Financial Aid Counselor

Furman University•Lexington, MA

About The Position

The Financial Aid Counselor, under the direction of the Associate Director of Financial Aid, provides financial aid counseling to prospective and current students and their parents. The counselor explains Furman’s financial aid application processes and decision timelines, available resources for financing education, borrowing and working, and how financial fit relates to applying to and enrolling at Furman. The position is part of Furman’s Enrollment Management Department, which has strategic and operational responsibility for meeting the institution’s enrollment goals. The role researches and interprets financial aid program guidelines to support compliance with federal and state regulations and program requirements. It advises students and families, reviews and packages awards, processes and reconciles aid, and operates financial aid software. The counselor may travel and work a flexible schedule as needed, and may perform other job-related duties, including some night or weekend work when required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Experience in higher education administration.
Willingness and availability to work outside normal business hours when workload requires.
Ability to communicate effectively, including appropriate grammar and mechanics.
Ability to work as part of a team with inter-office and intra-office personnel.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Experience with common office software, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Experience with social networking.

Responsibilities

Research and interpret student financial aid program guidelines, including federal and state requirements, to ensure compliance.
Meet with students and parents about financial aid processes and application deadlines, assist with required forms, explain requirements, and provide guidance on awarding and allocation of funds.
Process loan files and corrections accurately and promptly in PowerFAIDS, ELM, and Common Origination Disbursement (COD); award loans and adjust awards as needed.
Back up PowerFAIDS and EDConnect processing when other team members are unavailable.
Counsel students on satisfactory academic progress, withdrawals, enrollment plans, grade point average, credit requirements, and the effects of dropped, failed, or withdrawn courses on South Carolina state aid eligibility.
Reconcile state aid programs monthly and ensure state funds received match funds disbursed in PowerFAIDS and Workday.
Operate financial aid software programs and perform data entry and processing.
Review, analyze, and package student awards in accordance with institutional, state, and federal requirements.
Understand and explain the student aid awarding process and advise students, parents, and other interested persons about financial aid programs and requirements.
Conduct financial aid workshops and training sessions.
Be available to travel and work a flexible schedule as needed to support institutional effectiveness.
Analyze need-analysis results to determine maximum financial need and aid eligibility.
Stay informed about conditions that affect financial aid eligibility.
Participate in national, regional, and state conferences on student financial aid programs, practices, and technology, and communicate relevant information to other university departments.
Perform other job-related duties as required; some duties may require night or weekend work.
Take responsibility for own work and errors, provide corrective action, and refer or consult with supervisors on non-routine issues.
May assist or instruct others doing similar work, including student workers.