Description

The Financial Aid and Bursar Communication Specialist develops and executes comprehensive communication strategies to clearly and effectively convey financial aid processes, student account information, and payment policies to students, families, and university stakeholders. This role serves as the central point for all financial communications, ensuring accurate, timely, and accessible information across multiple platforms to support student financial literacy and successful enrollment. This position plays a critical role in student success by ensuring transparent, accessible financial communications that support enrollment and retention. The strategist bridges technical financial information with student needs through thoughtful, compliant, and effective messaging strategies.
Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Creates and maintains a year-round communications calendar for all financial aid and student accounts messaging.
• Develops clear, student-friendly communication campaigns that provide content explaining financial aid processes (FAFSA, verification, awards), billing cycles, payment plans, past due status and deadlines.
• Ensure all communications comply with federal/state financial aid regulations and university policies.
• Oversees and updates financial aid and student accounts web pages for accuracy and usability.
• Develops strategies for effective use of social media channels and responds to student inquiries.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive FAQ knowledge base for student self-service.
• Implements and optimizes CRM communications (Salesforce) for automated messaging.
• Serve as primary liaison between Financial Aid, Bursar's Office, and other university departments.
• Trains frontline staff on communications protocols and messaging updates.
• Coordinates with UCM/UITS and campus teams to align communications with university branding and initiatives.
• Manages relationships with various internal and external stakeholders and creates communications coverage for relevant initiatives, events, and programs.
• Tracks and reports on communication effectiveness through engagement, financial aid and bursar metrics.
• Continuously evaluates and improves communication touchpoints across the student journey.
• Conducts regular audits of communications for accessibility (ADA) and effectiveness.
• Researches and implements emerging trends in financial aid and Bursar communications and student engagement.
• Regularly monitors relevant social media and news sites; research relevant subject matter to increase knowledge in area(s) of specialty.
• Monitors industry trends and best practices and makes process and operational recommendations to manager.

General Responsibilities

• Independently creates basic and complex communications for print and e-distribution on behalf of department or large multi-faceted department and in support of departmental goals and objectives; communications may be interdepartmental; staff, faculty, or student-focused; or external.
• Responds to inquiries and requests and explains policies, procedures, and context of communications.
• Manages relationships with various internal and external stakeholders and creates communications coverage for relevant initiatives, events, and programs.
• Prepares communications timelines and shares progress of communications toward relevant deadlines with manager, team members, and other relevant constituents.
• Regularly monitors relevant social media and news sites; researches relevant subject matter to increase knowledge in area(s) of specialty.
• Utilizes various communications software programs and delivers communications in multiple formats to a variety of audiences.
• Monitors industry trends and best practices and makes process and operational recommendations to manager.
• Provides guidance to lower-level Communications Generalists.

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION
Required

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, English, public relations, or related field

WORK EXPERIENCE
Required

• 8 years in relevant field

SKILLS
Required

• Proficient communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure
• Possesses a high degree of initiative
• Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure .

Job Classification

Career Level: Expert
FLSA: Exempt
Job Function: Marketing & Communications
Job Family: Communications Generalist
Click here to learn more about Indiana University's Job Framework.

Posting Disclaimer

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.
If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information .

Campus Safety and Security

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online . You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at [email protected] or by visiting IUPD.