Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Harvard University • Boston, MA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Financial Aid Office at Harvard Medical School provides comprehensive financial counseling and support to more than 650 M.D. students, as well as students enrolled in HMS master’s programs. The office administers a $42 million M.D. financial aid program designed to reduce financial barriers to an HMS education. Funding is derived from a combination of institutional, federal, and private sources. More than $20 million in institutional need-based scholarship funding is awarded annually to HMS students, along with over $2 million in institutional need-based loan funds. Eligibility for institutional aid requires a thorough assessment of both student and parental financial resources. In addition, the office supports approximately 275 master’s students through the administration of federal financial aid programs. The Financial Aid Office is committed to delivering the highest level of customer service while fostering a positive, supportive, and team-oriented work environment. The Assistant Director plays a key leadership role in delivering a student-centered, service-driven financial aid experience. This position oversees frontline operations, enhances customer engagement strategies, and ensures that all interactions with students and families are clear, supportive, and compliant with federal, state, and institutional regulations. The Assistant Director partners across campus to improve access, communication, and the overall financial aid experience, recognizing that effective service is critical to student recruitment, retention, and success. The role also involves developing and delivering presentations and educational sessions for M.D. and master’s students on topics such as loan repayment, entrance counseling, financial literacy, and programming for events including Accepted Student Preview Days.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience.
• Experience as a financial aid professional to include counseling, institutional need analysis and data management experience managing budgets strongly preferred.
• Strong technological learning to include technical project management on the business side and strong comfort working with relational databases.
• Strong counseling skills both one-on-one and in group settings; superb written, oral and presentation skills.
• Broad technological proficiencies including function-specific tools.
• Powerfaids and Peoplesoft experience, excellent organizational skills, stay current with emerging technologies, trends, policies and regulations in the field.

Responsibilities

• Manages a caseload of M.D. and master’s students, with responsibilities that include need analysis, financial aid packaging, and debt counseling.
• Performs initial screening of financial aid application materials. Maintains databases. Triages financial aid questions from applicants and current students. Serves as information source, responds to email inquiries, and prepares correspondence. Handles sensitive and confidential applicant information.
• Prepares quarterly and end-of-year reports for Director of Financial Aid concerning financial status of the department. Ensures the effective management of account spending.
• Oversees Financial Aid Office budget/fiscal operations, which includes purchasing and inventory tracking of office supplies and equipment.
• Supports the coordination and execution of operational initiatives and special projects within the Financial Aid Office, including managing scheduling and prioritization of meetings and engagements.
• Represent Harvard Medical School at university-wide Financial Aid Administrators monthly meetings. Collaborate with colleagues around the University to ensure efficient operations.
• Collaborate closely with Director to develop and maintain debt management and financial literacy education initiatives for HMS students. Participate in developing University-wide financial education initiatives.
• Within all areas of responsibility, assist the Director in ensuring that the Office of Financial Aid operates as part of a dynamic and interdependent system of student service professionals to consistently evaluate and improve the quality-of-service HMS provides to its student community.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level