Financial Aid Analyst

West Coast University•Irvine, CA

About The Position

The Financial Aid Analyst ensures timely and accurate awarding and disbursement of student financial aid funds. The role performs federal verification of financial aid files selected by the Department of Education's processor or the institution and reviews files for conflicting or discrepant data. It confirms eligibility for federal, state, institutional, and external awards by evaluating student records, documents, cost of attendance, need analysis, enrollment levels, program data, and information from relevant government agencies and other organizations. The analyst also confirms eligibility for funds previously awarded, updates aid in the Student Information System, and reviews flagged awards and variance reports to identify and resolve discrepancies. The position monitors activity queues and follow-up tasks, documents actions in the Student Information System, and works with campus and functional teams to resolve issues according to departmental procedures. Additional duties include assisting with financial aid software testing and maintaining student cost-of-attendance budgets. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Must not be in default on a federal student loan or owe repayment on a federal grant.
2–3 years of experience, individually or combined, in bookkeeping, data analysis, or Title IV financial aid administration.
Ability to retain information and apply learned concepts to similar or new situations.
Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, verbally and in writing.
Attention to detail and retention of learned concepts.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree from an accredited college or university.
Familiarity with preparation of U.S. federal tax returns.

Responsibilities

Perform federal verification of financial aid files selected by the Department of Education's processor or the institution and review selected and non-selected files for conflicting or discrepant data.
Review assigned C-Codes, evaluate available information, and take appropriate action to resolve them.
Determine or confirm eligibility for federal, state, institutional, or external awards using student records, documents, cost of attendance, need analysis, enrollment levels, program data, and information from relevant agencies and organizations.
Monitor FAME Approved spreadsheets and update student packaging and document statuses in the Student Information System in accordance with departmental procedures.
Review assigned variance reports to identify award discrepancies or errors, determine their cause, and resolve them or repackage aid when necessary.
Monitor the personal activity queue in the Student Information System and complete required tasks accurately and on time.
Follow up on reminders and activities assigned to other parties, escalating issues as appropriate.
Document actions taken to resolve activities in the Student Information System contact manager.
Assist with testing new or modified financial aid software functionality.
Assist with updates and maintenance of student cost-of-attendance budget setup.
Perform other duties as assigned.