Financial Aid Administrator Senior (Hybrid)

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter must include examples of how your past work experience is applicable to this position.

Job Summary

The Financial Aid Administrator Senior serves as both a program administrator and a customer service leader, with primary responsibilities for administration, compliance, and service delivery for Federal, State, and Institutional aid programs. This role ensures the efficient and compliant processing of federal, state, and institutional financial aid, while providing high-quality support and guidance to students, families, and campus stakeholders. The Administrator will combine operational expertise, program knowledge, and interpersonal skills to manage aid processes, resolve escalated service cases, and drive improvements in financial aid service.

This position reports to the Assistant Director of Financial Aid.

This position is a full-time 40 hours per week at 100% effort.

Responsibilities*

Program Administration - 45%

• Administering Federal, State, and/or Institutional Financial Aid Programs.
• Maintain requirements and complete reporting for all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.
• Act as liaison to the Department of Education and the University to troubleshoot disbursement issues and resolve complex processing errors.
• Review quality control audit reports, make necessary adjustments, and ensure data integrity in student information systems (e.g., Banner).
• Evaluate all aid programs using analytical tools and professional discretion to determine the final outcome of student eligibility.

Customer Service & Student Outreach - 25%

• Provide expert-level advice to students and families, advising on financial aid options, requirements, and the resolution of complex issues.
• Serve as the lead contact for OFA staff and other departments regarding program administration.
• Lead communication efforts through orientations, presentations, website updates, and CRM-based outreach (email and text messaging).
• Troubleshoot and resolve escalated service cases related to aid eligibility, awarding, and disbursement.

Compliance, Reporting, & Improvement 20%

• Perform monthly reconciliations and maintain up-to-date records for federal/state/institutional aid programs.
• Ensure strict adherence to FERPA, HIPAA, and institutional privacy policies in all processes.
• Implement federal and state legislation/regulations, and apply new guidelines to program operations.
• Develop and implement new procedures, policies, and training manuals for aid administration.
• Assist with financial aid system enhancements, including testing and maintenance of integrated database systems.

Team Support & Leadership 10%

• Provide mentoring and training of student temporary employees.
• Participate in special projects, office initiatives, and continuous process improvement efforts.
• Represent the Office of Financial Aid at internal/external conferences and professional development sessions.
• All other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.
• Must have the equivalent of 3 or more years of relevant experience related to the duties of this position.
• In-depth knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations, including Title IV compliance.
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial aid processes such as FAFSA, verification, packaging, disbursement, and loan management.
• Proficiency with financial aid software (e.g., PeopleSoft, Banner, or similar) and student information systems.
• Must be able to demonstrate there are no restrictions that would prevent you from obtaining authorization to NSLDS, COD, and other federal financial aid processing sites.

Desired Qualifications

• Proven leadership and team management experience.

Why Work at U-M Flint?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family, and plan for a secure future.

Benefits include:

• Generous time off
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions after 12 months of eligible service with immediate vesting.
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.

Eligibility for benefits based on your job group, your appointment percentage and the length of your appointment. Learn more about employee benefits and eligibility from the UM Human Resources Benefits and Wellness webpage.

UM-Flint offers tuition support for eligible UM-Flint staff members. In addition, UM-Flint offers dependent tuition support (DTS) for qualified dependents of faculty and staff from all UM campuses. Information can be found at: https://www.umflint.edu/hr/benefits/.

Information about our vision, mission and values can be found at: https://www.umflint.edu/chancellor/leadership-mission-vision/

Hybrid

The work requirements allow both onsite and offsite work and an employee has an expected recurring onsite presence. On occasion, the employee may be required and must be available to work onsite more frequently if necessitated by unit leadership or their designee and/or the job requirements.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes here.