Senior Director of Financial Aid - WV Higher Education Policy Commission - Kanawha Co.

Salary: See Position Description
Location : Kanawha County, WV
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Job Number: NC-2774
Department: - Not in the Classified Service, See Posting
Opening Date: 11/09/2026
Closing Date: 12/11/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
LOCATION OF VACANCY: KANAWHA
Civil Service Type:: Non-Covered - This Position is Not Covered OR Classified Under the DOP Merit System

Nature of Work
HOW TO APPLY: Click Here:
Senior Director of Financial Aid - WV Higher Education Policy Commission - Kanawha Co.
Salary Range: $100,000 - $120,000
General Job Summary:
The Senior Director of Financial Aid provides strategic and operational leadership for the administration of West Virginia state-supported financial aid programs and associated financial aid systems. This position oversees financial aid program operations, regulatory compliance, systems administration, staff supervision, budget oversight, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the accurate, efficient, and compliant delivery of aid services statewide. The role serves as the primary liaison with federal and state agencies, educational institutions, and external partners, while directing business process improvements, system enhancements, audit activities, reporting functions, and professional development initiatives. The Interim Senior Director manages complex financial aid operations, supervises assigned staff, monitors program and office budgets, and provides expert guidance on financial aid policy, federal regulations, and eligibility requirements to support institutional and student success objectives.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:Financial Aid Program Leadership & Compliance (35%)

Provide executive-level oversight of all West Virginia state-supported financial aid programs.
Ensure accurate and timely award processing, notifications, eligibility determinations, compliance reporting, and audit readiness.
Maintain expert knowledge of federal financial aid regulations, federal methodology, and the Student Aid Index (SAI) and their impact on state and institutional aid eligibility.
Lead audits of participating institutions and respond to audit findings.
Administer Cohort Default Rate support initiatives for participating institutions.
Serve as Primary Destination Point Administrator with the U.S. Department of Education, including:
Authorizing and maintaining access to EDConnect and ISIR files.
Serving as NSLDS Administrator.
Maintaining Program Participation Agreements (PPA) with the U.S. Department of Education.

Systems Administration, Operations & Process Improvement (25%)

Oversee and optimize financial aid technology systems, including Salesforce, Middleware, Oracle, FAMS, and related applications.
Lead business process analysis, system enhancements, and automation initiatives to improve operational efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
Identify systemic risks, trends, and processing challenges and implement sustainable solutions.
Serve as Salesforce Administrator by:
Maintaining Salesforce applications, workflows, and data integrity.
Monitoring tickets and Omni-Channel operations.
Troubleshooting system issues and resolving data quality concerns, including duplicate records.
Monitor and improve operational processes supporting statewide financial aid administration.

Staff Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement (20%)

Directly supervise assigned Financial Aid and Outreach staff.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, coaching, discipline, and professional development activities.
Establish performance expectations, accountability measures, and operational goals.
Approve timecards, leave requests, travel reimbursements, and related personnel actions.
Provide guidance and support to staff responsible for administering financial aid programs.
Maintain relationships with institutional partners, including BridgeValley, Mountwest, Eastern, and shared financial aid service operations.
Lead division-wide communications regarding financial aid eligibility, awards, compliance requirements, and system updates.
Deliver or oversee training for financial aid professionals, counselors, and stakeholders statewide.
Present at conferences, workshops, advisory board meetings, and external stakeholder events as a subject matter expert.

Financial Management, Reporting & Vendor Administration (20%)

Oversee the preparation, analysis, and interpretation of complex financial aid reports for executive leadership, legislators, educational agencies, and institutional partners.
Coordinate development of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Aid Report in collaboration with Research and Analysis.
Manage office operating budgets and financial aid award budgets.
Oversee invoice processing, financial closings, and monitoring of outstanding balances.
Manage vendor and partner relationships, including Heartland ECSI and other contracted service providers.
Monitor payments, loan advances, promissory notes, collection activities, refunds, and related financial transactions.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure LevelUp invoices are processed and paid appropriately.
Administer contracts, procurement activities, and Requests for Proposals (RFPs), including oversight of major financial aid service agreements such as the Net Price Calculator and Heartland ECSI contracts.
Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Education:

• Bachelor's degree required
• Master's degree strongly preferred

Work Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible financial aid or higher-education administration experience
• Demonstrated leadership over programs, systems, or teams
• State-level financial aid administration experience strongly preferred

Application Requirements:
1. Please submit resume
2. Please submit a letter of interest describing your qualifications for the Senior Director of Financial Aid position. Your letter should address your experience leading financial aid programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing staff and systems, collaborating with educational institutions and government partners, overseeing budgets or vendors, and improving financial aid processes. Please also explain your interest in supporting West Virginia's statewide higher education mission. In less than 250 words.
3. Answer application questions
4. References later in the process but not at this time
Other Information

Disclaimer:
This description does not state or imply that the duties listed are the only duties to be performed by the position incumbent. Employees are required to follow job-related instructions and perform other job-related activities assigned by their supervisor. Most requirements are subject to possible modification in order to provide a reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves, students, other employees, or the general public.
Job not in the classified service. See the hiring agency for a description of benefits.