Financial Aid Counselor, Senior – Student Success and Service Delivery

Arizona State University•Tempe, AZ

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Financial Aid Counselor provides guidance and support to students on intermediate to complex student financial operations and ensures compliance with federal, state, local, international, and university policies. The position evaluates students’ financial needs using information from multiple sources, including financial documentation and interviews with students, parents, and guardians, and awards financial aid. The role coordinates financial aid programs and their planning, processing, awarding, and reporting, including loans, work-study employment, scholarships, grants, underrepresented student programs, and continuing-student eligibility. It counsels students on eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management, and financial planning, tailoring information to each student’s circumstances. The position also reviews awards and appeals, analyzes financial data, prepares reports and recommendations, presents program information, trains relevant stakeholders, and works with lenders, employers, donors, agencies, and staff to resolve student issues. The position is based on the Tempe campus in an environmentally controlled office setting. The stated salary is $50,000 per year. Driving is not required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment or field, or an equivalent combination of experience and/or training that provides comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Ability to ensure compliance with applicable financial aid policies and rules.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of government, donor, or institutional rules, regulations, guidelines, and procedures for awarding financial aid.
Knowledge of a specialized financial aid area, such as scholarships, work-study, loans, grants, or compliance.
Experience working in a university financial aid office.
Skill in coordinating the work activities of others.
Experience analyzing and processing financial data.
Customer service experience working with a varied population.
Experience entering data accurately.
Experience making simple calculations.
Experience working with Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Experience working with the Internet.
Evidence of effective communication skills.
Evidence of a bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

Evaluate students’ financial needs using documentation and interviews with students, parents, and guardians, and award financial aid.
Monitor or coordinate the activities of subordinates.
Coordinate the planning, processing, awarding, and reporting of financial aid programs, including loans, work-study employment, scholarships, grants, underrepresented student programs, and continuing-student eligibility.
Counsel and advise students about financial aid eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management, and financial planning, tailoring information to individual needs.
Collect and analyze student financial data to determine aid eligibility and make general or program-specific awards within federal and institutional guidelines.
Respond in person or in writing to questions and requests from students, parents, guardians, and department staff about financial aid options.
Review awards for compliance with government rules and regulations, including identifying over-awards and under-awards.
Review supplemental documentation submitted with student appeals and determine whether requests for award adjustments or exceptions are valid.
Compile reports on financial aid program activity and recommend policy or procedural changes.
Prepare and present information about federal financial aid, scholarships, employment, and grants to campus groups, high school students, and parents.
Develop materials and provide training on specific program responsibilities to staff, donors, lenders, agencies, and employers.
Collect, interpret, and disseminate current technical information about assigned program responsibilities.
Work with lenders, employers, donors, guarantee agencies, and staff to resolve student problems or issues.
Provide administrative support for analytical studies of fund utilization, student applicant trends, and future computer programming needs.