Special Programs Coordinator and Financial Aid Counselor

About the role

The Special Programs Coordinator and Financial Aid Counselor works independently to provide a variety of advising, coordination, and technical support services related to financial aid programs and special student populations.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate specialized financial aid programs including Study Abroad, Summer Faculty-Led Programs, Accelerated Programs, and other special session initiatives
• Manage awarding and processing for specialized grants, fee waivers, Pell Credential programs, and cross-enrollment students
• Serve as liaison with campus and external partners regarding program administration and student support
• Provide individualized counseling appointments to students participating in special programs
• Present financial aid information through in-person and virtual workshops and outreach events

Requirements

• Must be able to interact with a variety of internal partners from Academic and Student Affairs to the Office of the President, communicating effectively and professionally
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Excellent customer service and public relations skills
• Working knowledge of methods, procedures, practices and activities of the program area
• Ability to interpret and apply university policies, rules, and regulations regarding financial aid
• Demonstrated experience with the Federal and State Grant Programs in a Higher Education setting – reconciliation of funds, processing issues, and experience with outside entities in relation to the administration of the programs
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, business writing, punctuation and spelling
• Ability to compose and appropriately format correspondence and reports
• Working knowledge of software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, and database management
• General knowledge of the methods and problems of organizational and program management
• General knowledge of research and interview techniques

Qualifications

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, including or supplemented by upper division or graduate coursework in counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution where such are job-related
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience
• A master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a directly related field may be substituted for one year of experience
• A doctorate degree and the appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling or guidance may be substituted for the three years of experience for positions with a major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling
• Five (5) years of in-house financial aid experience - from application to disbursement - FAFSA completion, awarding students, revising awards, and processing R2T4, etc.
• Two (2) years of experience working with special populations outside of the regular financial aid process
• Two (2) years of student counseling experience relaying information to students and families on their financial aid eligibility
• Two (2) years’ experience of presenting to students/families thru in person or virtually
• Experience with online document retrieval system and running queries from software

Skills

• Must be able to interact with a variety of internal partners from Academic and Student Affairs to the Office of the President, communicating effectively and professionally
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Excellent customer service and public relations skills
• Working knowledge of methods, procedures, practices and activities of the program area
• Ability to interpret and apply university policies, rules, and regulations regarding financial aid
• Demonstrated experience with the Federal and State Grant Programs in a Higher Education setting – reconciliation of funds, processing issues, and experience with outside entities in relation to the administration of the programs
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, business writing, punctuation and spelling
• Ability to compose and appropriately format correspondence and reports
• Working knowledge of software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, and database management
• General knowledge of the methods and problems of organizational and program management
• General knowledge of research and interview techniques

Benefits

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

Pay

$5,540/month - $5,667/month

Schedule

N/A