Legal Director Jobs in Illinois

Director of Financial Aid - UIC Law

Hiring Department: Financial Aid Operations

Location: Chicago, IL USA

Requisition ID: 1043111

Salary: The budgeted salary for the position is $85,000 - $92,000. Final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints.

About the University of Illinois Chicago

UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Position Summary
The Director of Financial Aid (FA) position is responsible for administering financial aid programs in accordance with federal, state, local, and institutional regulations. The Director will work closely with current and prospective students, and collaborate with a variety of administrative offices, including Academic Achievement, Admissions, Business and Finance, Dean's Office, and Student Life and Leadership. This position supports the law school's mission to recruit, retain, and graduate talented and diverse students by applying leading-edge technologies and practices in implementing and managing an effective financial aid program.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversee and participate in the accurate, ethical, and complete packaging of financial aid to eligible students.

• Establish and maintain audit-ready files and ensure regulatory compliance.

• Stay abreast of Title IV policy and updates.

• Monitor satisfactory academic progress (SAP).

• Assist with financial aid estimates, FAFSA completion and packaging, and returning files to the appropriate party.

• Review and approve all professional judgments and dependency overrides for students.

• Handle financial aid appeals.

• Foster internal and external communication to inform students and prospective students about financial aid policies and procedures.

• Administer processing of withdrawn and graduating students to ensure compliance with institution, federal, and state guidelines.

• Participate in student orientation, graduation, and other student and prospective student events.

• Oversee and implement student counseling and training.

• Abide by school policies and procedures; develop and update procedures as needed.

• Use technological and analytical tools to perform financial aid activities efficiently and intelligently.

• Interact with all outside agencies, i.e., US Dept of Education.

• Participate in cost of attendance calculations and analyses.

• Prepare other internal and external reports as requested (e.g., accreditation reports).

• Prepare ongoing financial projections and data analyses to inform strategic decisions.

• Plan, assign, and review work of staff to ensure that group objectives are met.

• Hire, train, develop, and manage staff to ensure that qualified staff exists to meet university objectives.

• Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in financial aid administration within a higher education environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated proficiency with financial aid technology, student information systems, and online financial aid systems.
• Experience using federal financial aid systems and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
• Prior supervisory or management experience, including the ability to lead, develop, and support staff.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• High level of personal integrity and demonstrated commitment to confidentiality, accuracy, and ethical administration of financial aid programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Knowledge of Banner system’s student module.

The budgeted salary range for the position is $85,000 - $92,000. Final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints.

For fullest consideration, apply online https://jobs.uic.edu by November 2, 2026. Include (upload) a .pdf copy of your letter of intent, a current CV/resume, and the names of 3 professional references.

Offers of employment by the University of Illinois may be subject to approval by the University’s Board of Trustees and are made contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of any criminal background checks and other pre-employment assessments that may be required for the position being offered. Additional information regarding such pre-employment checks and assessments may be provided as applicable during the hiring process.

The University does not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race (ethnicity), color, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, order of protection status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), arrest record status, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a protected veteran (military status) and complies with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.