Edtech.com's Summary

Southern Virginia University is hiring a Director of Financial Aid. This role involves leading and managing all aspects of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, developing strategies to support enrollment and retention, and providing financial aid counseling and support to students and families.

Highlights

Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the financial aid office, including compliance, operations, and staff development.
Develop and implement financial aid strategies aligned with enrollment and retention goals.
Ensure compliance with federal Title IV regulations, state aid programs, and manage diverse academic calendars and delivery models.
Oversee administration and reconciliation of all financial aid programs, including federal Pell, Direct Loans, PLUS, SEOG, FWS, private loans, and institutional scholarships.
Manage federal verification, SAP reviews, R2T4 calculations, appeals, and audit processes (Single Audit and Department of Education submissions).
Direct daily operations using financial aid management systems, primarily Jenzabar, including system optimization and training.
Provide financial aid counseling and develop communication strategies for students and families.
Lead, mentor, and train financial aid staff to ensure regulatory and best practices compliance.
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred, along with 3-5+ years of financial aid leadership experience in institutions with undergraduate, graduate, and online programs.
Strong working knowledge of Title IV regulations and experience managing aid for distance education and non-standard term calendars.

Director of Financial Aid Full Description

Director of Financial Aid

Full-time

Southern Virginia University seeks a Director of Financial Aid to provide strategic leadership and oversight of all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. The Director ensures regulatory compliance across diverse academic structures—including traditional undergraduate, master’s-level (online and on-campus), and distance education offerings using non-standard term calendars—develops aid strategies that support enrollment and retention goals, and provides exceptional service to students and families.

Responsibilities

Manage all aspects of the Office of Financial Aid, including strategic leadership, compliance, operations, and staff development.
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and implement a comprehensive financial aid strategy aligned with institutional enrollment and retention goals.
- Formulate and update financial aid policies and procedures in response to changing regulations and best practices.
- Generate and analyze data-driven reports to evaluate financial aid trends, packaging effectiveness, and student outcomes.
Compliance & Program Administration
- Strong working knowledge of federal Title IV regulations, state aid programs, and compliance requirements across varied academic terms and delivery models.
- Oversee the administration and reconciliation of all financial aid programs, including federal Pell, Direct Loans, PLUS, SEOG, FWS, private loans, and institutional scholarships.
- Manage the federal verification process, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) reviews, R2T4 calculations, and appeals.
- Prepare for and successfully manage internal and external audits, including the Single Audit and Department of Education submissions.
- Demonstrated experience managing Title IV federal financial aid for distance/online education, graduate-level programs, and academic calendars utilizing non-standard terms.
Operational Management
- Direct the daily operations of the financial aid office, ensuring timely and accurate packaging, awarding, disbursement, and reporting.
- Oversee the effective utilization of financial aid management systems (currently Jenzabar), including system setup, optimization, and training.
- Serve as the Destination Point Administrator for Federal Student Aid, managing access to FSA systems and services.
Student & Family Support
- Provide accessible, comprehensive financial aid counseling to students and families.
- Develop clear communication strategies to keep students informed about financial aid opportunities, processes, and deadlines.
- Ensure that web, print, and digital resources are accurate, up-to-date, and student-centered.
Team Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and evaluate financial aid staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and service excellence.
- Provide training and professional development to ensure staff remain current on regulations, systems, and best practices.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for complex or sensitive financial aid cases.

Minimum Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring both technical expertise and a compassionate, mission-driven approach to helping students access a Southern Virginia University education
Strong working knowledge of federal Title IV regulations, state aid programs, and compliance requirements across varied academic terms and delivery models
Bachelor’s degree required
Excellent leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
Strong communication skills with the ability to counsel students and families with empathy and clarity
Demonstrated experience managing Title IV federal financial aid for distance/online education, graduate-level programs, and academic calendars utilizing non-standard terms
Commitment to the mission and values of Southern Virginia University

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in business, higher education administration, or a related field
3–5+ years of progressively responsible financial aid leadership experience in an institution offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as online/distance learning
Experience managing staff, budgets, and financial aid systems (Jenzabar experience preferred)
Experience using data analytics or modeling to inform financial aid strategy
Proven expertise navigating Department of Education guidelines for non-standard term disbursement timing, modules, academic progress tracking, and non-traditional academic calendars
Experience managing donor or endowed scholarships in coordination with advancement/development offices

Applications

To apply, interested candidates should submit a cover letter, résumé, and three professional references to [email protected].

About Southern Virginia University

Southern Virginia University is a private, faith-based institution of higher education aligned with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a university, we gather faithful Latter-day Saints and those who share our values, lift intellectually, socially, and spiritually, and launch into successful lives and careers. Applicants are invited to learn more about the university at svu.edu/mission.

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Director of Financial Aid

Edtech.com's Summary

Director of Financial Aid Full Description

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