Director of Financial Aid

Position Overview

Director of Financial Aid (Temporary, Full-Time) — Community College of Rhode Island

Pay Rate: $60/hour • Hours: Minimum of 35 hours/week (may require additional hours) • Duration: ~7 months (August/Early September 2025 - April 1, 2026) • Schedule: Varies based on student needs; on-call required • Location: Onsite with regular travel between Newport, Warwick, Lincoln, and Providence campuses (limited hybrid option)

The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is seeking an experienced Director of Financial Aid to lead and manage the delivery of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs across multiple campuses. This is a high-impact, temporary leadership role overseeing the disbursement of more than $70 million in funds, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and exceptional service to our diverse student population.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for CCRI's Financial Aid Office across all campuses.
• Manage the awarding and disbursement of federal, state, and institutional aid programs in compliance with all regulations.
• Oversee the daily operations of the financial aid function, ensuring efficiency and accuracy in processing student aid.
• Utilize Ellucian Banner ERP to manage aid processing and reporting.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures that support compliance, customer service excellence, and operational effectiveness.
• Supervise and mentor financial aid staff, promoting professional development and collaboration.
• Maintain strong working relationships with campus departments, state agencies, and federal partners.
• Represent CCRI at internal and external meetings, workshops, and conferences as required.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Experience as a Director or Dean of Financial Aid at a public community college.
• Minimum of 7 years' progressively responsible financial aid leadership experience in a multi-campus environment serving 15,000+ students.
• Demonstrated expertise with Ellucian Banner ERP .
• Proven track record in managing large-scale disbursements ($70M+ annually) of federal and state aid.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and institutional aid regulations.

Preferred:

• Multiple community college experience in managing the financial aid function.
• Master's degree in a related field.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Start Date: August or early September 2025 (earlier preferred).
• Onsite presence required at each campus weekly; travel between campuses is required.
• On-call responsibilities to address urgent student and operational needs.
• Limited hybrid work may be available.