Assistant Director of Financial Aid for MA Programs

Responsibilities

• Manage specialized financial aid operations for MA students, including federal aid assessment and Title IV compliance.
• Analyze and determine cost of attendance for individual student cases in accordance with Department of Education regulations.
• Advise and counsel students on private lending products, application procedures, and repayment projections.
• Develop and implement strategic communications, including webinars, digital campaigns, and website content management.
• Administer institutional aid and manage disbursement and reconciliation workflows for federal, private, and external funds.
• Reconcile GSAS financial aid records against actuals to ensure cross-system data integrity and resolve account discrepancies.
• Act as a lead liaison between Master's program administrators, students, and University offices like Student Financial Services.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 3–5 years of experience in financial aid, student financial services, or higher education administration.
• Strong knowledge of financial aid policies, federal aid requirements, and loan processing.
• Advanced Excel skills with experience pulling, analyzing, and reconciling complex data sets.
• Proven ability to exercise independent judgment and interpret complex federal and University policies.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with financial aid software, specifically PowerFAIDS administration and NetPartner.
• Experience with reporting modules and Title IV program regulations.

About the Company

Columbia University is a leading research institution located in New York City. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) supports a diverse community of scholars through rigorous academic programs and comprehensive student support services.