Description

Position Summary

NASFAA seeks a relationship-driven Community Engagement Manager to lead and strengthen member engagement across the association. This role is centered on building meaningful connections — between members and NASFAA, and among members themselves.

The Community Engagement Manager will cultivate a strong sense of belonging within the financial aid profession by creating pathways for connection, visibility, leadership, and professional growth. This individual will play a critical role in elevating the profession, amplifying member voices, and ensuring financial aid administrators feel seen, supported, and connected through their engagement with NASFAA. 

While this position is housed within the Communications Department, it is highly cross-functional in nature. The Manager will work closely with teams across the organization to ensure engagement strategies are aligned, integrated, and advancing NASFAA’s broader mission. This role requires someone who thrives in collaborative environments, is comfortable navigating ambiguity, and approaches challenges with curiosity, initiative, and a solutions-oriented mindset. In addition to leading engagement strategy, this individual will contribute to NASFAA’s broader communications and marketing efforts, helping ensure consistent messaging, storytelling, and brand alignment across initiatives.

The ideal candidate understands the lived experience of financial aid professionals and is passionate about strengthening their professional community. They are energized by bringing people together, cultivating a sense of belonging, and ensuring members see NASFAA not just as an organization, but as their trusted community.

Requirements

Essential Duties

Member Engagement & Community-Building

• Design and execute strategies that deepen member engagement and strengthen connections across the NASFAA community.
• Foster a culture of belonging by creating opportunities for members to connect with one another, share expertise, and grow professionally. 
• Identify and implement opportunities to create stronger peer networks and communities of practice.
• Identify ways to elevate the financial aid profession and highlight member leadership and contributions.
• Develop engagement touchpoints that connect members to NASFAA programs, volunteer pathways, and leadership opportunities.
• In collaboration with multiple teams, evaluate and leverage technology approaches to facilitate community goals.
• Define, collect, and interpret engagement data metrics to refine and/or determine strategic approaches.

State & Regional Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with state and regional financial aid associations.
• Regularly represent NASFAA at state and regional conferences and meetings.

Membership Strategy & Growth

• Collaborate with the Membership Team to identify recruitment opportunities, service gaps, and strategies to improve member acquisition and retention.
• In coordination with the Membership Team, conduct outreach to non-member institutions to increase awareness of NASFAA’s value and benefits.
• Help translate member feedback into actionable engagement strategies that enhance value and belonging.

Brand Ambassador & Strategic Liaison

• Serve as a trusted, visible representative of NASFAA within the financial aid community.
• Partner cross-functionally to amplify strategic priorities, such as enrollment in NASFAA professional development opportunities, professional credential and certification interest, and career advancement initiatives.
• Contribute to broader communications and marketing campaigns through content development, messaging input, and member storytelling.
• Ensure engagement efforts are aligned with NASFAA’s overall brand, voice, and strategic goals.
• Support initiatives that reinforce financial aid as a respected, visible, and mission-driven profession.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public policy, or related field preferred.
• 5-7 years of professional experience in higher education. Direct financial aid experience strongly preferred. Experience in related fields such as admissions, student affairs, or residence life will also be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to build authentic professional relationships and foster community.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to work effectively across departments and manage competing priorities.
• Comfort operating in evolving environments with ambiguity and shifting priorities.
• Demonstrated initiative and a driven, problem-solving mindset.
• Background in marketing, communications, event planning, or community engagement is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate will:

• Understand and be comfortable working in a mission-driven organization where individual and departmental goals must align with strategic priorities;
• Have demonstrated their ability to work successfully in a team-based environment where “the whole'' is more important than any one individual;
• Be comfortable with team-based accountability, departmental reporting and paying attention to results. NASFAA is focused on team results, not individual milestones.
• Express and demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment to NASFAA’s staff-developed Core Operating Values.

NASFAA Culture 

NASFAA is a remote-first, mission-driven national organization dedicated to supporting the financial aid profession and advocating for policies that expand student access and success in higher education. NASFAA maintains a fast-paced environment grounded in strategic planning, creativity, and problem-solving.  

NASFAA is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce. It is the policy of NASFAA not to discriminate against any applicant for employment based on disability or veteran status. Reasonable accommodations are provided to employees whose ability to perform their job is affected by pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions. NASFAA is an equal opportunity employer.

To Apply 

This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range is $90,000 - $95,000. NASFAA offers excellent benefits, including 100% paid health insurance premiums for employees and partially covered dependent coverage, as well as a contributory retirement savings plan. Interested applicants should apply at https://www.nasfaa.org/community_engagement_manager by Friday, April 3, 2026, for full consideration. The position will remain open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.