Director of Financial Aid at NEWBERRY COLLEGE

Description

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Newberry College is a close-knit, student-centered liberal arts college located on a beautiful 90-acre campus in Newberry, South Carolina. Founded in 1856, the College offers 40+ undergraduate majors and a growing portfolio of online and graduate programs that expand access and flexibility for learners. With a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, we pride ourselves on delivering a personalized, high-quality educational experience.

Our Momentum

At a time when many colleges and universities are facing flat or declining enrollments, Newberry College is growing. We enrolled 1,700+ students for Fall 2025—including approximately 1,480 full-time undergraduates and 210 online learners in UG and Master’s level programs—representing an impressive 10% year-over-year increase. This growth reflects our institutional strength, innovation, and commitment to student success.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an engaged and dynamic Director of Financial Aid to lead an experienced and energetic team who are developing new skills in recently assigned roles.  The successful candidate will elevate services for students and families, and partner across campus to sustain enrollment momentum and support student success.

JOB FUNCTIONS:

Compliance and Accountability

1. Oversee all aspects of Title IV Administration, including verification, SAP policies and appeals, Return to Title IV (R2T4), COD/NSLDS, FISAP, reconciliation, audit readiness, and on-time reporting.
2. Administer and coordinate state and institutional programs, including the South Carolina Tuition Grants program and state academic scholarship program (Hope, Life, and Palmetto scholarships).
3. Oversee the administration, awarding, and reporting of endowed scholarships, ensuring alignment with donor intent and institutional policies

Enrollment Partnership & Packaging

1. Collaborate closely with the College’s financial aid partner to design data-informed, competitive, and discount-aware awarding strategies (need-, merit-, and talent-based).
2. Ensure strategies support recruitment, yield, persistence, and completion across undergraduate, online, and graduate student populations.

Student-First Service

1. Champion clear, proactive communications and financial literacy outreach to students and families.
2. Deliver exceptional, compassionate service while helping students navigate financial aid options with confidence.

Team Leadership & Operations

1. Lead, coach, and develop staff; set clear goals and KPIs; build SOPs and cycle calendars; foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.
2. Optimize systems and data management, leveraging platforms such as PowerFAIDS and major SIS solutions (Newberry utilizes Jenzabar), while ensuring seamless integration with federal systems and dashboards for decision-making.

Campus Collaboration

1. The Office of Financial Aid is an essential part of Student Financial Services and works in close partnership with the Office of Student Accounts to deliver a seamless, student-focused experience. Together, these teams support students and families throughout their entire financial journey at Newberry College—from understanding funding options and applying for aid to managing billing, payments, and financial planning for degree completion.
2. The Office of Financial Aid partners closely with Admissions/Enrollment, Student Accounts/Controller, Registrar, Athletics, and Institutional Research to ensure policy alignment, NCAA compliance where applicable, and exceptional student support.

Qualifications

EDUCATIONAL OR OTHER HIRING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POSITION

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred. 5–8+ years of progressively responsible financial aid experience, including supervisory leadership in higher education.   Proven expertise in Title IV compliance, reconciliations, and audit preparation.                Experience collaborating with third-party financial aid partners is a plus.A builder’s mindset: collaborative, resourceful, and energized by leading a department to meet the demands of a growing institution.

APPLICATION

Newberry College offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• A minimum of three weeks of vacation
• 19 paid school holidays
• Immediate tuition remission for employees and their immediate family members

Please submit a cover letter, résumé, and contact information for three references to [email protected].  References will not be contacted without the candidate’s prior permission.  Please put “Director of Financial Aid” in the subject line.

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled.

Newberry College does not discriminate against any person or group on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, pregnancy, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information. Newberry College is building a culturally diverse faculty and staff committed to working in a multicultural environment and encourages applications from people from diverse identities and backgrounds.

E-Verify:

Currently the college uses E-Verify for employment verification. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information entered by an employer from a n employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to records available to the US Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm employment eligibility.

College Employment Policy

This job description reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job identified and shall not necessarily be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job.  Job descriptions do not constitute an employment agreement or contract of employment, expressed or implied.  Unless designated in writing and signed by the College President, all College employees are considered to be “EMPLOYED AT WILL.” Newberry College reserves the right to change, alter and amend job descriptions, functions and duties at the pleasure of the College President or Board of Trustees.