Director, Financial Aid

California State University

$82K — $172K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Minimum seven years of experience in a college or university setting, with four years in a financial aid director role.
  • Strong expertise in staff management, supervision, and team building.
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills.
  • Experience in implementing new technology systems, preferably in a PeopleSoft environment.
  • Ability to work effectively with a diverse, multicultural workforce.

Responsibilities

  • Manage the university's comprehensive financial aid program overseeing over $300 million in student aid funds.
  • Supervise professional staff, providing leadership and promoting high-quality service.
  • Develop and implement policies and procedures for distributing student aid funds in compliance with regulations.
  • Create and execute strategic initiatives to improve financial aid processes.
  • Advocate for the financial aid program while collaborating with the university community.

Benefits

  • A range of health plans with prescription drug coverage.
  • Dental and vision coverage included.
  • Income protection benefits like life insurance and disability.
  • Retirement plan through CalPERS.
  • Tuition waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
Full Job Description
Director, Financial Aid

Job no: 559384
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: Fullerton
Categories: MPP, Administrative, At-Will, Full Time

Job Title

Director, Financial Aid

Classification

Administrator III

Auto Req. ID

559384

Salary Range

Classification Range $6,891 - $22,119 per month

(Hiring range depending on qualifications, not anticipated to exceed $11,700 - $14,400 per month)

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM; occasional early morning, evening and/or weekend hours.

Department

The Office of Financial Aid within the Division of Student Affairs is available to remove the cost of barriers that may prevent individuals from pursuing their educational goals. We seek an exceptional individual to join our team as the Director, Financial Aid (Administrator III). If working with students and having an impact on their futures excites you, this is the opportunity you have been seeking. Join Cal State Fullerton and become an agent of change. The ideal candidate in this role should have a positive attitude, an active, energetic mind, and a leadership style that is characterized by highly ethical practices and a commitment to inclusivity, openness, flexibility, integrity, and kindness.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Financial Aid manages the university's comprehensive financial aid program, which administers over $300 million in student aid funds. Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management, the Director administers, manages, and disburses all student financial aid in a manner consistent with the university's mission and responsiveness to the university's student population. Completes management activities and supervises the professional staff while providing strong leadership, professionalism, teambuilding, and a commitment to the highest levels of professionalism and high-quality service. Develops and implements institutional policies and procedures to effectively distribute student aid funds in accordance with applicable federal, state, and CSU system-wide regulations. Creates and implements strategies. Oversees organizational policies and procedures within an integrated computerized environment. Advocates, communicates, and works collaboratively with the university community on behalf of the financial aid program. Implements, promotes, and remains committed to providing operations, programs, and services of the highest level of quality. Other duties as assigned.

Inclusive Leadership Statement

Inclusive Leadership Statement is required below, please be sure to address the following as a minimum. Please add additional information as you see necessary and applicable:
• What does inclusive leadership mean to you.
• A description of your experiences working with individuals with a different perspective.
• A description of how issues of inclusivity have impacted you personally or professionally.

Essential Qualifications

Must possess a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience within a college or university setting and four years of financial aid experience at the director or associate director level. Must have experience with staff motivation, supervision, training, team building, and employee relations. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, and organizational skills. Ability to work with a diverse, multicultural workforce. Experience in new technological system implementation. Leadership experience and skills in establishing partnerships within a complex organization and between the organization and its communities. Ability to conceptualize organizational goals that reflect the mission of CSU Fullerton and the national student aid perspective. Demonstrated skills in long-range planning, impact, and risk assessment, as well as working effectively with others. Must have experience in goal identification, policy formulation, and implementation.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree from an accredited college or university in a related field. Experience working with various student populations in a public college or university setting. Extensive background in managing technology implementation, as well as experience operating in a PeopleSoft environment. Experience with a strategic enrollment management model or within a strategic enrollment management environment.

Special Working Conditions

Benefits at a Glance

  • An array of health plans that include prescription drug coverage
  • Dental and Vision coverage
  • Income protection benefits including life insurance and disability
  • Retirement plan through CalPERS
  • Tuition waiver for employees and dependents if eligible
  • FlexCash (in lieu of health and dental)
  • Employee Assistance Programs
  • 15 paid holidays

See our CSUF Benefits website for additional information.

Additional Information

California State University, Fullerton is committed to fostering an environment where students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. We welcome individuals ready to make an impact on student and staff success to apply and become part of the Titan Community. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Multiple positions may be hired from this recruitment based on the strength of the applicant pool.

If you are applying for a staff position, please note that you are not eligible to work concurrently in a staff position and an Academic Student position such as a Graduate Assistant, Teaching Associate, Instructional Student Assistant, or Student Assistant position.

Regular attendance is considered an essential job function; the inability to meet attendance requirements may preclude the employee from retaining employment.

Employee/applicant who applies for a position may be required to successfully complete job-related performance test(s) as part of the selection process.

Online application/resume must be received by electronic submission on the final filing date by 9:00 PM (Pacific Standard Time)/midnight (Eastern Standard Time). Applicants who fail to complete all sections of the online application form will be disqualified from consideration.

California State University, Fullerton is not currently sponsoring any new H-1B petitions for staff, management, or faculty positions.

Advertised: Jun 25 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: Jul 09 2026 Pacific Daylight Time

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