Finance aid counselor job description

• Associate's degree plus 1-3 years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism at all times.
• Accurate attention to detail and the ability to work independently on various projects that require initiative; ability to work with numbers and financial information.
• Knowledge of Microsoft products including, but not limited to, Outlook, Word and Excel is essential.
• Excellent organizations skills and ability to comply with federal, state, and local laws, and follow established procedures governing financial aid required.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks at one time and move between them seamlessly.
• Strong communication, oral and writing skills.
• Ability to analyze and maintain priorities and complete tasks in required time.
• Ability to deal effectively with a wide variety of VLGS personnel and students and/or outside individuals/organizations.
• Capability to manage the office in the absence of the Director and Manager of Operations.
• Knowledge of PowerFAIDS and Jenzabar strongly preferred.

Other Requirements:

• Must be able to work legally within the United States without sponsorship.
• Physical ability to perform all essential functions of the job with or without basic accommodations.
• Willingness and ability to follow any current or future health and safety policies or protocols laid out by the school.

Note: All job requirements are subject to possible revision to reflect changes in the position requirements or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a threat or risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to which will be required in this position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor/manager (within guidelines and compliance with Federal and State Laws). Continued employment remains on an at-will basis.

PM20

PI194223858

Alabama State University, Office of Financial Aid, invites applications to the fill the position of Financial Aid Counselor. This position requires involvement in all areas of student financial aid services and administration including, but not limited to, the counseling students, parents and prospective students, processing applications, packaging, verification, etc.
Duties and Responsibilities:

* Assist in ensuring regulatory compliance in all areas of financial aid, including federal, state and institutional guidelines and policies
* Counsel students, prospective students and their parents about the application process, availability of funds and eligibility criteria
* Perform verification with attention to accuracy of information
* Provides correspondence to students when verification documents are incorrect, lacking information, or additional information is necessary
* Advise students and parents regarding the available financial aid and the process of qualifying for financial aid
* Provide exemplary customer service
* Research information on available programs and procedures to establish eligibility and provide students and families options and alternative for financing educational goals
* Evaluates students financial aid requests and award adjustments
* Maintain a high level of awareness of changes to federal and state regulations by reviewing IFAP and NASFAA websites as well as participating in webinars
* Represent the Financial Aid office at evening and weekend enrollment events
* Appropriately document and resolve all conflicts related to, but not limited to the following: Stafford/Perkins Loan Default, Bankruptcy, Social Security Number/Name Discrepancies, Aggregate loan limits, Selective Service, Bachelor degree/Graduate degree, Citizenship, Pell Over Payments, Drug Convictions
* Conduct workshops and present financial aid and financial literacy information at college events, high schools, and community agencies
* Research and resolve student complaints and issues
* Work collaboratively with other departments on campus to meet the university's enrollment and retention goals
* Represent the financial aid office at evening and weekend events.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited university and 2 years experience in a college/university setting to include counseling and aid assessment, and must not be in default on any federal student loan are required.

Supplemental Information

EEOC STATEMENT:

It is the policy of Alabama State University to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

Federal law requires identity and employment eligibility verification on Form I-9 within three (3) business days of employment.

All positions require the passing of a background check and some the passing of a drug screen.

External Applicant Instructions
Please upload your resume/CV for automatic population of information to your Kean application.Your contact information, work experience and education will be automatically filled in. Please review all fields - you will need to verify that the data is accurate.In the “My Experience” section, you will find a resume/CV upload option where you can submit your cover letter and any other supporting documents you may wish to submit.

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services
Financial Aid Counselor

Under the supervision of an Associate Director or Managing Assistant Director in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services, the Financial Aid Counselor (Professional Services Specialist IV) performs basic professional functions using established policies, procedures and guidelines; reviews and processes financial aid applications; makes determinations of eligibility and performs needs analysis; provides exemplary customer service to students, their families and all visitors regarding financial aid; and does related work as required. This position requires occasional travel and a flexible schedule including evening and weekend hours.

This is not a remote position and requires physical presence on campus as determined by the Supervisor. It requires working on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic and interacting directly with students following all procedures and protocols set forth in the University's Restart Plan and any procedures/protocols created through additional correspondence.

Qualifications: Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree and one year of professional experience in a financial aid office is required. Experience working with Ellucian Colleague software is preferred. A Master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience. Excellent customer service skills and oral and written communication skills are essential.

Candidacy review begins immediately and continues until appointment is made. Please submit your cover letter, resume/CV and contact information for three professional references. Official transcripts for all degrees are required prior to the starting date of employment.

Attention current Kean University employees (including part-time Student Assistants, Graduate Assistants, Academic Specialists and Adjuncts): Please apply via the internal career site to ensure consideration as an internal candidate. To apply internally, please log into your Workday account and select the Career icon on your homepage to view available positions.

Additional Information

As a condition of employment, external candidates are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to their start date. If you are unable to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical or religious reasons, you may submit a request for an exemption. If you are approved for an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement, you will be required to be tested for COVID-19 by the University on a regular schedule. All employees are expected to follow the University's current health and safety protocols for COVID-19 and any procedures/protocols created through additional correspondence.

Kean University complies with the New Jersey First Act (Senate Bill No. 1730, P.L. 2011, Chapter 70). Any individual newly hired by Kean University will be required to abide by this law and establish a principal residence in New Jersey. New employees will have a full 365 days to establish such residence, from the effective date of hire.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please refer to Section III.A. of our Reasonable Accommodations Policy & Procedures.

Diversity & Non-Discrimination Statement

Kean University is committed to establishing and maintaining a diverse campus community through inclusive excellence and equal opportunity. Kean's commitment to access and equity is designed to prepare each graduate to not only thrive, but climb higher in a diverse world. As an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution we work to support a campus-wide agenda to foster a community that both values and promotes the diversity and equity of all students, faculty, staff, administrators, and beyond.

EEO/AA Statement

Kean University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer