Senior Director Student Finance Operations

About the role

The Senior Director, Student Finance Operations reports to the Vice President of Institutional Support Services and provides strategic leadership for initiatives that enhance the student experience, support institutional priorities, and ensure regulatory compliance across Covista’s academic partners. This executive role drives operational excellence in enrollment, resource planning, process optimization, student persistence, technology enablement, and business consulting services.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with academic institutions and functional leaders to align operational strategies, workforce planning, and service delivery models that support institutional goals and student success.
• Lead enterprise‑wide initiatives to improve operational efficiency, enhance the student experience, and optimize business processes using data, analytics, and performance metrics.
• Serve as a regulatory subject‑matter expert, ensuring compliance with federal, state, accreditation, SOX, and organizational requirements related to student financial operations.
• Represent ISS with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, and lead responses to audits, reviews, and compliance inquiries.
• Manage labor and operating budgets exceeding $5 million and oversee a funding portfolio exceeding $1.8 billion.
• Develop and lead high‑performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and student‑centered service.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 10 years of senior‑level leadership experience managing large, diverse operational teams.
• Minimum 8 years of higher‑education or comparable experience in highly regulated functional areas.
• Deep knowledge of federal and state funding regulations and ability to communicate with regulatory agencies.
• Strong executive presence with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to drive process improvement, leverage metrics, analytics, and reporting for strategic planning.