Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Stark State College is seeking to fill the role of Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships to lead all aspects of financial aid operations with a focus on equitable access, compliance, and innovation. This critical leadership role is responsible for managing federal, state, institutional, and private aid programs and aligning financial aid strategies with the College's enrollment and retention priorities.

• Deeply knowledgeable about Title IV regulations, state aid programs, and institutional awarding strategies.
• A strategic thinker and mover who can build cross-campus partnerships and drive change.
• Committed to the mission of expanding access to higher education.
• Skilled in data analysis, process optimization, compliance oversight, and student engagement.

• Provide strategic leadership and team development for a high-performing financial aid staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee all financial aid operations, ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations (Title IV, FERPA, etc.).
• Develop and manage student-focused communications to promote financial aid awareness, FAFSA completion, and scholarship opportunities.
• Use data to inform financial aid packaging strategies that support access, affordability, and student retention.
• Partner across departments (Enrollment, Admissions, Advising, Student Services, Academic Affairs) to ensure a seamless student experience.
• Lead technology-driven process improvements using systems like Ellucian Banner and third-party integrations.
• Advocate for underserved students and close equity gaps in financial aid access and service delivery.

• Bachelors degree required.
• A strong, empathetic leader with at least five (5) years of progressive experience in financial aid, including three (3) or more years in a leadership/supervisory capacity.

Why Join Us?
As a leader at Stark State, you will be part of a collaborative team driving real change for students and the broader community. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of our institution and create a lasting impact through innovative fundraising, partnerships, and advocacy.

The full job description can be viewed here. Stark State College offers a competitive salary and benefits package, with compensation commensurate with education and experience.

Click here to view the outstanding benefits you can expect from Stark State College:

In order to improve hiring efficiency, be more responsive, and help us find the best candidates Stark State has implemented the use of a few recruiting tools such as Qualifi and Skill Survey. You may hear from us through one of these platforms during the recruitment process.

Qualifi is a cloud-based phone interviewing platform. Think of this like traditional phone interviews, but faster - allowing us to be more responsive to you, the applicant.

Checking candidates' references for multiple top candidates provides a valuable means of verifying skills and experience represented in resumes and interviews. SkillSurvey Reference, a cloud-based, data-driven solution allows us to access relevant feedback from references provided by our candidates. The chosen references receive job-specific surveys on at least 26 critical behaviors and skills. These behavioral competencies have been scientifically studied and have been shown to correlate with work outcomes.

Stark State College utilizes E-Verify to ensure compliance with applicable employment eligibility laws. E-Verify is an electronic system used to confirm the employment eligibility of new hires. This process will be conducted in accordance with I-9 verification and will be done promptly upon hire for all incoming employees. To understand what E-Verify is and how it works please visit E-Verify.

Should you have any questions regarding your application or our recruiting and hiring process, please reach out to HR@starkstate.edu.