Financial Aid Advisor - Internal Posting

Cecil College • North East, MD

83d • $62,000 - $91,695 • Hybrid

About The Position

Founded in 1968, Cecil College has been serving the community for over 50 years. The College offers associate degrees, certificate programs, and non-credit classes with an open admissions policy. Cecil College is committed to providing learning opportunities for all who desire to benefit from its programs. Employees must be residents of Maryland or contiguous states and authorized to work in the US. This is an internal posting for a Financial Aid Advisor reporting to the Director of Financial Aid. The role is responsible for the administration and reconciliation of multiple financial aid programs, adhering to federal, state, and college regulations. This position requires the use of various software and web-based applications specific to financial aid operations. The Advisor will review student financial aid applications/records, including verification, and oversee the coordination of Veteran’s education benefits. Compliance with federal and state regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is essential. The role involves performing Return to Title IV Funds calculations and reconciliation of Federal aid programs. This position requires extensive regulatory and statutory knowledge in needs analysis, verification, and financial aid packaging, along with critical thinking and decision-making within Professional Judgment Standards. The role has both primary and secondary duties, with a requirement for in-person presence due to student interaction, though telework may be available on a limited basis for certain roles. The position is exempt and not overtime eligible.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably with coursework in business or accounting.
• Substantive financial aid experience (3-5 years).
• Customer service experience or familiarity with accounts receivable.
• Strong working knowledge and understanding of Title IV programs and regulations.
• Strong working knowledge and understanding of state programs and regulations.
• Strong working knowledge and understanding of VA education benefits programs and regulations.
• Exceptional degree of detail and accuracy.
• Possession of analytic skills.
• Ability to interpret complex regulations and apply them to daily decisions in processing federal and state funds and VA education benefits.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be a resident of Maryland or contiguous states (Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or the District of Columbia).
• Must be currently authorized to work in the US; the College does not offer Visa sponsorships.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Counsel parents and students regarding financial aid funding availability, eligibility requirements, and the application process, including handling escalated concerns.
• Conduct workshops on completing financial aid applications for prospective, new, and enrolled students.
• Act as back-up to part-time staff in covering the front office during working hours, as needed.
• Review student financial aid applications and perform federal verification on selected records, resolving conflicting information and C-coded records.
• Evaluate special circumstance requests and make determinations for changing and reprocessing financial (FAFSA) data within program statutes.
• Process financial aid withdrawals and perform "Return to Title IV Funds" calculations.
• Reconcile excess funds from federal drawdowns and process immediate returns to the U.S. Department of Education.
• Perform monthly reconciliation of the Federal SEOG, Pell Grant, and Direct Loan Programs using reports from multiple sources.
• Review student data to determine proper funding levels and make necessary adjustments or cancellations prior to disbursement.
• Maintain scholarship and tuition waiver awards, including bi-monthly reconciliation and pre-disbursement evaluation.
• Assist with end-of-term Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) evaluations, including reviewing students exceeding maximum time frame limits, updating institutional systems, coordinating appeal reviews, and notifying students.
• Act as the Federal Work Study Program coordinator, managing awarding, job listings, and liaison activities with other departments, student orientations, and document processing.
• Act as backup for Maryland state grant administration, including roster evaluation, awarding, and reconciliation.
• Maintain archive records and ensure proper file management.
• Collaborate with office staff to submit duplication requests and materials orders.
• Assist the director in maintaining audit-ready files for all audit/program reviews.
• Collaborate with College departments such as Registration and Accounts Receivable to discuss relevant data for processing financial aid applications and reconciling financial aid awards.
• Counsel VA students/dependents about GI Bill education benefits and advise throughout the application process.
• Evaluate VA Certification Request Forms, perform certifications for veteran’s benefits, and submit to the VA.
• Monitor VA students’ enrollment and report changes to the VA promptly.
• Review academic progress at the end of each semester and notify the VA of any changes, including program of study.
• Maintain graduation checks for each VA student to ensure only required courses are included in enrollment certifications.
• Ensure audit-ready files for MHEC and VA program reviews.
• Perform annual reconciliation of the VA educational benefits program.
• Collaborate with College departments to research or obtain relevant data for processing VA education benefits.
• Collate 85/15 reporting information with the Institutional Research division, submit to the VA, and communicate program approval/denial information.
• Increase and maintain in-depth knowledge of Title IV, VA, and MHEC regulations by attending relevant workshops, conferences, and meetings.
• Participate in community outreach activities, campus events, and committees as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical coverage for employee and eligible dependents
• Dental coverage for employee and eligible dependents
• Vision coverage for employee and eligible dependents
• Generous annual leave
• Generous sick leave
• Generous personal leave
• 19 paid holidays
• Tuition assistance based on eligibility guidelines
• Tuition waiver based on eligibility guidelines
• Opportunity to enroll in retirement accounts (403B or Maryland State Retirement System based on eligibility guidelines)
• Voluntary retirement account with TIAA or Fidelity
• Employee paid short term disability
• Employer provided basic life insurance
• Employer provided accidental death insurance
• Employee paid voluntary life insurance
• Access to Fitness Center
• Access to library

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level