Senior Financial Aid Advisor

GENERAL SUMMARY

The University’s senior financial aid advisor position is responsible for all aspects of the student financing process.  The individual will counsel students and their families on financial matters relating to the cost of attending the university; counsel on payment options to include federal, state, private, veterans’ education benefits, military tuition assistance, payment plans and institution aid.  This position requires the individual to provide a high level of customer service by working closely with admissions, enrollment, financial aid, and finance groups to ensure that prospective and continuing students/families have a complete and comprehensive understanding of the institution, cost of attending the university and how to pay for their education.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Counsel students/families on available funding options in accordance to their need’s assessments
• Provide a generic overview of financial aid programs available to qualifying students
• Provide a thorough overview of financial aid and veterans’ education benefits and military tuition assistance as necessary or refer the student/family to the proper subject matter expert
• Serve as a School Certifying Official for veterans’ education benefits, including completion of required training
• Advise students/families on how to best locate information necessary to complete financial paperwork successfully and to meet any deadlines
• Guide students/families through financial aid paperwork to completion
• Counsel students on all matters related to financing their education as it relates to enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, leave of absences, etc., so that students maintain their aid
• Communicate with applicants/students/families via emails, and/or phone
• Direct students/families to proper offices for information when applicable
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the university as it relates to admissions, academic advising, registrar, financial aid, and enrollment so that students/families are directed to subject matter experts as appropriate
• Other duties as assigned

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

May perform other duties and responsibilities that management may deem necessary from time to time.

POSITION IN ORGANIZATION

REPORTS TO:  Director, Financial Aid

POSITIONS SUPERVISED:  Not applicable

TECHNICAL, MANAGERIAL, and PEOPLE SKILLS REQUIRED

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Incumbents will be evaluated, in part, based on performance of each essential function. Appropriate reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required and 5-7 years current experience working in a progressive financial aid office or similar offices. Master’s degree highly preferred.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills are a must. 
• Openet, Powerfaids, NSLDS, and Datatel/Colleague experience a plus. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required. 
• Ability to successfully resolve student issues from request to resolution ensuring a positive student experience.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

BUSINESS COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

• Being Resilient - Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.

• Instills Trust - Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.

• Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful.

• Customer Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment but may involve exposure to moderate noise levels. Work involves operation of personal computer equipment for six to eight hours daily and includes physical demands associated with a traditional office setting, e.g., walking, standing, communicating, and other physical functions as necessary.