship awarding, financial aid communication, and enrollment conversion.
•    Participate in enrollment modeling and scenario planning related to changes in tuition, scholarships, grants, student demographics, and financial aid policies.
•    Identify opportunities to improve the University's use of institutional aid while maintaining affordability and supporting long-term financial sustainability.
•    Help ensure that financial aid practices reflect Pfeiffer's commitment to access, affordability, and student success.

C. Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

•    Maintain comprehensive knowledge of federal Title IV regulations and applicable state and institutional financial aid requirements.
•    Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations governing financial aid administration.
•    Oversee federal verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, return of Title IV funds, over-awards, loan processing, and other required processes.
•    Maintain appropriate institutional policies and procedures in response to changes in federal and state regulations.
•    Coordinate required federal and state reporting.

•    Prepare for and coordinate financial aid audits, program reviews, and other compliance reviews.

•    Maintain appropriate institutional controls and documentation related to financial aid administration.

•    Serve as a primary institutional resource on financial aid compliance and regulatory changes.

D. Student experience & Financial Aid Counseling

•    Establish a financial aid operation characterized by responsiveness, accuracy, accessibility, and exceptional customer service.
•    Ensure students and families receive clear, timely, and understandable information about financial aid.
•    Develop effective communication strategies that help students understand their financial aid options, requirements, deadlines, and responsibilities.
•    Serve as a resource for complex financial aid cases and appeals.
•    Develop processes that reduce barriers and improve the student experience from admission through enrollment with continued persistence.
•    Collaborate with Admissions and Student Development to ensure students experience a seamless transition from recruitment through enrollment and beyond.

E. Technology, Data, & Process Improvement

•    Provide leadership for the effective use and continuous improvement of the University's financial aid technology and systems, including the University's current financial aid portal and related systems.
•    Evaluate financial aid processes for efficiency, accuracy, automation, and student usability.
•    Use data and reporting to identify trends, operational issues, and opportunities for improvement.
•    Develop dashboards, reports, and other analytical tools that support enrollment management and financial aid decision-making.
•    Partner with Information Technology and other campus offices on system enhancements, integrations, testing, and implementation.
•    Lead process-improvement initiatives that modernize financial aid operations and improve service to students and families.

F. Leadership & Collaboration

•    Supervise, develop, and evaluate financial aid staff.
•    Establish clear performance expectations and promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and service.
•    Provide professional development and training related to regulatory changes, technology, financial aid practices, and customer service.
•    Build strong working relationships across Enrollment Management, Finance, Student Development, Academic Affairs, Information Technology, and other University offices.
•    Serve as a collaborative institutional partner and contribute to University-wide enrollment and student ­success initiatives.
•    Represent Financial Aid in appropriate campus committees, meetings, and professional organizations.
•    Other duties as assigned by the Vice President for Enrollment Management.

Benefits:

Tuition Remission/Tuition Exchange
Paid Life and LTD Insurance
Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity Insurances
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
403 b Retirement Plan Options

QualificationsA. Minimum Qualifications

•    Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
•    At least 5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education financial aid, preferably including supervisory or leadership experience.
•    Demonstrated knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid programs and regulations.
•    Experience administering federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs.
•    Experience with financial aid systems and technology.
•    Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

•    Demonstrated ability to interpret complex regulations and translate them into effective institutional policies and practices.
•    Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet critical regulatory and enrollment deadlines.
•    Demonstrated commitment to providing excellent service to students and families.
•    Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, students, and families.

B. Preferred Qualifications

•    Master's degree in higher education administration, business administration, student affairs, or a related field.
•    Seven or more years of progressively responsible financial aid experience.
•    Previous experience as a Director, Associate Director, or comparable financial aid leadership role.
•    Experience at a small private college or university.
•    Experience working within a strategic enrollment management environment.
•    Experience with financial aid leveraging, scholarship strategy, or enrollment modeling.
•    Experience analyzing financial aid and enrollment data to inform institutional decision-making.
•    Experience with PowerFaids or comparable financial aid management systems.
•    Experience with Jenzabar or other higher education ERP systems.
•    Experience leading financial aid system implementations, upgrades, or process-improvement initiatives.
•    Experience with federal and state financial aid audits or program reviews.
•    Experience administering institutional scholarships and/or endowed scholarship programs.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement:

Pfeiffer University provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or other protected group under State and Federal law. In addition to federal law requirements, Pfeiffer University complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the institution has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Pfeiffer University expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.