Financial Aid Specialist

Istituto Marangoni Miami Department: Student Finance Reports To: Student Finance Manager Location: Miami, FL (on-site) Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

Istituto Marangoni Miami is launching a new student finance function dedicated to supporting students through our Sallie Mae approved private loan program. This is a foundational hire: the Financial Aid Specialist will own the day-to-day student finance experience for Sallie Mae borrowers and cash-pay students alike — from initial financial planning and packaging through disbursement — while also supporting broader student accounting and financial call functions. Given IMM's active progress toward Title IV eligibility, the ideal candidate brings deep, hands-on Title IV packaging experience from a prior institution, ensuring the school is well-positioned operationally as that process advances.

IMM's Title IV federal financial aid participation is currently in process and is actively working through the required steps toward eligibility. This role is designed to grow alongside that process. As Title IV approval progresses and the institution builds out a full Financial Aid Office (FAO), this position has a clear path to Financial Aid Director, with the opportunity to help build and lead that office from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the dedicated student finance point of contact for students using Sallie Mae private loan financing — guiding them from application through approval and disbursement
• Own the full Sallie Mae loan lifecycle: certification, packaging, disbursement coordination, and reconciliation with the school's student accounts
• Package financial aid/financing plans for all student types, including Sallie Mae borrowers, cash-pay students, and students using a combination of funding sources — ensuring each student has a clear, accurate, and complete financial plan for their program
• Conduct financial planning and finance counseling calls with prospective and enrolled students, explaining loan terms, payment plan options, repayment expectations, and overall cost of attendance clearly and compliantly
• Support student accounting functions, including tuition ledger review, payment plan setup, and coordination with the Bursar/Student Accounts function
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready records of all loan certifications, disbursements, and student financial files
• Partner with Admissions to ensure financing conversations are timely, accurate, and aligned with enrollment timelines
• Serve as a subject-matter resource internally on private loan financing options and student affordability
• Help build institutional financial aid policies, procedures, and infrastructure in preparation for future Title IV participation
• Stay current on Sallie Mae program requirements, lender communications, and any regulatory changes affecting private education loans
• Assist with special projects related to financial aid office readiness (staffing models, systems, compliance documentation) as the institution progresses toward Title IV eligibility

What You Bring

Required:

• Minimum 3+ years of experience as a Financial Aid Officer or Financial Aid Manager at a Title IV-participating institution
• Significant, hands-on experience with Title IV packaging — awarding, verification, need analysis, and compliant packaging of federal aid — this is a must-have, not a nice-to-have
• Significant, hands-on experience with Sallie Mae (or comparable private education loan) programs — certification, packaging, disbursement, and servicing coordination — this is equally critical to this role
• Demonstrated ability to build complete financial packages/plans for students across all payment types — Title IV, private loan, and cash-pay — not solely federal aid recipients
• Strong understanding of student accounting fundamentals: tuition billing, payment plans, refunds, and ledger reconciliation
• Comfort and confidence conducting one-on-one financial counseling calls with students and families
• Excellent attention to detail and comfort working with compliance-sensitive documentation
• Strong communication skills — able to translate complex financial/loan terms into plain language for students
• Ability to work independently and help stand up a new function with limited existing infrastructure

Preferred:

• Experience at a private, non-Title IV or career/vocational institution
• Familiarity with CIE (Florida Commission for Independent Education) requirements
• Experience with HubSpot or similar CRM systems for tracking student financial communications
• Prior experience helping build or scale a financial aid or student finance office

Growth Path

This position is intentionally structured to grow alongside the institution's Title IV process:

• Today: Financial Aid Specialist, focused on Sallie Mae loan operations and student finance support
• Future (upon Title IV approval and FAO expansion): Eligibility to advance into a Financial Aid Director role, overseeing a growing FAO team and full Title IV compliance operations

Candidates who are excited about building something from the ground up — and growing into institutional leadership as the department scales — are strongly encouraged to apply.

Pay: $50,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Sallie Mae Private Lending: 3 years (Required)
• Title IV (Financial Aid): 3 years (Required)

Location:

• Miami, FL 33137 (Required)

Work Location: In person