Senior Director, Financial Aid & Planning

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $138,000 - $154,000

Position Summary

The Office of Student Financial Aid & Planning for both the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) and the College of Dental Medicine (CDM) works with a large student body and manages substantial funds across numerous school scholarship and loan accounts and external scholarship and loan funds. Programs in VP&S include medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, human nutrition, genetic counseling, biomedical informatics program in health information technology, and psychoanalytic programs. CDM includes both predoctoral and postdoctoral programs.

Reporting to the Executive Director within the Office of Student Financial Aid & Planning, the Senior Director, Financial Aid & Planning is responsible for strategic and operational leadership of all financial aid functions for VP&S and the College of Dental Medicine (CDM). This role directs the administration of institutional, federal, and external financial aid, manages compliance and reporting, oversees student financial literacy programs, and supervises leadership staff within the Office. The Senior Director serves as the primary liaison between students, institutional leadership, and external funding agencies.

Responsibilities

Strategic Operations Oversight:

• Lead financial aid operations for VP&S and CDM, including forecasting, packaging, awarding, disbursement, reconciliation, and reporting of all institutional, federal, and external funds.
• Develop long-term strategies for optimizing financial aid processes, student support, and resource allocation in alignment with institutional goals.
• Lead initiatives to evaluate, adopt, and optimize financial aid technology and infrastructure, including student information systems, reporting tools, and workflow platforms, to improve operational efficiency and enhance the student experience.
• Supervise junior staff and other leadership staff, ensuring operational alignment, performance management, and professional development.
• Serve as a senior liaison to institutional stakeholders on financial aid policy, strategy, and compliance matters.

Program Development and Student Support:

• Lead financial literacy, debt management, and student counseling programs across VP&S and CDM.
• Develop and implement initiatives to enhance student experience, accessibility, and equity in financial aid services.
• Oversee operational planning for student engagement with scholarship programs, advising sessions, and financial wellness initiatives.

Compliance & Policy Application:

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations (Title IV, Title VII, FERPA, University policies), Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), and Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4).
• Direct audits, compliance reviews, and policy implementation across all programs.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex regulatory or student issues.

Data Systems & Reporting:

• Oversee data systems and processes (e.g., PowerFAIDS, SIS, OnBase, SDR) for financial aid administration, reporting, and forecasting.
• Guide reporting for institutional, federal, and external agencies, including AAMC, accreditation bodies, and donor requirements.
• Use data analytics to inform strategy, identify trends, implement tech updates and innovation,  and optimize student support and office operations.

Budget and Resource Management:

• Advise on budget planning and resource allocation for all financial aid programs, scholarships, and operational initiatives.
• Collaborate with Finance and institutional leadership to forecast expenditures and ensure strategic fund distribution.
• Provide executive oversight for staffing, technology, and other resources to ensure operational efficiency and service quality.

People:

• Supervise staff, providing coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, fairness, and professional growth.
• Serve as mentor and advisor to the team, ensuring accountability and high performance.
• Partner with stakeholders across VP&S, CDM, Student Affairs, Registrar, SFS, UFA, CUIMC Development, Admissions, and Finance, and other University administrative offices to coordinate financial aid strategy and operations.
• Represent the Office in institutional committees, external forums, and national networks.

Other:

• Stay current on university financial aid policies, system updates, and administrative procedures relevant to the role.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent in education and experience with 7 years related experience. Master's preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Experience with PowerFAIDS and Institutional Methodology (IM) needs analysis.
• Experience in a medical or professional school setting managing graduate-level financial aid programs.
• Demonstrated experience with financial literacy programming, regulatory compliance, and large-scale student support initiatives.

Other Requirements

•  7 years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration, higher education, or related field.
• Proven experience overseeing multi-level teams and managing complex operations.
• Deep knowledge of federal and institutional financial aid regulations, student advising, and compliance frameworks.
• Exceptional oral and written communication, interpersonal skills, and executive presence.
• Working proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, and an ability and willingness to learn new systems and programs.   

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.