Assistant Director of Student Financial Services

Rice University•Houston, TX

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Student Financial Services serves as a primary resource for students across nine MBA and Specialty Master’s programs. This role is responsible for providing clear, specialized guidance to a diverse population of graduate business students, helping them navigate their financing options and loan eligibility. Working in close partnership with the Director, this position also serves as one of the School Certifying Officials (SCO), ensuring the accurate delivery of VA and military education benefits. As a key member of the Jones Graduate School of Business Student Financial Services’ team, the Assistant Director helps to bridge the gap between admissions, student accounts, and federal compliance to ensure a seamless financial experience for every student. The ideal candidate is a versatile professional with experience in higher education and a commitment to the graduate student experience. We seek a proactive collaborator with the analytical skills necessary to manage complex financial data and a natural aptitude for navigating systems such as Banner, Slate, or VA-specific platforms. While direct experience with VA benefits is advantageous, we prioritize candidates who are highly student-centric and equally comfortable with detailed financial reconciliation and the technical nuances of federal and veteran educational compliance. This role requires operational excellence and the ability to maintain high standards of service and accuracy for a professional student population.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted
Two or more (2+) years of administrative and/or customer service experience
Proficient in aid packaging and the application of complex federal and institutional policies.
Strong quantitative skills with a focus on accuracy, speed, and meticulous financial reconciliation.
Skilled in one-on-one student advising on debt management and budgeting with high tact and discretion.
Skilled in navigating enterprise-level systems, with a natural aptitude for learning specialized federal and veteran-focused platforms.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Must be detail-oriented with organizational and problem-solving skills and be able to manage deadline-oriented projects.
Knowledge of multiple financial aid systems, document management systems, Windows-based environment, and office applications

Nice To Haves

Two years of experience and support in Financial Aid, Veteran’s Affairs, Registrar, or related industry experience
Experience with systems like Banner, Oracle, Slate, and VA Enrollment Manager preferred
Knowledge of federal and private loan programs is strongly preferred.
Knowledge of U.S. Veterans Affairs education benefits is strongly preferred.
Experience working with graduate or professional degree-seeking students
Advanced knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Responsibilities

Deliver high-touch, consultative support to a diverse portfolio of graduate business students, providing expert interpretation of complex federal, institutional, and VA Educational Benefit policies.
Serve as a strategic student financial services advisor to prospective and enrolled students, providing high-touch, one-on-one counseling to navigate complex funding landscapes, scholarship opportunities, and compliance requirements for a seamless enrollment to student experience.
Act as one of the School Certifying Official’s (SCO) for the graduate business school’s military-affiliated business students, accurately reporting enrollment data, applying and reconciling payments for seamless delivery of veteran benefits.
Analyzes applications and completes need analysis for a high volume of financial aid applications.
Monitor data integrity by reviewing reports between systems to identify and resolve conflicting data or system discrepancies.
Processes aid for effective allocation of federal, state, veteran benefits, and institutional resources in financial aid packages by verifying and completing needs analysis for graduate business students.
Works directly with students to facilitate solutions and resolve complex issues regarding their financial aid options, verification, satisfactory progress, or other financial aid concerns.
Liaise cross-functionally with the Registrar, Bursar, and Admissions offices to streamline the student financial lifecycle and ensure the timely certification and processing of all funding sources.
Designs and presents comprehensive financial literacy and aid briefings during recruitment events and student orientations.
Performs all other duties as assigned