Associate Director-Financial Aid

Associate Director – Financial Aid

The Center for Student Success & Coaching – Financial Aid Division at Long Island University provides integrated, cross‑functional support across financial aid, academic registration, and student accounts. This position serves as a primary point of contact to deliver efficient, coordinated service and resolve student inquiries related to financial aid, registration, and college affordability. The Associate Director supports financial aid operations for all students and possesses comprehensive knowledge of Financial Aid, the Registrar, Student Accounting, Billing, and Cashiering functions.

• Serve as a financial aid processor for all grants, loans, and third‑party billing in accordance with university financial aid structures and federal and state policy, including cashiering functions, payment plans, collection agreements, end‑of‑term deferrals, and the processing and certification of third‑party billing documents.
• Support financial aid operations, including account management, file review, aid eligibility and packaging, verification, disbursement, payment plans, tuition remission, institutional aid administration, campus‑based federal aid, and federal loan management.
• Provide high‑quality customer service to support students and families, including in‑person assistance focused on college affordability. Supervise and mentor LIU staff by setting goals and supporting ongoing professional development.
• Assist with financial aid functions in compliance with New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA) guidelines.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Ensure financial aid processing and documentation meet audit, program review, and compliance standards.
• Provide individualized counseling to students and families to support college affordability, including education on personal financing, federal and private loans, grants, scholarships, and long‑term financial planning.
• Guide students through the financial aid process by assisting with the completion, submission, and tracking of required documentation, including uploading materials into Image Now and communicating updates or changes to aid eligibility.
• Collaborate with Center for Student Success & Coaching leadership and campus partners to support student retention and resolve complex cases, including financial aid appeals and eligibility reviews.
• Apply professional judgment to adjust student eligibility based on documented special or mitigating circumstances, in accordance with federal and state regulations.

• Oversee and execute student accounts functions related to billing, refunds, cashiering, payment plans, end‑of‑term deferrals, award book vouchers, third‑party contracts, and collection agreements.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance of student account activity by coordinating financial records between the Center for Student Success & Coaching – Financial Aid Division and Student Financial Services.
• Participate in the reconciliation of the Student Account's Office records with those of Student Financial Services to ensure complete agreement of billing, receipts, disbursements and outstanding receivable records.
• Manage and monitor the daily execution of student refunds to ensure timeliness, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Support the management of delinquent accounts by assisting with collections processes in accordance with institutional policy and federal and state regulations.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree required;
  Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience:
  
  At least 5–7 years of progressive professional experience in higher education, financial aid, student affairs, or academic affairs, with demonstrated sound judgment and decision‑making skills.
• Technical:
  Proficiency in financial aid management systems, student information systems, and document imaging platforms (e.g., People Soft, Image Now).
• Knowledge:
  Demonstrated experience in financial aid administration, including federal, state, and institutional aid programs, compliance, verification, professional judgment, and student account coordination.
• Leadership:
  Proven…