Director of Financial Aid

The Director of Financial Aid

provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all financial aid functions at Zane State College. This position ensures compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations while advancing the College’s goals for affordability, access, and retention. The Director develops and implements financial aid strategies, oversees systems and reporting, manages departmental staff, and fosters collaboration across departments to enhance student success.

Personal Touch

All major activities, essential duties and responsibilities shall be performed integrating the personal touch philosophy, which defines our College. The personal touch is characterized by respect, responsiveness, and responsibility in all relationships and is an attitude toward students, colleagues, and community members demonstrating respect, acceptance, responsibility, courteousness, and genuineness.

Assessment

Contributions to assessment for continuous quality improvement of the academic support area(s) within assigned scope of responsibilities.

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Financial Aid Office, ensuring alignment with institutional goals for access, retention, and success.
• Oversee administration of federal, state, and institutional aid programs and ensure full compliance with all applicable regulations and reporting requirements.
• Supervise Financial Aid staff, delegate responsibilities, conduct performance reviews, and foster professional development.
• Manage financial aid systems, including Jenzabar or other financial aid management systems, and coordinate process improvements with Information Technology.
• Oversee Return to Title IV (R2T4) processing, reconciliation, and audit readiness.
• Develop and implement financial literacy initiatives and community outreach programming.
• Monitor borrowing trends, default management, and key performance indicators.
• Prepare and submit required federal and state reports (FISAP, IPEDS, HEI, and others).
• Serve as a liaison to the Business Office, Registrar, Admissions, and Foundation to align aid strategies with enrollment and retention goals.
• Represent the College in financial aid-related meetings, trainings, and compliance reviews.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education : Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

Experience with an Associate’s Degree : An Associate’s degree with at least 5–7 years of progressively responsible financial aid experience and 5–7 years of leadership experience will be considered in lieu of a Bachelor’s degree.

Experience : Minimum of 5 years of progressive financial aid experience including leadership and compliance responsibilities.

Skills : Expert knowledge of Title IV regulations; strong analytical, organizational, and leadership abilities; proficiency with Jenzabar or other financial aid systems and Microsoft Office Suite; excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Benefits

As required by Ohio Revised Code section 3345.0216, Zane State College will : educate students by means of free, open and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth; equip students with the opportunity to develop intellectual skills to reach their own, informed conclusions; not require, favor, disfavor or prohibit speech or lawful assembly; create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth and tolerates differences in opinion; treat all faculty, staff and students as individuals, hold them to equal standards and provide equality of opportunity with regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

The final candidate is subject to the successful completion of reference checks and a background check.

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