| About WCU |
Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes \’Best Employers\’ lists each year. Including:
* 2024 – Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes \’America\’s Best Midsize Employers\’ list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
* 2023 – Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes \’America\’s Best Midsize Employers\’ list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
* 2022 – Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes \’America\’s Best Employers by State\’ list.
Western Carolina University is the UNC system\’s westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.
Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans – eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.
Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.
WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences – many of which are offered free of charge.
| Position Summary |
The primary location of this position is the Cullowhee, NC campus. This position is designated as being exempt from the State of North Carolina Human Resources Act (EHRA ).
Western Carolina University, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina system, seeks an experienced financial aid professional to serve as the Associate Director of Financial Aid. The office administers over $95,000,000 of aid annually and has a student enrollment exceeding 11,000 students.
The Office of Financial Aid is housed in the Division of Student Affairs and reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Enrollment. The Associate Director of Financial Aid provides backup leadership and supervision of 10 full-time staff members as well as one part-time staff member.
The Associate Director will work closely with Undergraduate Enrollment (Undergraduate Enrollment includes the Offices of Financial Aid, New Student Orientation, Undergraduate Admission, and University Scholarships) and numerous campus partners and units (e.g., university registrar, director of admissions, bursar, dean of students, etc.).
The Associate Director will assist the Director of Financial Aid in establishing and implementing institutional policies and procedures to comply with Federal Title IV regulation and overseeing the administration of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs. The Associate Director of Financial Aid is a deputy department head and supervises financial aid personnel and must possess a strong commitment to client service and a collaborative approach to problem solving.
The position assists in all aspects of processing undergraduate and graduate aid and must collaborate with other campus units to provide appropriate services to both currently enrolled students and prospective students. The Associate Director may serve as needed on other university committees or initiatives.
The ideal candidate should possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Leadership & Management
- Demonstrated skills in organizational leadership, supervision, and management.
- Ability to oversee and support financial aid staff, ensuring consistent service and operational efficiency.
- Experience monitoring productivity and implementing solutions to enhance team performance.
- Strong ability to identify and resolve operational challenges in a fast-paced environment.
Financial Aid Knowledge & Compliance
- Extensive knowledge of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs.
- Expertise in Title IV regulations, financial aid policies, and compliance requirements.
- Strong familiarity with automated financial aid systems, including COD , FPS , and NSLDS .
- Ability to generate ad hoc reports using SQL and analyze financial aid data.
Student Services & Communication
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills for student and stakeholder engagement.
- Ability to work collaboratively with university departments and external partners.
- Experience coordinating and overseeing student communications, ensuring timely and accurate financial aid information.
- Commitment to exceptional customer service, including training and coaching staff to provide high-quality support.
Training & Policy Implementation
- Experience developing and updating training materials for financial aid staff.
- Ability to implement and enforce university policies and procedures related to financial aid.
- Strong attention to detail in maintaining proper documentation and compliance records.
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