Director Financial Aid

Universal Technical Institute•Long Beach, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for overseeing campus financial aid operations, including loan default management and student account activities. This role ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies while delivering a student-centered experience that supports retention and success. Leads a high-performing team, the Director provides guidance to students and families on financial aid options, collaborates with internal departments and external agencies, and develops and delivers strategies to enhance financial aid delivery and operational excellence.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business or a related field (required)
Ten (10) years' professionally relevant experience within a post-secondary school (required)
Five (5) years in a supervisory role (required)
Title IV proprietary education experience (required)
Must not currently be in default on any Federal Student Loans or go into default on any Federal Student Loans while employed

Nice To Haves

Master’s in related field (preferred)
Five (5) years’ experience in Title IV Administration (preferred)

Responsibilities

Lead and manage campus financial aid operations, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations
Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate financial aid staff, fostering a positive, student-focused environment
Oversee the financial aid and student account administration of funding programs, including grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study opportunities
Provide financial aid and literacy guidance to students and families throughout the student journey.
Collaborate with Admissions, Student Services, Registrar, and other departments to effectively support students
Drive a culture of integrity and accountability to ensure compliance with internal policies and external agency regulations
Focus on increasing student satisfaction through streamlined and effective financial aid operations
Continually improve operational efficiencies to ensure accuracy and compliance with all regulations
Prioritize optimizing delivery mechanisms to support seamless financial aid processing and administration
Facilitate regular, meaningful two-way communication to achieve productive agreement and solution by defining objectives, addressing issues, and removing potential obstacles for all parties
Determine trends and key metrics to evaluate effectiveness of initiatives and support to business goals and adjust strategies accordingly
Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
Establish/maintain a high performance team of professional, motivated and engaged staff utilizing effective training, performance management and career-development activities while leading them to achieve established business results and performance metrics
Recognizes and rewards employee contributions and achievements
Other duties as assigned