Position Title Associate Director of Financial Aid & Awards

Position Purpose and Summary

The Associate Director of Financial Aid & Awards provides operational management of student

financial aid and awards at Trinity Western University.

This role manages staff, ensures compliance with institutional and government regulations, and

oversees the administration of scholarships, bursaries, loans, and grants. With a strong focus on

student service, the Associate Director fosters a supportive and responsive environment that

promotes equitable access to education and student success.

Key Areas of Accountability

Team Management

• Provide day-to-day management, mentorship, and support to financial aid staff. Foster a collaborative, team-oriented environment that upholds high standards of customer service and student support.

Financial aid and Awards

• Manage the disbursement of TWU administered financial awards ensuring compliance with university policies.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Financial Aid in the selection of recipients for donor-funded awards, ensuring fair adjudication and adherence to award criteria.
• Serve as the primary liaison for the School of Graduate Studies and Seminary in the management of financial aid and awards.
• Oversee the Torch Scholarship program in coordination with the People & Culture department, the Office of the Registrar, and affiliates to ensure a seamless, student-centered process.
• Serve as a member of the Student Awards Committee, exercising discernment and integrity in the evaluation and adjudication of student awards.

Government Student Aid

• Provide oversight and support to the Financial Aid Coordinator in administering Canadian student loan and grant programs, ensuring compliance with all federal and provincial regulations.
• Administer the U.S. federal student loan program, including loan origination and disbursement, while maintaining full compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations

Administration

• Regularly review and update policy and procedure manuals to reflect current practices, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Conduct routine reviews of reports to verify data accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
• Monitor helpdesk tickets and email inquiries to assess response times and workload distribution.
• Manage the annual compliance audit for the U.S. federal loan program by running required reports, reconciling data, and verifying the accuracy of student financial aid records to ensure regulatory compliance.

Student Engagement

• Support financial aid staff in responding to inquiries from students, parents, faculty and staff regarding the full range of student financial supports. Provide assistance particularly during peak inquiry periods to ensure timely, accurate, and supportive responses.

Key Internal Departments/Team Interaction

The Associate Director of Financial Aid works collaboratively with a wide range of campus partners to ensure effective service delivery and compliance, including:

• Office of the Registrar – for student records, registration, and award coordination.
• Finance – for disbursement processes, reconciliations, and audit requirements.
• School of Graduate Studies and Seminary – for the management of financial aid and awards and financial aid.
• Student Service Hub – for helpdesk ticket support and process.
• Enrolment Managers – new student and enrolment operations support
• IT – for system and report support.

Reports

Direct: Three total direct reports including the Financial Aid Coordinator and two Financial Aid Counselors

Reports to: Senior Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

Key Stakeholders:

• Students, parents, provincial and federal loan providers, U.S Department of Education, Auditors, Association of Student Aid Professionals

Job Standards and Requirements

Education and Certification:

• 5-8 years of experience working in Financial Aid preferred, relevant experience will be considered.

Knowledge

• Interpreting and implementing policies and procedures.
• Basic accounting principles

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with students, parents, staff, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate across cross-functional teams
• Proficiency in financial analysis to support award management, compliance, and reporting accuracy.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, and Teams) with the ability to leverage technology to enhance efficiency.
• Aptitude for quickly learning and mastering new software systems, databases, and online portals related to financial aid administration.

Personal

Driven and inspired by the idea of positively impacting the various marketplaces of life through the development of godly Christian leaders by serving the Trinity Western University community.

A dedicated and mature evangelical Christian with an earnest desire to serve in family, church, work, and community. Affirm and support TWU’s mission, values, Statement of Faith, and Community Covenant. Strength of character and reputation, integrity, focused. A winsome personality with a positive and friendly attitude.

Servant -Leader Way of Life

Act in a manner that exemplifies Jesus Christ in all on and off-campus contacts thereby living out the servant leadership mission of the university and contributing effectively towards achieving the institutional and Kingdom goals of the organization.

The statements above describe the general tasks performed by the employee in this role.

Duties and responsibilities that do not constitute a major change may be added, deleted or changed at the discretion of the supervisor to meet institutional requirements either orally or in writing.