Executive Director, Office of Student Financial Aid

Job Description

The UW Office of Enrollment Management has an outstanding opportunity for an Executive Director of the Office of Financial Aid to join their team.

Priority consideration will be given to applications received on or before 10/9/2026. Please note that this recruitment requires a cover letter, please see the prompt under Application Requirement.

The Executive Director of the Office of Financial Aid is a core member of the Office of Enrollment Management's team and provides student-centered, technically expert leadership for financial aid across all three UW campuses. Working closely with and reporting to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the Executive Director assists with the development and implementation of enrollment-related strategies, policies and initiatives in order to realize University enrollment goals and desired outcomes. This position plays a key role in advancing the UW's [redacted] Strategic Framework, including its commitments to a high-quality, debt-free education, unlocking opportunity, operational excellence, workforce development and Working as One UW.

The Executive Director provides innovative and strategic vision, leadership and operations management in the administration of all federal, state, institutional and private financial aid and scholarship programs for all three UW campuses. The Executive Director manages approximately 32 FTE within the Office of Student Financial Aid, which includes Veterans Education Benefits Office and Childcare Assistance Program. Responsible for a financial aid program of $800 million for approximately 33,000 students, the Executive Director oversees the planning, organizing and directing of all services provided by these units. In light of institutional mission and enrollment goals, the Executive Director both integrates and ensures compliance with federal, state, institutional and private aid rules and regulations. In collaboration with the Vice Provost and the Enrollment Management leadership team, the Executive Director exercises strategic leadership in the development and implementation of institutional policies regarding the evaluation of financial need and the packaging of aid in order to realize University enrollment goals, including access for and retention of a diverse student population. In support of the University's commitment to expand access and affordability, the Executive Director will use data, modeling, forecasting and assessment to understand how financial aid investments influence access, enrollment, persistence and student success and to inform the strategic deployment of institutional aid.

In effectively and creatively managing available funds to support UW students and meet enrollment goals, the Executive Director clearly communicates with various constituencies about the use of these funds. The Executive Director works directly with UW Advancement to assist in UW scholarship fund raising and stewardship. Consistent with the University's commitment to operational excellence, the Executive Director will lead modernization of OSFA's systems and processes, reducing manual and duplicative work, strengthening data integration and reporting, and improving the timeliness, accuracy, transparency and student experience of financial aid services. Recognizing that sustainable, well-supported staff are essential to reliable service, the Executive Director will prioritize staff retention, sustainable workloads, onboarding and training, professional development, clear expectations and accountability, and succession planning across OSFA.

The Executive Director is expected to represent the University through leadership and active participation in national, regional, and statewide professional organizations and through professional publications.

The Executive Director approaches this work with humility and a genuine commitment to learning UW's institutional context and history before implementing major change. The ideal candidate is student-centered, empathetic, calm, and approachable; is a strong listener and communicator who can explain change clearly to a wide range of stakeholders; and builds trust and credibility with OSFA staff, Enrollment Management, Student Fiscal Services, and campus partners across all three campuses.

Key Responsibilities

Core Responsibilities 40%

• Serve as Executive Director of Financial Aid for all three campuses
• Collaboratively provide strategic leadership for the use of financial aid as a key element in the University's enrollment management efforts
• Build and maintain consistent, transparent financial aid practices and communication across the Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses, strengthening the tri-campus university through shared responsibility, clear coordination, and equitable service while recognizing each campus's distinct context and needs
• Coordinate activities related to the annual financial aid award cycles, developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations and ensure timely and accurate awarding, disbursement, reconciliation, reporting, and administration of financial aid programs
• Foster, develop and maintain effective working relationships with higher education organizations and key stakeholders

Leadership Expectations 30%

• Serve as a core member of the University's enrollment management leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, policy development, and institutional decision-making
• In coordination with External Affairs Office, serve as financial aid representative for federal and state governmental relations and legislative advocacy efforts, monitoring proposed legislation and regulatory changes, partnering with governmental affairs leadership, and advocating for policies that support student access, affordability, and institutional priorities
• Serve as the primary liaison between the University and various federal, state and local agencies providing financial aid to students
• Provide strategic advice on current and proposed regulations and policy changes to central administration, faculty committees and the Board of Regents
• Provide recommendations on strategy and implementation of institutional policies for evaluation of financial need and packaging of aid using data and assessment.
• Provide strategic leadership for UW scholarship strategy, including the coordination, administration, and evaluation of institutional and donor-funded scholarship programs.
• Work with University Advancement staff and donors on the development of scholarship funds for current and future students
• Perform duties as NCAA UW designated financial aid authority and work with Intercollegiate Athletics on athletic scholarship issues and eligibility decisions
• Lead institutional preparation for financial aid audits, reviews, and federal program reviews; oversee corrective action as needed; identify emerging compliance risks; and advise University leadership on regulatory and institutional risk
• Act as point of contact for local and national media on financial aid issues and statistics at the UW

Organizational Priorities 30%

• Champion staff retention and workforce stability across OSFA, including addressing vacancies and sustainable workloads; strengthening onboarding, training, and professional development; establishing clear expectations and accountability; and building succession planning
• Develop collaborative and cooperative relationships with and advise major constituencies on financial aid and scholarship matters
• Collaborate with students, faculty, parents, legislators, and other stakeholders regarding financial aid issues
• Oversee the resolution of elevated and complex student financial aid cases, providing strategic guidance and ensuring appropriate, timely, and equitable outcomes.
• Lead the modernization of financial aid systems and business processes, partnering with technology teams to improve automation, systems integration, reporting, and the student experience. Participate in university-wide committees to prioritize computer system resources
• Serve as UW data custodian for financial aid data and strengthen the use of reporting, analytics, and assessment to support compliance, operations, and financial aid strategy
• Partner with campus financial aid, admissions, advising, and registrar offices as a responsive, accessible collaborator, establishing regular communication channels and appropriate systems access for holistic student support
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by Vice Provost or executive university leadership

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

• Bachelor's degree and at least seven years of professional leadership experience in university financial aid

Additional Qualifications

• A comprehensive knowledge of financial aid programs and regulations and experience with university accounting, budgeting, and disbursement policies and procedures
• Experience with financial aid or compliance audits, complex or homegrown systems, and large, decentralized institutions
• Thorough understanding of national and state-level issues and challenges for financial aid and enrollment
• Demonstrated experience leveraging financial aid technology, integrated systems, workflow automation, data, and reporting tools to improve operational effectiveness, compliance, decision-making, and student service.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen deeply and explain change clearly to a wide range of audiences
• Collaborative nature and ability to work with a wide range of constituencies; a student-centered, empathetic, and approachable leadership style
• Supervisory and leadership skills to direct a large, diverse staff of professional and classified employees
• Knowledge of budget and personnel policies as well as the ability to plan and manage a large, complex budget
• Demonstrated experience stabilizing staff capacity and leading disciplined, trust-building change management within a complex organization
• Position involves some travel (valid driver's license required)

Leadership Qualifications

• Evidence of providing strategic vision and supporting staff teams
• Experience managing teams and groups

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree
• Experience with change management

Working Environment

• Position involves some travel (valid driver's license required)
• This position is 100% onsite. Office is located on UW Seattle campus.

Application Requirement

This recruitment requires a cover letter. Applications that do not include a cover letter will not be forwarded to the hiring department.

Please submit a cover letter (1-2 pages max) describing your interest in the role and highlighting your experience providing strategic leadership for a large, complex organization; leading and developing high-performing teams to foster collaboration and drive operational excellence; advancing student access, affordability, and success; and ensuring regulatory compliance.