Director of Compliance

Job Description:

The Director of Compliance, Student Financial Services, will serve as the primary expert on Title IV and New York State financial aid issues. Director is responsible for managing all compliance and oversight aspects of student finance and financial aid, including bursar activities, quality assurance, and strategic analysis & reporting. This role involves ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, managing audits, and maintaining effective communication with various stakeholders. This role requires a self-motivated, solution minded, problem solver, and effective communicator who is able to balance quality assurance with optimum institutional outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Subject Matter Expertise:
  • Serve as the subject matter expert for all Title IV and New York State financial aid issues.
  • Stay current with changes in federal and state financial aid regulations and ensure institutional compliance. Inform stakeholders of upcoming issues / regulations and provide training, guidance and recommendations.
  • Provide compliance oversight for centralized bursar and financial aid operations, including student account management; general ledger integration and reconciliation; billing, collections, and cashiering; wire transfer and drawdown management; tuition remission; direct and campus-based loan management; external file management; 1098T processing; credit card processing; and help desk support.
  • Research complex issues and make recommendations for resolution to the SVP for Finance and Administration.
  • Provide policy guidance to SVP, and directors of student accounts and financial aid.
  • Develop and maintain policies and procedures for all aspects of regulatory oversight governing non-profit education including Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Clery Act, the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), data protection laws, and other states' privacy laws. Lead the department in formulating, interpreting, and implementing policy; create, maintain, and implement complete financial aid and student account policies and procedures per institutional, state, and federal student aid regulations; use available channels to identify and understand regulatory changes and evaluate their impact on Iona students, policies, and procedures; ensure bulletins and websites are properly updated and maintained with most up to date compliance requirements.
  • Oversee University-wide student financial service quality assurance activities with respect to: Federal, State, and institutional aid compliance; PeopleSoft student financial service applications; external website access; financial services training; lending programs; and internal and external audit and program review management.
• Communication and Collaboration:
  • Communicate with the United States Department of Education, New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, campus personnel, third-party servicers, professional organizations, and other entities regarding student financial issues.
  • Communicate procedural changes and resolutions with all parties of interest and resolve and process issues relating to compliance.
• Compliance and Reporting:
  • Ensure the proper and timely submission of all federal, state, and other external reporting requirements related to student financial service activities, including FISAP and AOR reporting, Federal Program Participation Agreement (PPA).
  • Maintain compliance with administrative capability and cash management regulations, ensuring timely reimbursement and return of federal and state aid funds. Assists with departmental-level (student accounts / financial aid) recommendations for identifying, monitoring, and mitigating risks related to financial aid, including potential fraud and non-compliance issues.
  • Draw federal funds through the G6 grant management system in accordance with Cash Management Regulations ensuring institutional cash flow on a semester/trimester basis.
• Accreditation ad Academic Matters:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of accreditation rules and regulations and other academic matters as they pertain to financial aid, student accounts and Title IV.
• Audit Management:
  • In consultation with the Controller, manage the Uniform Guidance audit, review audit findings, and develop and implement corrective action plans as required. Independently provide requested documents and follow up with auditors on requests and questions.
  • Partner on internal audits, review audit findings, and develop and implement corrective action plans.
• Vendor Management:
  • Manage relationships with all outside vendors providing services to the university relating to the SFS office functions.
• Student Financial Services Operations:
  • Set and communicate financial aid operational information on an ongoing basis.
  • Evaluate, develop, and revise Financial Plan policies and practices.
  • Analyze and reconcile cash management/federal draws, financial aid and student accounts policy and awarding, Financial Holds reporting, Refunds review, Tuition Remission awarding, and Tuition Exchange selection, notification and awarding for new recipients. Reviewing continuing student recipients to determine eligibility and award or deny accordingly.
  • Approve SFS department invoices and expenses.
• External Reporting and Compliance:
  • Work with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning to report to external agencies validating data and providing insight on patterns/trends Participate in grant compliance and management of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), updating program eligibility and tuition rates annually and as needed.
  • Assess financial need, eligibility, and process awards in consultation with faculty PIs for grant programs.
  • Document grant requirements and provide letters of support as required for reporting.

Perform other related duties incidental or as assigned to the work described herein.

Required Experience

• A minimum of 5 years working in Financial Aid and Student Accounts
• Bachelors Degree required, Masters Degree Preferred
• Comprehensive understanding of Title IV regulations
• Thorough knowledge of state and federal financial aid rules and regulations
• Familiarity with funding sources, their policies, and regulations
• Demonstrated understanding of student financial services
• Exceptional problem solving, organizational, and communication skills
• Working knowledge of Microsoft programs
• Working knowledge of Peoplesoft

About Iona University/EEO language

Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nations best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top colleges for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 5 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Ionas LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide.

Iona offers a comprehensive benefits package to all full-time employees that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off. For more information on our benefits and working at Iona visit the Human Resources section of our website.

Iona University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our employees and does not tolerate discrimination based on any legally protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, Iona University encourages applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live.