Associate Director, Student Financial Services

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The Associate Director of Student Financial Services (SFS) is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the SFS front desk and call center. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for SFS, the Associate Director develops and implements a comprehensive service model that ensures students and families receive timely, accurate, and compassionate support related to financial aid, billing, and student account processes.

The Associate Director directs all aspects of front-line operations, including service delivery standards, staffing plans, workflow design, and quality assurance. The Associate Director also serves as a senior triage specialist for complex student situations, coordinates resolutions with campus partners, and leads continuous service-improvement efforts grounded in data, student feedback, and institutional priorities.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Design, implement, and evaluate front-line service processes and standards.

• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate a team, including full-time staff member(s) and a team of graduate student employees.

• Lead the resolution of complex, high-impact student cases by conducting comprehensive assessments, coordinating multi-department collaboration, and implementing long-term process improvements that strengthen service effectiveness and reduce future escalations.

• Design and deliver to Enrollment leadership and campus partners integrated service delivery models, advance policy alignment initiatives, and support governance structures that promote institutional consistency and enhance the overall student experience.

• Lead the development of and ongoing management of analytics frameworks and performance measurement tools that integrate student feedback, operational data, and industry benchmarks to identify opportunities, inform strategic decision-making, and drive continuous improvement across SFS.

• Lead and influence cross-institutional committees and strategic task forces by providing data-informed recommendations, shaping retention and student success initiatives, and advancing measurable improvements in institutional effectiveness and key performance outcomes.

• Design and implement comprehensive knowledge management systems, including developing internal service resources such as scripts, FAQs, and training guides to strengthen organizational learning, ensure consistency in service delivery, and support staff effectiveness across the department.

• Represent SFS on institutional committees that support student success, retention, and coordinated service delivery.

• Lead the identification and advancement of opportunities for retention and service excellence initiatives through identifying service barriers and proposing actionable solutions.

• Develop and manage a comprehensive operations and appointments calendar, ensuring tasks are scheduled, communicated, and completed on time.

• Ensure SFS web content, online forms, and communication resources are accurate, clear, and student-friendly.

• Lead the development and execution of proactive outreach campaigns to communicate deadlines, requirements, and important financial processes.

• Analyze operational data to develop and inform communication strategies and service enhancements.

• Collaborate in the development, documentation, and continuous improvement of internal policies and procedures to improve operational consistency and effectiveness and to ensure compliance.

• Lead departmental projects as assigned by the Assistant Vice President, including planning, delegation, progress tracking, and timely delivery.

• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS – Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job.

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, or related field preferred. 

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in higher education, human resources, finance, accounting, and strong customer service setting required; 3-5 years of progressive experience in a financial aid department is preferred.

• Knowledge of federal and institutional financial aid regulations and processes required.

• Experience with customer service operations in a high-volume environment required.

• Experience working with a student information system and/or CRM required.

• 1-3 years Banner and Workday experience (or similar systems) preferred.

• Fluency in a second