"Assistant Director, Financial Aid Advising and Training"

Posted: 28-Jan-26

Location: United States - Nationwide

Categories: Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: 273383

The University of Michigan Dearborn's Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and student-centered Assistant Director, Financial Aid Advising & Training. This role provides operational leadership for front-line financial aid services and serves as the office's primary lead for staff training, onboarding, and service excellence. As a key member of the OFAS management team, the Assistant Director oversees daily advising operations, manages a caseload of undergraduate and graduate students, coordinates financial aid eligibility processes, including appeals such as Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), and develops consistent, effective training frameworks for new and continuing staff. The position ensures that financial aid information is accessible, accurate, compliant, and communicated effectively across multiple platforms. This position reports to the Director of Financial Aid and plays a critical role in supporting student success, strengthening financial wellness initiatives, and upholding regulatory accuracy.

Administration : 45%

• Provide leadership over daily financial aid service operations, ensuring consistent, high quality, and compliant support for students and families.
• Advise students, parents, and campus partners on federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies, eligibility requirements, affordability strategies, and repayment options.
• Manage a caseload of undergraduate and graduate students, providing individualized assistance.
• Serve as the lead for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), including outreach, communication, and coordination of the SAP appeal process.
• Oversee the financial aid eligibility process, including verification and professional judgment.
• Ensure accurate and accessible financial aid information on the University website and ensure timely delivery of all required financial aid notifications.
• Participate in reviewing all materials related to financial aid and education financing distributed across campus.
• Coordinate financial aid presentations, outreach activities, and financial wellness programming.
• Serve on divisional and university committees; represent the office at campus events, workshops, training sessions, and professional conferences.

Leadership, Training & Management : 45%

• Supervise and coach the financial aid advising team, including workflow management, performance evaluation, and ongoing professional development.
• Design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive training program for new and continuing financial aid staff, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and service excellence.
• Coordinate new employee onboarding to establish strong foundational knowledge in financial aid processes, systems, and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain expert knowledge of federal, state, and institutional regulations and use this information to update internal procedures, training materials, and staff resources.
• Assess operational needs, identify process improvements, and recommend solutions that enhance the student experience and efficiency of service delivery.
• Develop and maintain communication plans collaborating with communications staff to ensure accurate, timely information flows between OFAS and key campus partners.
• Strengthen campus relationships by serving as a liaison with One-Stop, Admissions, Academic Advising, Student Accounts, Ombuds, Student Affairs, and other departments.
• Prepare and analyze reports on service activity, student satisfaction, and financial aid trends.
• Research and implement best practices in service delivery and student support within financial aid operations.

Additional Responsibilities : 10%

• Develop system queries to support awarding, compliance monitoring, troubleshooting, and strategic initiatives.
• Assist with operational and compliance-related reporting needs across the institution.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in financial aid administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Title IV federal financial aid regulations, compliance requirements, and financial aid processes.
• Experience supervising or mentoring staff and managing workflow within a student services or financial aid environment.
• Demonstrated training competency, including experience developing and delivering training, onboarding programs, or instructional materials for staff.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience handling complex student situations.
• Proficiency with student information systems and financial aid modules; Banner experience preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and adhere to FERPA and other regulatory standards.
• Strong commitment to providing high-quality, student-centered service.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, campus partners, and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• Experience creating training resources, procedural documentation, or staff development programs.
• Experience coordinating communication workflows or interdepartmental service processes.
• Familiarity with financial wellness initiatives, student success programming, or outreach efforts.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.