Student Financial Aid Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Determines financial aid eligibility, reviews supporting documentation, and awards federal, state, and institutional aid funds to students in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies.

• Performs federal verification of student aid application data and resolves C-code flags and conflicting information discrepancies in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies.

• Provides financial aid counseling to students.

• Monitors financial aid awards for compliance and adjusts awards as necessary to prevent over awards.

• Runs Billing Batch Export on financial aid funds that need posted to student accounts.

• Generates financial aid offer notifications, College Financing Plans, information request notifications, and FAFSA application reminders to students.

• Manages the Federal Pell Grant Program, including verification of eligibility, biweekly submission of origination and disbursement records, problem solving errors and other delays with reporting, releasing funds for disbursement, biweekly reconciliation of funds between Jenzabar JFA, COD, and with the Business Office, and verifying the completion of the annual closeout process in compliance with federal regulations.

• Manages the Federal Work Study program including maintaining FWS records, reconciling financial aid records with Human Resources and the Business Office and generating FWS reports to each department employing FWS students on a bi-weekly basis.

• Manages the State of Ohio aid programs which includes verification of eligibility, biweekly submission of payment requests, problem solving errors and other delays with reporting, biweekly reconciliation of funds between Jenzabar JFA, Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Business Office, and year end return of funds.

• May assist with testing the accuracy of the annual Net Price Calculator program for prospective students.

• Assists with testing the accuracy of the annual financial aid packaging policy and table setup needed to award financial aid.

• Enters departmental data and submit the annual FISAP Report to the U.S. Department of Education.

• Serves as the Secondary Designation Point Administrator (DPA) for the office which includes assigning users access to the various SAIG electronic services and collecting and storing security agreements for all users.

• Links financial aid electronic media, publications, instructions, documents, and forms to the financial aid webpage and WCportal.

• Assists with annual audit preparations.

• Evaluates, establishes, implements, and documents policies and procedures that reflect institutional or regulatory changes related to areas of responsibility.

• Seeks to improve customer service through office automation, working diligently with the IT Department to automate manual processes.

• Produce reports as needed.

• Develop and conduct Financial Aid presentations, represent Financial Aid at Open Houses and other general information sessions as requested.

• Provides back up services to the frontline staff as needed.

• Attend annual conferences and/or webinars to stay current with the rules and regulations of financial aid.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements:

• Related Bachelor's degree, plus at least two years of related experience in financial aid, customer service, and data entry.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Ability to multi-task, meet tight deadlines, and successfully function within a fast-paced, high-volume dynamic environment in a variety of situations, while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

• Ability to manage data - both reporting and interpreting of financial aid information.

• Ability to solve technical issues, discover and resolve software errors and implement solutions.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, detail-oriented, highly organized, able to balance priorities, takes initiative, reliable and resourceful.

• Understand FERPA and the highly confidential nature and scope of this position.

• Strong commitment to enrollment management principles, customer service and teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Federal and State Financial Aid regulations.

• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite.

• Experience with SQL or COGNOS report writers.

• Experience with Jenzabar JFA software platform.

• Experience with higher education financial aid programs.