Assistant/Senior Assistant Director of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office at Wesleyan University is dedicated to assisting both returning and first-time applicants in their financial aid journey. With a $90 million need-based financial aid program, Wesleyan is committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated financial need for all undergraduate students, offering aid without the use of loans.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Financial Aid, the Assistant/Senior Assistant Director will join a service-oriented team and will be responsible for counseling students and parents in the areas of financial aid.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide top level customer service, advice, and counseling to students and families as they make decisions about college planning and financing.
• Perform need analysis and award aid to case load of approximately 300 first-year applicants and assume responsibility for a class of approximately 300 students after May 1 commitment date.
• Work independently to read and award financial aid to applicants under a tight timeline.
• Develop, coordinate, and participate in outreach activities with various on and off-campus partnerships, including current and prospective students, the Admission Office, Career Center, high schools, and community service organizations
• Work as a team to innovate and coordinate outreach activities to current and prospective students to improve file completion rates.
• Manage the processing and disbursement of private loans. Serve as a back-up responsible for oversight of the Request for Information process for Wesleyan’s preferred lender list and recommend a selection of lenders to Senior Administration.
• Maintain knowledge of federal and institutional financial aid regulations and requirements to ensure legal, fair, and consistent administration of federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds.
• Co-manage various financial aid publications and communications in conjunction with others on campus.
• Provide back-up support in various office functions.
• Aid other staff in the back-office operations.

Additional responsibilities for consideration at the Senior Assistant Director level include:

• Provide supervision and support to student employee training program.
• Monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress, ensuring compliance with federal and institutional policy.
• Oversee the financial aid policy for Summer and Winter session programs, serving as the financial aid liaison by managing scholarship and loan awards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

This position is an on-campus position with potential for a hybrid (on campus and remote) schedule in the future. All positions may require on campus meetings.

Remote work is only considered for residents of MA, VT, NH, ME, CT, RI, or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of financial aid experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and related experience in the profession.

Knowledge of financial aid counseling.

Strong interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills, specifically via in-person meetings, phone, and email.

Attention to detail and a sense of humor.

Demonstrated service aptitude and ability to work independently as well as with students, parents, and colleagues.

Demonstrated empathetic customer service skills and experience advising others, including delivering, at times, difficult news.

Demonstrated ability to take initiative.

Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize information.

Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends as needed.

Proven ability to set work priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines.

Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.

Demonstrated commitment to work within a diverse environment and interact openly with individuals of different backgrounds.

Additional minimum requirements for consideration at the Senior Assistant Director level:

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3 years of experience in either admission or financial aid in higher education, or experience in a community-based organization or related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Experience with PowerFAIDS, Slate, Banner, or some other admission and/or financial aid management software.

Demonstrated success in leading a long-term project or programmatic responsibility.

Experience in one of the following areas:

• Working knowledge of institutional methodology and need analysis.
• Working knowledge of federal Title IV regulations.
• Managing student employees.
• Experience with creating and generating statistical and budgetary reports.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience with PowerFAIDS financial aid software.

Experience with institutional methodology and need analysis.

Counseling experience in a higher education setting.

Knowledge of Federal Title IV and state regulations.

Fluency in a second language.

Additional Application Instructions:

Position is open until filled. For full consideration, please apply by May 7, 2025 when first review of applications will begin.