Director, Student Financial Aid

Position Title: Director, Student Financial Aid

Department: Financial Aid

Advertised Pay: Competitive

Campus Location: Washburn University

Application Review: Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled.

Position Summary: Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the administration of student financial aid and scholarships at Washburn, including the School of Law, and Washburn Institute of Technology. Ensures effective, compliant, equitable, and student-centered delivery of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs. Collaborates across departments and with academic and administrative partners to advance student access, affordability, enrollment, retention, and completion. Leads financial aid policy development, regulatory compliance, scholarship administration, financial literacy initiatives, technology utilization, assessment, and continuous improvement while developing a high-performing team committed to exceptional student service.

About Washburn University: Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of just over 7,000 students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions:
• Sets the strategic direction for Student Financial Aid at Washburn, including the School of Law and the Washburn Institute of Technology (WU Tech) campuses.
• Leads the development and interpretation of student financial aid policy.
• Oversees the full aid lifecycle (application, awarding, and delivery) for federal, state, private, and institutional aid.
• Directs the Office of Student Scholarships.
• Supervises, supports, and manages assigned staff to maximize employee performance and facilitate professional growth. Recruit, hire, train, schedule, and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of staff. Provide appropriate feedback and professional development opportunities, encouraging staff to work toward individual and department goals. Work to maintain a healthy work environment by promoting teamwork and collaboration.
• Fosters a professional, student-centered workplace culture focused on Washburn students’ success.
• Leads campus-wide efforts to improve students’ financial literacy.
• Directs all Title IV, State of Kansas, and institutional financial aid programs for Washburn.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, policies, and rules.
• Develops and maintains training for assigned staff to ensure regulatory compliance and a student-focused approach to service.
• Partners with departments to ensure timely processing and accurate completion of required federal and state reporting.
• Oversees the digital scholarship software platform(s), maximizing its efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaborates with the Washburn University Foundation to maximize the impact of private scholarship and loan funds.
• Supports Student Financial Aid’s important role in communicating the affordability of a Washburn education.
• Oversees proactive public outreach, including a current, engaging digital presence for the office.
• Collaborates with Washburn departments to support on-time graduation.
• Develops, maintains, and leads an ongoing assessment program to keep the office a high-performing unit.
• Maintains personal compliance with federal and state requirements by attending required meetings and trainings.
• Ensures staff compliance through proactive professional development.
• Leads campus conversations and trainings on best practices in student financial aid.
• Serves on committees and participates in planning and development initiatives for the department, unit, and/or Washburn.
• Builds and sustains collaborative working relationships with colleagues across departments.
• Compiles and projects cost information for future office initiatives.
• Develops and submits budget requests for inclusion in the area’s annual request.
• Approves and monitors expenditures to ensure funds are spent appropriately and within budget.
• Resolves budget issues as they arise during the fiscal year.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience directly in student financial aid administration at a college or university, including at least two (2) years in a supervisory or management capacity.
• Demonstrated customer service orientation, with the ability to explain complex financial aid information clearly to students, parents, and campus partners.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret federal, state, and institutional regulations and use data to evaluate and improve operations.
• Proven ability to work respectfully and effectively with all students, parents, faculty, and staff, and to serve each fairly and consistently under the same policies.
• Strong organization, time management, and event management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines during peak aid cycles.
• Demonstrated collaboration and supervisory skills, including leading and developing staff.
• Working knowledge of Title IV federal student aid programs and regulations, including FAFSA processing, verification, Return of Title IV funds, and Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Experience using an integrated campus-wide student information system and financial aid software.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with FERPA and related privacy requirements.
• Knowledge of budget development and fiscal management.

Physical Requirements:
• This position requires access to U. S. Department of Education (ED) databases: Common Origination & Disbursement (COD), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and FAFSA Partner Portal, and in order to have access to these databases, applicants cannot be in default or owe an overpayment in any Title IV Federal Financial Aid program.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master’s degree in higher education administration, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience administering aid at a multi-institution or multi-campus organization, or at an institution with graduate or professional programs (such as a law school) or technical education programs.
• Experience with state grant programs, institutional and private scholarship management, and scholarship or financial aid software platforms.
• Experience with budget development and management.
• Demonstrated commitment to student financial literacy and a student-centered service philosophy.
• Experience with Higher Learning Commission accreditation processes and learning or operational outcomes assessment.
• Ability to communicate in Spanish (spoken and/or written) to serve Spanish-speaking students and families.
• Experience with scholarship management software.
• Experience in an office serving multiple institutions or campuses, including graduate or professional and technical programs.

Exempt, Full-time, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm   
Background Check Required