Director of Financial Aid

Arizona College of Nursing is a rapidly growing, nursing school that transforms people’s lives by preparing them for careers in nursing and improving communities through the care its graduates provide. As a leading nurse educator, Arizona College of Nursing offers students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s in nursing in 3 years or less with qualified transfer credits. Our quality nursing curriculum prepares students for an in-demand career to help communities overcome the chronic, well-known, and increasing nursing shortage. Through the execution of a targeted growth strategy, the college plans to meet the growing demand for nurses by launching campuses in markets where bachelor’s prepared nurses are needed.

Putting students first, we are dedicated to providing students with an exceptional education in growing healthcare fields; teaching them relevant, required skills for today and the future. Our culture is positive, supportive, and collaborative. As a team, we continually embrace our core values:

Passion: We love helping others succeed.
Excellence: We strive to be the best.
Adaptability: We learn, in part by trying new ideas.
Accountability: We own our results.
Integrity: We do the right thing.

The Director of Financial Aid (DFA) serves as the operational leader of the campus Financial Aid department, overseeing a team of Financial Aid Officers (FAOs), ensuring students receive timely and accurate support from initial enrollment through graduation. Depending on the size and structure of the campus, this role may also manage a personal caseload of students, providing individualized financial aid, counseling and support. The DFA is responsible for achieving high service levels, maintaining compliance with all federal, state, and institutional regulations, and driving continuous improvement in processes, outcomes, and student experience.

Essential Functions:

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, onboard and retain top talent to build a high-performing FA team aligned with institutional values and goals.

• Cultivate a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Deliver ongoing training and development, including both competencies and soft skills, using coaching, data, and quality assurance insights.

• Lead regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins to assess performance, provide actionable feedback, and proactively address challenges or gaps.

Financial Aid Operations & Execution

• Lead end-to-end financial aid operations for assigned campuses, ensuring timely and accurate packaging for new and continuing students.

• Manage caseload distribution, monitoring workloads and reallocating assignments to maintain service-level agreements and optimize team performance.

• Leverage data and performance metrics to identify trends, uncover inefficiencies, and implement improvements that align with institutional goals.

• Maintain accurate and compliant across student records across Anthology/Nexus and all relevant federal systems, ensuring data integrity and adherence to regulatory standards.

• Oversee proactive student outreach efforts via phone, email, and text to support financial aid awareness, resolve issues, and enhance engagement throughout the financial aid process.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Maintain current knowledge of Title IV, state, and institutional aid regulations. 
• Conduct regular internal audits and proactively correct errors to ensure audit readiness. 
• Ensure accurate documentation supports all awarding and disbursement activities. 
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance (QA) team to address findings and strengthen compliance practices.

Student Advising & Support

• Counsel students and families on financial aid options, including federal aid, institutional loans, scholarships, agency assistance, and repayment strategies.

• Resolve escalated student concerns with empathy, urgency, and a solutions-focused mindset.

• Partner with campus departments to ensure students receive holistic support for student success.

Strategic Engagement & Collaboration

• Work with the Regional Director of Financial Aid and campus leadership to set annual goals and key initiatives.

• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance student experience and operational efficiency.

• Participate in cross-functional projects that support institutional growth, compliance, and innovation.

Expected Outcomes / Metrics

• Financial Aid packaging completion rate meets or exceeds established timelines and goals. 
• QA audit pass rate aligns with or surpasses departmental standards. 
• Student satisfaction and responsiveness scores meet or exceed institutional benchmarks. 
• Compliance findings are minimal and resolved promptly.

At Arizona College of Nursing, we believe in a collaborative approach where all colleagues work together towards our shared goals. It's important to note that this list doesn't cover everything you'll be asked to do or need to do. We value adaptability and flexibility as we grow and evolve as an organization.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Must Have:

• High School Diploma or equivalent experience.

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in financial aid administration in higher education.

• Strong knowledge of Title IV regulations and financial aid systems.

• Minimum of 1–2 years of formal leadership experience or demonstrated leadership in a student services environment (e.g., mentoring peers, training new hires, leading projects, or serving as acting supervisor).

• High degree of professionalism and discretion dealing when handling confidential information.

• Detail-focused with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong customer service mindset, with a track record of delivering empathetic and effective support.

• Must be eligible to enroll in the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Nice to have:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited college or university. 

  Financial literacy expertise, including familiarity with student loan repayment options and financial aid processes.

• For consideration, only online applications will be accepted. No phone calls, please.

For consideration, only online applications will be accepted. No phone calls, please.

Our schools prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law.