Assistant Director

Assistant Director


Benedictine University is an inclusive academic community, inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition and Benedictine values. We seek employees who will contribute to the advancement of our mission by helping students shape lives of meaning and purpose as engaged citizens who care for the Earth, welcome people of diverse faiths and cultures, and promote the common good.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Job Title: Assistant Director

Department: Office of Financial Aid

Reports to: Director of Financial Aid

Status: Full-Time, Benefit Eligible

Location: Lisle Campus

Position Summary: Provide comprehensive financial aid counseling to students and families regarding the process of applying for financial aid. Reviews and verifies aid applications, awarding funds to eligible students from a wide range of sources, depending on the individual criteria of students and the specific funds. Serves as a School Certifying Official for VA benefits and acts as a liaison between the students and the VA. Manages the department’s portion of the endowment fund and also oversees the Financial Aid Appeals process. Serves as the key point person for reconciliation of the Illinois MAP Grant. Assists with managing the institution’s Direct Loan and Campus Based Aid programs.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

1. Packaging- Perform complex financial aid processes, such as determining student aid eligibility, packaging students, certifying loans, all the while maintaining accurate financial aid documentation to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

2. Counseling - Advise students about their financial aid eligibility. Explain the application process, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management and financial planning; individualize information to the particular needs and situation of the student.

3. Endowment Management - Manage Financial Aid's portion of the endowment fund. Serve as liaison with Development for scholarship management and administration. Oversee the department’s endowment budget throughout the fiscal year and distribute funds to eligible students to ensure all funds are utilized by year end.

4. Oversee Merit & SAP Appeals - Manage appeals for additional assistance. Including but not limited to Merit appeals, and SAP appeals. Sit on Appeals Committee and make determination on Mission Fund awards for applicants. Oversee Mission Fund fiscal budget and develop a strategy that distributes the funding throughout the entire fiscal year in effort to have the greatest impact on student retention.

5. Illinois MAP Grant Reconciliation - Oversee the MAP Grant Program, performing and reviewing MAP hand calculations, requesting from and returning funds to the State, monitoring the distribution of State Monetary Award Program funds, and reconciling University disbursements to the State of Illinois.

6. Manage Direct Loan Drawdowns – Manage the Direct Loan drawdown process. Provide the Office of Business and Finance with weekly Direct Loan drawdown amounts by award year, comparing data extracted from the Dept. of Education’s COD website to data queried in PeopleSoft, maintaining detailed supporting documentation in the University’s shared drive.

7. Campus Based Aid Management – Assists the Director of Financial Aid in the management of funds received for federal campus-based programs, such as federal work study, grants, (Pell Grant, SEOG, ACG, National SMART Grant) and the Perkins loans. This involves monitoring the funds carried forward from prior years, funds transferred between programs and providing detailed backup to the Office of Business and Finance to draw down these funds from the Dept. of Education.

8. Completion of Return of Title IV Funds Calculations – Run weekly reports capturing the course withdrawal information of all assigned students and complete R2T4 calculations, as necessary. In addition, function as the coordinator of the R2T4 Peer Review process to ensure that calculations are correct and in compliance with federal regulations.

9. Serve as School Certifying Official for VA Benefits – Assist veteran students by serving as a liaison between the student and VA. Aid veterans with the application process and answer questions related to VA benefit eligibility and the overall VA benefits process. Certify assigned students’ VA benefits to ensure payment is received a timely manner. Complete annual training to remain current on VA rules and regulations and assist with the annual VA audit.

Other Functions:

1. Campus Events - Participate in various University recruitment functions throughout the year such as open houses, advising & registration information sessions.

2. Professional Development - Keep current with all federal and state regulations and institutional policies by participating in training opportunities throughout the year. Research and evaluate the impact of any regulatory changes and make change recommendations current policies and procedures

3. Interacts with students and lenders, employers, donors, guarantee agencies and/or staff to resolve issues.

4. Process state payments for teacher scholarships and also outside scholarships.

5. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:



Education: Bachelor's Degree Required

Experience: Minimum 10 years financial aid experience, customer service, and computer knowledge

Specific Skills: Must be proficient in the Internet and Windows-based software including Microsoft Word and Excel; provide exceptional customer service; Complete moderately complex administrative paperwork and make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments; Manage data files; Work within a group or independently.

Specific Knowledge, Licenses, Certifications: Yes Full knowledge of the current guidelines and regulations of Federal and State Financial Aid Processes. Use of FSA or EDE, NSLDS, CPS, and COD Online familarity preferred. Knowledge of PeopleSoft is a plus.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds. Use of computer screen, phone and customer service. May require bending, or sitting for long periods of time. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Per Gov. Pritzker’s Executive Order proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing is required.

Travel (If applicable): No

Supervisory Responsibility (if applicable): No

Working Conditions: Normal office environment

Benedictine University does not discriminate in its admissions or educational policies, programs or activities; scholarship and loan programs; athletic and other University administered programs or employment practices on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, military or veteran status, marital status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The laws applicable to Benedictine University include constitutional and statutory protections of the University's rights as a religiously sponsored institution. This policy of equal employment opportunity applies to all employment and personnel practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, promotion, training and compensation.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Per Gov. Pritzker’s Executive Order proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 testing is required.

Benedictine University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.