Financial Aid Counselor

About the role

Provides professional, timely assistance regarding application completion and processes, general and program eligibility, and financial planning. Evaluates and analyzes information to determine applicants' eligibility for financial assistance and to determine type and amount of aid to be awarded in accordance with established standards and guidelines. Coordinates the awarding of all federal and state student aid funding, and university and/or private scholarships. Ensures compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and procedures. Remains current regarding regulations, policies, and procedures affecting scholarships and financial aid, and conducts work fairly, equitably, and inclusively. Specializes in processing applications, determining eligibility, and analyzing and fielding considerations for special circumstances.

Responsibilities

Service, Processing, and Communication

• Advances processing and service workloads including delivery of services and processing; adjusts accordingly to ensure balanced, timely, accurate, well-documented, equitable, and inclusive services and processing within benchmarks established by supervisor and/or office management team
• Provides timely, accurate, and complete information to students, parents, and colleagues
• Determines eligibility for scholarships and financial aid and determines types and amounts to be awarded in accordance with established federal and university standards and guidelines
• Professionally addresses and works toward resolution of complex or novel situations encountered in processing and service work of office
• Ensures professional delivery of services, including maintenance of data/information security, privacy, and confidentiality
• Follows appropriate records management procedures and complies with recordkeeping and archival requirements
• Communicates policies and procedures (including rights and responsibilities) to students, families, and colleagues in an accurate, timely, effective, thorough, equitable, and inclusive manner
• Completes multiple complex reports used to monitor and assure service and processing benchmarks, as well as accuracy of eligibility and payments
• Serves as subject matter expert and is proactive in advancing processing, service, and eligibility monitoring

Determining Student and Program Eligibility

• Effectively determines and conveys student and program eligibility requirements, particularly pertaining to resolving student/parent inquiries for assistance; ensures appropriate level of investigation to aid in thorough, accurate, and timely responses
• Uses appropriate discretion, within regulatory and policy constraints, to carry out and advise on verification, resolution of conflicting information, appeals of student eligibility (e.g., satisfactory academic progress), use of professional judgment/discretion, and appeals for consideration of special circumstances (e.g., change/loss of income, dependency override, one-time non-recurring income, etc.)
• Applies verification and appeals policies/requirements accurately, consistently, fairly, and equitably
• Assists with development of office-wide policies and procedures and calendars, including ensuring content is current and accurate, and that emerging trends or anomalies are noted appropriately
• Monitors and adjusts, as appropriate, student financial aid awards to ensure timeliness and accuracy

Regulatory and Policy Adherence

• Maintains access to and a working knowledge of relevant internal and external systems
• Ensures clear and accurate documentation of transactions, conversations, and interactions affecting student eligibility and/or compliance with applicable policies
• Adheres to all statutory, regulatory, and policy guidance, including office policies and procedures
• Maintains privacy and confidentiality of student and family data and information
• Maintains security of student records and related information
• Actively participates in and contributes to overall office effectiveness

Training and Professional Development; Professionalism

• Maintains current knowledge of policies, rules, regulations, technical standards, and high-impact practices associated with administering and delivering federal, state, institutional, and private programs, and associated systems and emerging technologies
• Actively participates in professional meetings, conferences, and workshops; meets and communicates clearly with colleagues in similar positions/roles; researches industry practices; shares resulting knowledge and research with management and staff in order to serve well the students and the institution
• Ensures area policies and procedures are current and accurate; provides clear and accurate documentation of transactions, conversations, interactions, and edits to records affecting student eligibility and/or compliance with applicable regulations, statutes, and/or policies
• Assists with financial aid outreach events, delivering information and responding to event questions accurately, timely, completely, and professionally
• Maintains professional appearance and demeanor, including when engaging students, families, colleagues, and members of the public
• Assists in training new employees (permanent and temporary, including interns and graduate assistants), as needed

Overall Support of Office and Institutional Operations

• Partners in monitoring and assurance that overall office operations are functional, accessible, efficient, compliant, and free of conflicts of interest
• Routinely and thoroughly reviews output and reports for accuracy and compliance
• Follows established timelines/calendars for projects/tasks
• As needed, serves on and/or oversees various office committees, which may include such functions as communications plan, appeals processes, outreach, personnel, forms and publications; position may also be asked to serve on Enrollment Management and/or University committees
• Advises management of anomalies, trends, or patterns affecting student and program eligibility
• Maintains effective working relationships and serves as a resource regarding scholarship and financial aid issues, policies, and procedures
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor and/or Executive Director
• Collaborates with other employees on office committees regarding policy, procedures, and training opportunities

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Science, or a related area, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience)
• A minimum of one year of experience in counseling, budgeting, public relations, or computer technology
• Demonstrated human relations and effective communications skills required
• The ability to work with a diverse population of students, and learn and understand federal and state regulations and financial aid procedures are critical elements of this position
• Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description

Preferences

• Previous work experience in a higher education setting

Pay

$50,000 – $51,916

Schedule

Monday through Friday; 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM with some weekend and evening work as necessary