Director Financial Aid & Scholarships - Cal State San Bernardino

At a glance

With enrollment on the rise, a new university president, and a strong commitment to student success, California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is entering an exciting chapter and seeking a Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships to help shape the future of financial aid services. Nestled at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB offers a beautiful campus setting, conveniently accessible from communities throughout the Inland Empire. This is an opportunity to lead a team of approximately 20 and make a meaningful impact on how students access and navigate financial aid. A few highlights:

• $220M in annual financial aid and $5–6M in scholarships

• 17,000 students receiving financial aid, representing approximately 70% of the student population

• Enrollment growth over the past two years

• Opportunity to strengthen operations, leverage technology, develop staff, and create a more proactive, student-centered experience

CSUSB is seeking a strong financial aid leader and is open to both seasoned and experienced Assistant/ Associate Directors ready to take the next step in their leadership careers. Interested, or know someone who may be? Learn more and apply today!

Description: What you'll be doing

Another Source's client, California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), is recruiting a Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships to join its team on a beautiful campus nestled at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, conveniently located and commutable from communities throughout the Inland Empire in Southern California.

Here's a little about California State University, San Bernardino:

California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is a public university within the 23-campus California State University system, dedicated to expanding educational access, advancing student success, and creating opportunities for students and communities throughout the Inland Empire.

With a new university president, CSUSB is entering an exciting chapter of institutional leadership and opportunity. The university's commitment to access, affordability, and student achievement makes this an especially meaningful time to join its Strategic Enrollment Management & Marketing division.

Financial aid plays a critical role in that mission. For many students and families, access to financial assistance can determine whether pursuing and completing a college degree is possible. CSUSB is seeking a collaborative, forward-thinking leader who understands both the complexity of financial aid administration and the transformative impact of making higher education more accessible.

Learn more about:

• CSUSB: https://www.csusb.edu/

• Strategic Enrollment & Marketing: https://www.csusb.edu/enrollment-management

About this role:

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management & Marketing, the Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships provides strategic and operational leadership for the university's comprehensive financial aid and scholarship programs. With approximately $220 million in annual financial aid, $5–6 million in scholarships, and 17,000 students receiving financial assistance, representing approximately 70% of the student population, this role has a significant impact on educational access and student success. This is an opportunity to influence how students experience financial aid, from their first questions about affordability through graduation.

Beyond ensuring regulatory compliance and responsible stewardship of institutional resources, the Director will play a central role in modernizing financial aid operations, strengthening communication, and creating a more proactive, accessible, and student-centered service model.

A particularly important priority is simplifying the financial aid experience. The Director will lead efforts to translate complex policies, eligibility requirements, and processes into clear, timely, actionable communications that help students navigate financial aid with greater confidence and fewer barriers.

The Director will also lead a multifaceted team of approximately 20, partner closely with campus leadership, and help shape financial aid strategies that support enrollment, persistence, and degree completion.

How you will spend your time

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness (30%)

• Develop and execute a long-term vision for Financial Aid & Scholarships that supports university enrollment priorities, student success, and institutional goals.

• Lead a collaborative, high-performing organization focused on accountability, innovation, service excellence, and continuous improvement.

• Partner with Coyote Central and other campus departments to ensure students receive consistent, accurate, and timely financial aid guidance.

• Establish measurable performance goals and service standards, using data and feedback to identify opportunities for improvement.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to university leadership on financial aid strategy, emerging regulations, institutional risks, and resource needs.

• Represent CSUSB on university, CSU system, professional, governmental, and community committees and initiatives.

Financial Aid Administration, Policy & Compliance (30%)

• Provide leadership and oversight for the awarding, disbursement, reconciliation, and reporting of federal, state, institutional, private, and donor-funded financial aid.

• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, CSU policies, institutional requirements, and applicable athletic association standards.

• Guide the development and implementation of financial aid policies, procedures, internal controls, and quality assurance practices.

• Oversee critical financial aid functions, including eligibility determination, verification, packaging, satisfactory academic progress, professional judgment, loan administration, and scholarship processing.

