Financial Aid Counselor, Senior – Student Success and Service Delivery

Arizona State University•Tempe, AZ

14d•Onsite

About The Position

The 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 role evaluates students’ financial needs using documentation and interviews with students, parents, and guardians, and awards financial aid. The position administers financial aid programs, including loans, work-study employment, scholarships, grants, underrepresented student programs, and continuing-student eligibility. It advises students on eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management, and financial planning, tailoring information to individual needs. The role also reviews awards and appeals, communicates with students and related parties, prepares reports and recommendations, presents financial aid information, trains stakeholders, resolves issues with external entities, and supports analytical studies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment or field, or an equivalent combination of experience and training that provides comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities.

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

Monitor or coordinate the activities of subordinates.
Coordinate program planning, processing, awarding, and reporting for student loans, work-study employment, scholarships, grants, underrepresented student programs, and continuing-student eligibility.
Counsel and advise students on financial aid eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management, and financial planning, tailoring information to their individual circumstances.
Collect and analyze student financial data to determine aid eligibility and make general awards or awards specific to scholarships, waivers, or work-study within federal and institutional guidelines.
Respond in person or in writing to questions, concerns, or requests from students, parents, guardians, and department staff about financial aid options.
Review awards for compliance with government rules and regulations, identifying over-awards and under-awards.
Review and evaluate supplemental documentation submitted in student appeals for adjustments or exceptions to financial aid awards and determine the validity of appeals.
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 train staff, donors, lenders, agencies, and employers on assigned program responsibilities and current requirements.
Collect, interpret, and disseminate current technical information about assigned program responsibilities.
Interface with lenders, employers, donors, guarantee agencies, and staff, and resolve student problems or issues involving these entities.
Provide administrative support for analytical studies of fund utilization, student applicant trends, and future computer programming needs.