National 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), National Team, provides enterprise-wide operational leadership and flexible financial aid support across all AZCN campuses. The DFA leads a National Team of Financial Aid Officers (FAOs) and other supporting roles, evaluates workload and capacity, and shifts staff, caseloads, and priorities to the campuses with the greatest need. This role partners with Regional Directors of Financial Aid and campus leaders to stabilize coverage, address backlogs and vacancies, resolve escalations, and maintain consistent service from initial enrollment through graduation. The DFA is accountable for service levels, regulatory compliance, data integrity, team performance, and continuous improvement. The position requires travel of up to 20% to provide on-site campus support, training, operational assessment, and temporary leadership coverage.

 

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain a high-performing National Financial Aid team aligned with AZCN values and institutional goals.
• Build a cross-trained, adaptable team capable of supporting any AZCN campus and shifting priorities quickly as institutional needs change.
• Deliver ongoing technical and professional development using coaching, performance data, and quality assurance insights.
• Lead regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins to assess performance, provide actionable feedback, reinforce accountability, and address performance or coverage gaps.

National Operations, Coverage & Resource Allocation

• Lead end-to-end financial aid support across all AZCN campuses, with National Team assignments changing based on institutional need rather than fixed campus ownership.
• Monitor staffing, workload, vacancies, backlogs, service levels, and compliance risk; deploy and redeploy National Team resources to the highest-priority campuses.
• Manage caseload distribution and temporary campus coverage in coordination with Regional Directors and campus leaders to maintain continuity, timely processing, and clear handoffs.
• Maintain accurate and compliant student records in Anthology/Nexus and all relevant federal systems, ensuring data integrity and adherence to regulatory and institutional standards.
• Oversee proactive student outreach by phone, email, and text to resolve financial aid issues, improve awareness, and sustain engagement throughout the student lifecycle.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Maintain current knowledge of Title IV, state, and institutional financial aid regulations and ensure consistent application across all supported campuses.
• Conduct risk-based file reviews and internal audits, identify root causes, and coordinate timely corrective action to maintain audit readiness.
• Ensure complete and accurate documentation supports all awarding, packaging, verification, and disbursement activities.
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance (QA) team, Regional Directors, and campus leaders to resolve findings, reduce repeat errors, 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 and campus concerns with empathy, urgency, sound judgment, and a solutions-focused approach.
• Partner with campus departments to remove barriers, coordinate timely support, and promote student persistence and success.

Strategic Engagement & Collaboration

• Partner with Regional Directors of Financial Aid and campus leadership to prioritize National Team assignments and establish clear support plans, timelines, handoffs, and exit criteria.
• Standardize processes, share best practices, and lead cross-functional improvements that enhance student experience, operational efficiency, compliance, and scalability across campuses.
• Travel up to 20% to AZCN campuses to assess operations, train and coach staff, address service or compliance needs, reduce backlogs, and provide temporary leadership or hands-on support.

Expected National Team Outcomes / Metrics

• National Team coverage is deployed promptly and effectively based on documented campus needs and priorities.
• Packaging, backlog, responsiveness, and service-level results meet or exceed established departmental timelines and goals.
• QA audit performance aligns with departmental standards, and compliance findings are minimal, corrected promptly, and not repeated.
• Student and campus stakeholder satisfaction, communication, and support effectiveness meet or exceed institutional expectations.

 

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 higher-education financial aid administration.
• Strong working knowledge of Title IV regulations, financial aid operations, and financial aid systems.
• Minimum of 1-2 years of formal leadership experience or demonstrated leadership in a student services environment, such as mentoring staff, training new hires, leading projects, or serving as an acting supervisor.
• High degree of professionalism, sound judgment, and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing needs, manage multiple campuses or workstreams, and shift resources in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong student-service and campus-partnership mindset, with a track record of delivering empathetic, responsive, and effective support.
• Must be eligible to access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 15% to AZCN campuses, including occasional short-notice travel based on operational needs.

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.
• Experience with multi-campus operations, capacity planning, workload balancing, change management, or turnaround support.

Competitive pay and opportunities for professional development.
Dynamic organizational culture within a supportive working environment.
Rest and relaxation with generous PTO and holiday benefits.
Robust health and welfare benefits package including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision.
Preparation for the future with a 401(k) and company match.


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.