• Lead audit preparation, regulatory reviews, reporting requirements, and corrective action initiatives.

• Develop responsible fund-utilization and financial aid strategies that strengthen affordability, enrollment, and student retention.

Student Communication, Education & Service Delivery (20%)

• Lead a comprehensive communication strategy that makes financial aid information easier for students and families to understand and act upon.

• Develop proactive, personalized communications across email, text, student portals, websites, workshops, videos, and other digital and in-person channels.

• Simplify complex financial aid policies, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and processes into clear, accessible, student-friendly information.

• Reduce preventable student inquiries by anticipating common questions and improving self-service resources and communication timing.

• Use student feedback, service trends, and communication analytics to identify barriers and improve the student experience.

• Ensure financial aid communications and outreach are inclusive, accessible, culturally responsive, and effective for students from diverse backgrounds.

• Strengthen financial aid education and outreach for prospective students, current students, families, and community partners.

Operations, Technology, Team Leadership & Budget (15%)

• Lead, mentor, and develop managers and staff across financial aid processing, advising, scholarships, compliance, systems, and student services.

• Build organizational capacity through thoughtful staffing, professional development, cross-training, and succession planning.

• Oversee the effective use and improvement of PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, OnBase, and other financial aid and communication technologies.

• Establish dashboards, performance indicators, and reporting practices to improve operational efficiency, compliance, and service delivery.

• Manage departmental budgets and resources, aligning investments with strategic priorities and operational needs.

• Support a positive, accountable, and collaborative team environment.

University Leadership & Special Initiatives (5%)

• Participate in university committees, professional organizations, and strategic initiatives.

• Lead special projects and represent Financial Aid & Scholarships in partnership with senior university leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in public administration, business administration, education, student affairs, behavioral or social science, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in financial aid administration, including substantial responsibility for complex operations, regulatory compliance, policy implementation, and staff leadership.

• Demonstrated experience supervising managers and/or leading a large, multifaceted team within a complex organization.

• Extensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations, compliance requirements, and financial aid administration practices.

• Experience developing, interpreting, implementing, and communicating complex financial aid policies and procedures.

• Demonstrated success developing proactive, multichannel communication strategies that improve student understanding and service outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education, public administration, business administration, student affairs, counseling, or a related field.

• Senior-level financial aid leadership experience at a four-year public university or within a complex, multi-campus higher education system.

• Experience with PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, OnBase, or comparable financial aid and document-management systems.

• Demonstrated success leading student communications, financial literacy, or outreach initiatives that measurably improved student engagement or service outcomes.

• Experience with enrollment strategy, financial aid leveraging, predictive modeling, scholarship optimization, or student-success initiatives.

• Experience preparing for or responding to federal, state, CSU system, or independent financial aid audits and program reviews.

What's in it for you:

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $118,560–$120,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Beyond compensation, this role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on educational access and affordability while helping shape financial aid strategy and the student experience at a public university.

Why a Career with CSU is for You:

The CSU system offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet you where you're at in life and typically adds 30-35% to your total compensation package. For more information on programs available, take a closer look in the Employee Benefits Summary:

https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf

• Emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance with ample PTO and flexibility, which includes up to 24 vacation days per year (based on employee group/services).

• Enjoy the vibrant campus life with access to athletic and gym facilities, renowned sporting events, artist events, and world-renowned speakers.

• Numerous professional development opportunities to advance your career, including tuition waivers for yourself, a spouse, registered domestic partner, or an eligible dependent child across any of the 23 CSU campuses.

• Two different retirement plans catered to fit your personal saving goals: CalPERS Retirement Plan or 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plan (similar to a 401k plan).

• Medical benefits tailored to support various life stages.

• We recognize that transportation to and from work can be expensive, and we are here to help support you with pre-tax commuter benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The California State University is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination in its employment practices and university programs and activities, consistent with applicable federal and state laws.

Another Source's Commitment to Inclusive Hiring

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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