Assistant Director, University Financial Aid

Office of Student Financial Assistance:

The Office of Student Financial Assistance, a unit within Student Services and Well-Being, is dedicated to supporting the University of Central Florida's mission and strategic goals through the effective and efficient delivery of student financial aid. The Office provides UCF students with a comprehensive range of federal, state, institutional, and private financial assistance options designed to promote access, affordability, and degree attainment.

As part of the broader Enrollment Services function, professionals within the Office of Student Financial Assistance play a vital role in supporting student success by facilitating essential processes that include financial aid services, admissions support, registration coordination, and orientation. Their work ensures a seamless and supportive experience for both prospective and current students as they navigate the university system.

Within this framework, the Office of Student Financial Assistance serves a pivotal role in advancing institutional priorities by ensuring regulatory compliance while aligning financial resources with academic success initiatives. Through accurate aid administration, stakeholder collaboration, and adherence to federal and state regulations, the Office directly supports student enrollment, persistence, progression, and timely degree completion.

The Opportunity:

The Assistant Director for Student Financial Assistance plays a critical leadership role in advancing student success through the effective administration of financial aid programs and services. This position serves as the lead for compliance and training, overseeing federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and institutional policies. The Assistant Director supervises professional staff, develops and delivers comprehensive training, and collaborates with campus and external stakeholders to support accurate aid administration, audits, and program reviews. As a member of the management team, the Assistant Director provides strategic counsel to the Director, contributes to policy development and institutional initiatives, and implements internal controls and quality assurance measures that safeguard program integrity and support student enrollment, persistence, and degree completion.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Management:

• Supervises full-time staff responsible for administering a comprehensive training program for the Office of Student Financial Assistance, including Study Abroad and Transient student aid processing.

• Participates as a member of the management team, contributing to strategic decision-making and operational planning.

• Supports the Director by providing counsel on compliance matters and contributing to strategic planning initiatives.

Compliance & Regulatory Oversight:

• Oversees compliance activities for federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs.

• Reviews, interprets, and implements regulatory changes to ensure policies and procedures remain current and compliant.

• Serves as a liaison with external agencies during audits, program reviews, and compliance evaluations.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Collaborates with campus stakeholders to ensure accurate reporting, documentation, and communication of financial aid regulations.

• Assists in the resolution of escalated issues and ensures appropriate corrective actions are implemented.

• Serves on institutional committees as a representative of the Office of Student Financial Assistance, contributing to policy development and cross-departmental initiatives.

Internal Controls & Quality Assurance:

• Works with internal stakeholders to develop and maintain internal controls, audits, and quality assurance measures to safeguard program integrity.

• Ensures compliance practices align with institutional standards and regulatory expectations.

Training & Professional Development:

• Provides training and guidance to staff on compliance requirements, policies, procedures, and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's and 4+ years of relevant experience or Masters degree and 2+ years of relevant experience with at least 1+ year(s) of leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or a minimum of three years of professional experience in student financial aid administration.

• Experience working in a higher education environment.

• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to develop, interpret, and troubleshoot PeopleSoft queries and reports, with demonstrated experience in aid reporting, reconciliation, and issue resolution.

• Demonstrated experience collaborating with cross-functional campus stakeholders

The most successful candidates may possess the following qualities:

• Knowledge of higher education regulations, policies, and compliance standards.

• Strong professionalism, including effective communication, integrity, accountability, and the ability to represent the department and institution with confidence and discretion.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

• All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you'll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You'll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you'll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you'll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks!UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

• Retirement savings options

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions

• Education assistance

• And more...For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.