Financial Aid Functional Analyst

Texas A&M University System•Laredo, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Aid Analyst, under general supervision, supports the EIS Student Information System in the Financial Aid department. Provides support to Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) members and works with other home departments and project team members to successfully support. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Assists the EIS Functional Lead by performing functional analysis tasks. Assists in the identification of gaps between how Ellucian/SunGard Banner software handles processes and users’ needs and determines the most effective method for bridging the identified gaps. Configures the SunGard Banner System in the Records area. Works with the development team on the design and maintenance of batch job chains and components. Interacts with the functional home department to facilitate business process changes and ensures that departmental requirements are met. Researches, understands, and interprets functional requirements and regulations and formulates processes to meet those requirements and regulations. Assists programming staff with end-user interaction, creation of functional requirements, and testing of programming changes. Develops testing plans and performs testing of baseline Ellucian software releases and patches. Provides support by serving as a contact within EIS. Researches and resolves issues reported by end-users. Develops end-user documentation and training materials on how to use EIS supported applications. Uses documentation software to document baseline and TAMUS developed functional processes. Interacts with Ellucian staff and other Universities that use Ellucian software. Assists the EIS Functional Lead with the design of Banner security for the Admissions, Records, and Graduate Studies areas. Coordinates the setup of Ellucian ePrint definitions. Participates in training and professional development. Attends Banner related conferences such as Ellucian Live, CoHEsion, and Texas Connection Consortium (TCC). This document represents the major duties, responsibilities, and authorities of this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. Other duties may be assigned. Additional Responsibilities Analyze financial aid data to assess its effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in award distribution using Banner, CampusLogic platforms, and Web-Focus. Research, test, and implement new and modified financial aid functionality in Banner. Identify trends and patterns in financial aid allocation and recommend adjustments to optimize aid packaging strategies. Identify opportunities for process improvement. Provide data-driven insights to support decision-making related to financial aid and enrollment. Assists with maintaining the CampusLogic, Scheduler, CRM, and Laserfiche platforms, ensuring accountability for received and processed documents. Assist the Director of Financial Aid, Associate Directors, and Assistant Director with special projects and other duties as assigned. Work closely with campus partners outside of Financial Aid. Examples include the Office of Institutional Research, Office of Information Technology, and Enrollment Management. Develop and maintain scholarship and financial aid dashboards and reports for senior leadership. Stay informed about regulatory changes and compliance requirements related to financial aid. Prepare mandated state and federal financial aid and admissions data collections. Examples include the IPEDS Student Financial Aid Collection, the Financial Aid Database report, and the FISAP report. Conduct an in-depth analysis of financial aid data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. Write reports needed to ensure financial aid processes and actions meet compliance measures. Establish and monitor scheduled processes, including but not limited to the Records download process, Packaging, Repackaging, and SAP standing.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in applicable field.
Two years of related experience in higher education and/or financial aid.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
Knowledge of higher education student information system business processes and University operations.
Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
Excellent critical thinking, problem-solving, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
Must be organized, detail-oriented, and customer-focused.
Must be able to prioritize work assignments to complete work within required time periods.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of experience in IT or higher education IT.
Experience in Ellucian Banner, CampusLogic platforms, Web-Focus, FAMIS, Laserfiche, CRM Element 451, Federal Student Aid platforms such as Ed Connect, NSLDS, COD, and FAFSA Partner Portal.
Proficient in data analysis and reporting tools such as Tableau, Cognos, Argos, Web-Focus, or similar software.
Knowledge of SQL for data querying and manipulation.
Familiarity with financial aid processes and regulations.
Understanding of strategic enrollment management.

Responsibilities

Perform functional analysis tasks.
Identify gaps between software capabilities and user needs and determine solutions.
Configure the SunGard Banner System in the Records area.
Work with the development team on batch job chains and components.
Facilitate business process changes and ensure departmental requirements are met.
Research, understand, and interpret functional requirements and regulations.
Assist programming staff with end-user interaction, functional requirements, and testing.
Develop testing plans and perform testing of software releases and patches.
Serve as a contact within EIS for support.
Research and resolve issues reported by end-users.
Develop end-user documentation and training materials.
Document functional processes.
Interact with Ellucian staff and other universities using Ellucian software.
Assist with the design of Banner security for specific areas.
Coordinate the setup of Ellucian ePrint definitions.
Participate in training and professional development.
Attend Banner-related conferences.
Analyze financial aid data to assess effectiveness, efficiency, and equity.
Research, test, and implement new financial aid functionality in Banner.
Identify trends and patterns in financial aid allocation and recommend adjustments.
Identify opportunities for process improvement.
Provide data-driven insights for financial aid and enrollment decisions.
Maintain CampusLogic, Scheduler, CRM, and Laserfiche platforms.
Assist with special projects and other duties as assigned.
Work closely with campus partners outside of Financial Aid.
Develop and maintain scholarship and financial aid dashboards and reports.
Stay informed about regulatory changes and compliance requirements.
Prepare mandated state and federal financial aid and admissions data collections.
Conduct in-depth analysis of financial aid data.
Write reports to ensure compliance.
Establish and monitor scheduled processes.