Financial Aid Counselor I

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Counseling and Student Support: includes advising students and parents on financial aid options, FAFSA completion, loan borrowing and repayment, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), professional judgment requests, dependency issues, withdrawals, and financial responsibility.
• Award Management: involves reviewing and processing financial aid awards, performing need analysis, exercising professional judgment for special circumstances, managing appeals, adjusting awards for overpayments or eligibility changes, processing loans, and awarding specialized aid programs in accordance with regulations.
• Data Collection and Research: includes conducting research through systems such as NSLDS and COD to resolve issues related to defaults, aggregate loan limits, Pell eligibility, unusual enrollment history, bankruptcy, and other aid-related concerns. Advisors also review reports to identify and correct awarding discrepancies.
• Administrative Coordination: encompasses staff training, cross-department collaboration, policy and procedure development, presentations and outreach activities, website maintenance, student employee supervision, appeals committee participation, SAP monitoring, documentation management, and ongoing professional development to remain current on financial aid regulations.
• Compliance and Monitoring: focuses on ensuring adherence to federal, state, and institutional policies. Responsibilities include reviewing withdrawals, monitoring award accuracy, overseeing compliance procedures, supervising staff compliance efforts, completing required trainings, and collaborating with institutional partners to implement and improve financial aid policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Associate's Degree + 2 years of relevant experience or a Bachelor's degree.
• Preferred Qualifications: Preferred Experience In Financial Aid Or Higher Ed Setting. Demonstrated proficiency in Spanish, including verbal communication, written correspondence, and public presentations, to support effective engagement with the diverse populations served throughout southern Doña Ana County.

Special Instructions to Applicants

The electronic application is the *official* document that will be used to qualify applicants. Paper/email documents will not be accepted. Required documents must be attached to this application.