Financial Aid Advisor

Department Contact: Maria Hernandez, 575-646-7598, mgh1@nmsu.edu

About the Role

The University Financial Aid and Scholarship Services department is seeking a highly motivated, student-centered individual with excellent customer service skills to join the Financial Aid Team.

Responsibilities

• Provides support and guidance as a student's single point of contact for all matters related to financial aid opportunities, including federal grants, loans, work study, and state, institutional, and private scholarships.
• Follows federal and state regulations and NMSU policies and procedures in the review and analysis of financial aid applications.
• Acts as an advisor to students, potential students, and families; enforces regulations and policies; serves on appeal committee; creates academic plans for students with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) issues; and recommends solutions on how to improve their status.
• Effectively presents federal, state, and scholarship aid information to individuals, small and large groups.
• Leads policy research, implementation, documentation, and training for the entire NMSU system.

Financial Aid Advising and Counseling

• Provide personalized, one-on-one advising to students, prospective students, and families on financial aid options, eligibility, and application processes.
• Assist students in understanding the Student Aid Index (SAI), Cost of Attendance (COA), and their financial need calculations.
• Guide students through the financial aid process, including advising on specialized programs like MAP, study abroad, and consortium agreements.
• Support students facing financial or personal hardships through appeals, professional judgement requests, and financial hardship counseling.
• Offer specialized advising to diverse student populations, including veterans, undocumented students, graduate students, and independent students.
• Respond to inquiries via email, phone, and in-person meetings, providing updates on financial aid status and clarifying award letters and disbursement schedules.

Applicant Processing and Award Packaging

• Review and analyze FAFSA applications for accuracy, completeness, and eligibility.
• Collect and verify documentation for federal and institutional verification processes.
• Package and award financial aid according to federal, state, and institutional guidelines, ensuring that changes in student enrollment or status are reflected in aid packages.
• Adjust financial aid awards based on changes in funding, enrollment, or following successful appeals or professional judgment requests.

Data Records Management

• Ensure the accurate entry, maintenance, and updating of student financial aid records in the student information system (e.g., NSLDS, COD).
• Maintain electronic financial aid files and ensure FERPA compliance in all data handling and storage.
• Conduct data analysis and generate reports on financial aid distribution, trends, and SAP evaluations.

Regulatory Compliance and Policy Oversight

• Stay up-to-date with federal and state financial aid regulations (e.g., Title IV, SAP) and interpret any changes or updates to these regulations.
• Monitor and manage Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) evaluations and oversee the SAP appeal process, including creating academic plans for approval appeals.
• Develop, implement, and review internal financial aid procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements.
• Ensure the university's adherence to federal, state, and institutional policies related to financial aid and scholarships.

Outreach, Training, and Presentations

• Represent the university at community and high school outreach events to educate prospective students and families about financial aid options.
• Present financial aid information at student orientations, workshops, and training sessions for staff and other departments.
• Collaborate with other departments, including admissions, registrar, and academic affairs, to support student retention and success.
• Create and deliver training materials and financial aid resources for both internal staff and external partners.
• Stay current with best practices in financial aid advising and participate in ongoing professional development.
• Perform miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Associate's Degree + 2 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor's degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
• Light physical effort. Effort applies to no more than two (2) hours per day.
• Lifting requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

Pay

$43,908.80 per year

Schedule

Standard (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM)