🚀 Director of Financial Aid

Director of Financial Aid

Location: Columbus State University

Full/Part Time: Full Time

About Us

Columbus State University is a university with exceptional facilities, ideal class sizes, and unique field experiences, where faculty and staff mentor students and champion their educational journey.

Job Summary

The Director of Financial Aid reports directly to the Vice President for Enrollment Management and serves as a key member of the Enrollment Management leadership team, advancing strategic enrollment and student success goals.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership and operational oversight for the administration of all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and timely service delivery.
• Develop and enforce policies and procedures that align with federal and state regulations while enhancing affordability and access for CSU students.
• Lead a team of dedicated professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the Financial Aid Office.
• Establish financial aid awarding guidelines consistent with institutional goals, manage fund allocation, reconciliation, and year‑end reporting, and leverage technology to create an efficient, transparent, and responsive financial aid experience.
• Champion student recruitment, retention, and academic success by providing excellent service to students, families, and university stakeholders while expanding awareness of financial aid opportunities throughout the CSU community.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Five to seven years of progressive experience leading and supervising financial aid activities and personnel at the level of Assistant Director or above at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, compliance standards, and reporting requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using BANNER Administrative Forms and CampusLogic student information systems.

Proposed Salary

$110,000 annualized salary, including full benefits.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations and best practices.
• Proven commitment to regulatory compliance and ethical financial administration.
• Demonstrated success integrating emerging technologies and innovative practices in financial aid operations.
• Ability to build and sustain collaborative partnerships that support enrollment and student success.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to convey complex financial information clearly and empathetically.
• Impeccable professional references from direct supervisors attesting to leadership integrity and performance.
• Dedication to professional development and fostering growth among team members.
• Commitment to service excellence, process improvement, and operational efficiency.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and navigate a dynamic, cost‑conscious, and data‑driven environment.

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Shanna Widener, Hiring Manager, via email at

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia’s core values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards.

Institutional Values

• Excellence: Actively engaging outstanding methods in teaching, academic discovery, creative pursuits, student success, cultural enrichment and the overall campus community.
• Creativity: Pursuing distinction through inquiry and innovation, challenging convention and focusing on solutions.
• Engagement: Dynamic civic involvement and participation of students, faculty, staff and alumni in the university experience.
• Sustainability: Advancing fiscal responsibility, well‑being, innovation, lifelong learning and environmental stewardship.
• Inclusion: Cultivating and championing a campus environment that welcomes diverse backgrounds, ideas, perspectives and practices.
• Servant Leadership: Leading through ethical empowerment and service.

Conditions of Employment

• Completion of a background investigation including reference checks and verification of academic credentials.
• Credit check for Positions of Trust and approved departmental Purchase Card usage.
• Pre‑employment drug testing for positions with high‑risk responsibilities.
• Motor vehicle reports may be required for positions that require the use of a Columbus State University fleet vehicle or other designated vehicle.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Columbus State University is proud to be an equal employment, equal access, and equal educational opportunity institution. It is the policy of our institution to recruit, hire, train, promote and educate persons without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status as required by applicable state and federal laws.

Other Information

This is a supervisory position. This position has financial responsibilities. This position will not be required to drive. This role is considered a position of trust. This position does not require a purchasing card (P‑Card). This position will not travel. This position does not require security clearance.

Background Check

• Position of Trust + Education & Credit.

Special Applicant Instructions

Visit Columbus State University's online Careers portal to drive your career with us! The online applicant system provides you with the ability to review job opportunities and apply to those that you are interested in and feel qualified for. All job applications must be submitted through the online portal system.

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