Program Coordinator

About the role

Provides guidance and support to students on intermediate to complex student financial operations. Ensures financial compliance with federal, state, local, international and university policies.

Responsibilities

• Affords guidance and support to students on intermediate to complex student financial operations.
• Ensures financial compliance with federal, state, local, international and university policies.
• Affords assistance with special project coordination of one or more federal, state or institutional programs by reviewing, analyzing and determining eligibility and awarding for various financial aid programs.
• Collaborates with Student Success Leadership in Financial Aid Services to plan, direct, organize, and execute project requirements; coordinates efforts to ensure timely delivery of project outcomes.
• Supports financial aid operations, in areas such as processing, compliance, reporting, reconciliation, and special projects.
• Oversees special senior management projects and independently executes strategic projects/programs, research, and assignments.
• Completes individual projects as assigned.
• Works closely and collaboratively with Student Success Leadership in Financial Aid Services to plan, direct, organize, and execute project requirements; coordinates efforts to ensure timely delivery of project outcomes.
• Performs complex, specialized-level work, in support of financial aid operations, in areas such as processing, compliance, reporting, reconciliation, and special projects.
• Oversees special senior management projects and independently executes strategic projects/programs, research, and assignments, including eligibility determination, program implementation, compliance oversight, policy and procedure development, reporting, and ongoing operational support.
• Confers with and advises staff, students and others to provide technical advice, problem solving assistance, answers to questions and program goals and policy interpretation.
• Analyzes and processes financial data on students to determine aid eligibility and make awards within federal, donor and/or institutional guidelines.
• Requests additional information based on analysis and review to apply established government and institutional regulations, rules, guidelines and procedures.
• Determines eligibility for federal, state and institutional financial aid.
• Solves overawards and overpayments and contacts students, lenders, employers, donors, guarantee agencies and/or staff to resolve discrepancies.
• Determines if students qualify for an unusual/mitigating circumstance; exercises professional judgment by making adjustments or revisions to costs, contribution, need, or dependency status as exceptions to the prescribed process.
• Determines appropriate cost of attendance for students and awards federal, state and institutional aid to financial aid recipients.
• Uses information systems to input data, maintain databases, perform research for projects or inquiries and generates reports.
• Interacts with appropriate outside entities in order to facilitate the student eligibility process.
• Notifies students of changes in eligibility of awards.
• Addresses questions and requests from students, parents, or guardians in person or in writing regarding financial aid programs and eligibility.
• Analyzes various system-generated reports such as grades and enrollment status or award status to verify continued compliance and eligibility of students receiving aid under federal and institutional guidelines.
• Must be able to meet and maintain access requirements for secure federal and/or state websites, such as the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and three (3) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of government, donor and/or institutional rules, regulations, guidelines, and procedures for awarding financial aid.
• Understand how the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation works and how the SAI impacts the awarding of Title IV funds.
• Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid programs, awarding eligibility requirements and supporting regulations.
• Working knowledge of Federal Systems such as COD (Common Origination and Disbursement), CPS (Central Processing System) and NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System).
• Knowledge of and skill in automated processing.
• Demonstrated skills in critical thinking and problem solving.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skill in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and/or other tools to analyze/organize large data sets.
• Astute attention to detail.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience utilizing large language models (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) and other forms of AI.
• Knowledge of Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated basic computer software skills, such as Microsoft Office products, specifically Word and Excel.
• Knowledge of the principles of exemplary customer service demonstrated through actively listening, acknowledging, and responding to every inquiry; taking ownership and resolving each concern or problem as appropriate; exhibiting professionalism and expertise in every interaction and engaging in professional development to meet expectations for service excellence.
• Ability to stimulate changes in individual, institutional, and corporate behaviors to create a more sustainable environment.
• Ability to lead by example in communicating, participating and encouraging support of the institution’s sustainability programs.
• Evidence of ability to clearly communicate to perform essential functions.

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of issues pertaining to area of assignment.
• Knowledge of budgeting and accounting principles.
• Knowledge of organizational practices.
• Knowledge of supervisory practices and principles.
• Skill in organizing work of self and others.
• Skill in effective communication, both verbal and written.

Pay

$50,000 per year

Schedule

Full time