About NASFAA  |  The Role  |  Candidate Profile  |  Contact 

About The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) seeks a President and Chief Executive Officer to lead the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators. Based in Washington, DC, and supporting a membership of 29,000 financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country and its territories, NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the United States.

Amid a rapidly changing higher education landscape that includes shifts in the way financial aid is interpreted and processed by students and their families, new demographic trends, the rising cost of higher education, and equitable access, NASFAA is dedicated to:

• providing essential professional development, information, and services to financial aid administrators.
• advocating for public policies that increase student access to and success in postsecondary education; and
• nurturing community and belonging throughout the financial aid profession.

For almost sixty years, NASFAA has worked closely with lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle. Advocacy efforts are guided by ten core principles that reflect the belief that the purpose of student financial aid is to ensure everyone has equal access to postsecondary education:

1. Promote fairness and equity for students across all sectors of postsecondary education, with a particular emphasis on low-income, underrepresented and underserved students;
2. Stress the primacy of need-based aid;
3. Support policies that address the needs of disadvantaged students;
4. Advocate accountability;
5. Encourage simplicity and predictability;
6. Empower student financial aid professionals and their schools with the flexibility to respond to the specific needs of their students;
7. Recommend policies that accommodate the diversity of academic delivery models;
8. Encourage the use of technology wherever possible;
9. Eliminate statutory requirements that use financial aid to enforce unrelated social policies; and
10. Validate proposed recommendations with research and data analysis wherever possible.

NASFAA’s approximately 60 full-time staff work closely with an elected Board of Directors, as well as six regional associations of financial aid administrators. These regional associations partner with state associations, which NASFAA supports through activities that include organizing the annual leadership conference, providing in-service trainings, workshops, and speaker series, advocating at the national level, and disseminating best practices and updates to members.

Financially strong, NASFAA is primarily funded by membership dues, conferences, and private foundations. Since 2019, NASFAA’s consulting arm, Blue Icon Advisors, has provided members coaching, training, and interim staffing services to schools across the country. In total, NASFAA has annual revenues of approximately $9M and has significant reserves as well.

NASFAA has enjoyed stable and well-respected leadership along with high staff morale and membership satisfaction. NASFAA seeks to build upon its strong foundation and legacy and work with the staff, board, and membership to shape a compelling vision for the next decade.

The Role

The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will provide leadership to strengthen NASFAA as one of the most powerful voices in higher education and the preeminent authority on college financial aid issues. The President/CEO reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the overall management and leadership of the activities and business of the Association. The President/CEO will direct staff to implement strategies to meet the current and future needs of the financial aid profession, its professionals, and the students they serve. The next President/CEO will partner with the Board, staff, and membership to set a clear and compelling strategic vision for the future, with the important goal of positioning NASFAA to proactively confront the changes in college financial aid.

The successful candidate will have leadership responsibility for the development and implementation of NASFAA’s advocacy, primarily with the Department of Education, members of Congress, and the presidential administration. The President/CEO will also be called upon to act as an external spokesperson and representative for the organization to a wide range of key constituents, including the media and leaders in higher education and politics. The President/CEO will be expected to actively engage in the public policy issues facing college financial aid administrators.

The President/CEO will be responsible for the overall management and effectiveness of the organization. They will continue to develop and build consensus around a proactive, forward-looking strategic planning process and will manage and grow revenue streams to deliver financially sound operational and budget execution. They will also continue to make recommendations for new and enhanced events, products, and services to continually strengthen NASFAA’s brand and the value of its affiliation with the organization. The President/CEO must effectively oversee resources, both personnel and fiscal, in an efficient and competent manner. They will lead, recruit, develop, inspire, and motivate a diverse and largely remote staff to manage and administer programs and services and encourage successful and productive interaction between its internal and external constituencies. Finally, it is critical that the successful candidate set the pace and tone for the organization and inspire the performance of employees through personal leadership and the highest ethical standards. They must prioritize creating a culture of “team-first” to encourage collaboration and teamwork, ultimately promoting employee satisfaction.

Candidate Profile

NASFAA is seeking a practical and strategic leader who has a deep appreciation for the work of financial aid professionals. The successful candidate will have experience managing a complex organization and be capable of increasing the association’s impact. An inspiring leader, they will have demonstrated strategic planning abilities and be skilled at executing to deliver results on established goals and objectives.

The successful candidate will be a person of the highest integrity who is gracious in manner and comfortable with diverse audiences. The President/CEO should possess self-confidence, but also be humble, with the dynamism and passion necessary to represent this important professional group.

The following are areas of particular interest to the NASFAA membership in their next leader:

An Innovative Thinker

• Possess a strategic mindset and will work with NASFAA’s Board, staff, and its membership to anticipate the future needs of the organization.
• Display a history of setting priorities and leading organizations or teams to success.
• Demonstrate ability to conceptualize new products, services, and/or programs that will help NASFAA continue to anticipate the needs of its members.
• Articulate the vision and value of NASFAA by engaging stakeholders, and better educating and preparing future generations of financial aid professionals.

A Consultative Leader

• Show a skill at developing relationships and collaborating with others in a variety of settings.
• Possess a style that is collegial, approachable, direct, and diplomatic.
• Listen and genuinely solicits the ideas and opinions of others, and is comfortable with the healthy exchange of opinions, to make well-informed, decisive decisions.
• Be effective at establishing equity, diversity, and inclusion excellence as core values across all aspects of the organization; practicing and actively supporting NASFAA’s commitment to an inclusive environment for all stakeholders.
• Act in a consultative and forthcoming manner that values collegiality.

An External Ambassador

• Display effective communication skills, both written and verbal, and will be charismatic and effective in public speaking, in front of the media, and in all other aspects of public communication.
• Capture the attention of a wide variety of constituents, particularly in government, to effectively convey NASFAA’s issues, role within the field of higher education, and positions on policy matters and relevant societal issues.
• Demonstrate stature and presence and the ability to highlight the importance of financial aid.

A Thoughtful Executive

• Understand operational management to effectively lead the organization and ensure that NASFAA’s goals are met.
• Be financially savvy, adept at setting and managing budgets, and an excellent steward of financial and human resources.
• Possess a style that fosters a culture of engagement and empowerment, openness, and mutual respect with both staff and members.
• Select and support exceptional talent and promote professional development throughout the organization.
• Align the leadership team to NASFAA’s needs and mission.

Contact

Inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest should be directed to: [email protected]. Although all materials will be reviewed, submission of a CV by December 2 was recommended for priority consideration. NASFAA is a remote-first organization, and while not immediately required, the expectation is that the next President and Chief Executive Officer will eventually reside in or near the greater District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia region.

At NASFAA, we strive to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce that will contribute to the Association's goals, mission, and vision. It is NASFAA's policy not to discriminate against any applicant for employment because he or she is an individual with a disability or has veteran status. NASFAA will provide reasonable accommodations to employees whose ability to perform their job is affected by pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions. NASFAA is an equal-opportunity employer.