Financial Aid Specialist Student Support Services, Passport, Outreach & Unusual Circumstances (Program Specialist 3)

CCS Spokane • Spokane, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Aid Specialist works in the Financial Aid Office under the general direction of the Director of Financial Aid. Each financial aid program has policies, procedures, regulations, and specific government reporting requirements. The rules of these programs are highly complex and require coordination to ensure that students receive the correct information and are offered aid in accordance with established regulations. The Financial Aid Specialist works independently, interprets, and works in accordance with federal, state, and college policies, procedures, and regulations, and coordinates with other financial aid programs and the Spokane Colleges Business Office to ensure college administrative capability is maintained. The specialist reviews applications for financial aid eligibility, advises students and makes decisions regarding special circumstances. This position is responsible for all aspects of the Student Support Services grant awarding, state Passport to College program, Financial Aid Outreach, and federal Unusual Circumstance programming. This position serves as a subject matter expert (SME) and interacts with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), Department of Education (ED), and Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and various state and community stakeholders.

Requirements

• Associate degree AND three (3) years of experience in Financial Aid. Or an equivalent mix of education and experience that demonstrates the candidate meets all competency requirements for this position.
• Possess comprehensive working knowledge of financial aid policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Knowledge of Washington State Ethics Law and Residency Law.
• Knowledge of Title IX Education Act.
• Knowledge of institutional funding/waiver processes and financial literacy and loan disclosures.
• Knowledge of funding programs under WSAC, Title IV, SBCTC/Student Support Services, institutional scholarships, agency-based funding, institutional grants/waivers.
• Expertise in Internal Revenue Code as it applies to verifications, filing thresholds and allowable filing status.
• Experience and subject matter expertise in one or more of the following relevant systems and technologies: student management system (e.g., PeopleSoft, Banner, Workday), FAFSA, Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), EdConnect, FAFSA Partner Portal, NSLDS, customer relationship management software (e.g., TargetX), WSAC, VA Enrollment Manager, National Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) tools/library, Microsoft Office products.
• Experience working with student records.
• The ability to gain and maintain security access to all federal and state web-based systems.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to maintain electronic and manual files.
• Ability to use computers and spreadsheets, database and word processing software.
• Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment.
• Must be task oriented and able to streamline processes after evaluating areas.
• Ability to independently interpret and apply regulations, policies and procedures received from multiple sources.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Knowledge of Spokane Colleges Administrative Procedures that affect financial aid such as: Student Records, Tuition and Fees, Refunds, Degrees and Certificates, etc .
• Experience with ctcLink (PeopleSoft).

Responsibilities

• Student Support Services Awarding In partnership with the Student Support Services Department, package alternative funding in a timely and accurate way to ensure funds are applied to student accounts in accordance with respective funding regulations.
• Utilize reports and analyze accounts within ctcLink to ensure proper disbursement and reconciliation of funds in coordination with Student Support Services staff, the Financial Aid Disbursement Specialist and district Business Office.
• Passport to College Program Manage Passport to College funding, including reconciling funds between financial aid awards, Student Financials/District Business Office and the WSAC Portal.
• Monitors and tracks participant eligibility and participation in program activities. For eligible awarded students, communicates Passport Welcome and Conditions of Awards notices. Coordinates student eligibility and student support services with the Student Support Services department.
• Serve as SME and liaison regarding Passport to College program, including establishing student Passport eligibility with WSAC. Address complex situations and questions using subject matter expertise. As the SME, responsible for creating and providing Passport training to staff.
• Assist State Aid specialist in resolving all edits for Passport funded students within the WSAC portal for state reporting purposes.
• Financial Aid Outreach Manage all financial aid outreach presentations for potential financial aid (FA) applicants. Make presentations, lead workshops, and disseminate information regarding college/financial aid in high schools and other community agencies; conduct recruitment efforts among targeted groups to promote financial aid availability and to encourage students to apply and educational advance.
• Collaborate with SFCC/SCC campus Outreach and Spokane Colleges District Outreach departments to provide financial aid information and services to the Spokane Colleges service area.
• Unusual Circumstances Manages unusual circumstances processing to ensure timely and compliant notifications, processing and determinations for unusual circumstance eligibility. Responsible for tracking student applications for initial and continued eligibility, submission of documents, and ensuring determinations are made within federal regulatory timelines.
• Reviews received documents, advises students and makes professional judgment decisions regarding unusual circumstances in accordance with federal and state regulations.
• Acts as liaison for community partners, communicating policy and processes related to unusual circumstances.
• General Analyze and evaluate documentation to determine financial aid file completion, review and determine aid student eligibility, and award federal, state and local Financial Aid. This includes using data obtained from federal and state software programs and systems.
• Analyze and evaluate documentation submitted by students, including completing the federal Verification process for selected students, using submitted documents that include but are not limited to federal tax returns and other legal documents.
• Provide complex counseling, assistance and problem solve by providing a variety of options to students based on individual needs and circumstances regarding financial aid, payment and refunds, credit reviews, and enrollment issues.
• Maintain expertise and up-to-date knowledge of federal and state regulations for financial aid programs, enabling the department to plan and react positively to constantly changing federal, state, and institutional regulations and guidance.
• Exercise professional judgment in interpreting rules and regulations and evaluating unusual circumstances for special conditions, using Federal and State Student Financial Aid rules and regulations.
• Responsible for maintaining knowledge of the federal and state financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) regulations, ensuring students maintain a proper grade point average (GPA) and number of quarters in attendance.
• Assists in developing and establishing procedures and policies to implement new programs and/or activities and in formulating new program policies, procedures, and standards.
• Assists higher-level staff in the preparation of complex comprehensive plans, summaries, recommendations, progress, or special reports.
• Maintain knowledge of policies of other departments (Admissions, Registration, Onboarding, Student Success, Curriculum, etc.) and understand the impact of them on a student’s financial aid eligibility.
• Anticipates potential conflict and attempts resolution before problems occur; plans, evaluates, and consults with staff and outside entities to identify problems, explores solutions and alternatives, and recommends resolutions designed to meet the goals and objectives of the program.
• Work on special projects for the Director/Associate Director and serve as an intercampus contact for the Financial Aid Office.
• Works with program participants, staff, representatives of outside organizations or members of the public in defining the needs and planning, designing, and developing specialized program activities.
• Collaborate with SBCTC to make sure software updates and developed processes meet state and federal requirements. This may include testing new processes, reporting issues, proposing solutions and feedback to make sure students are funded correctly and in a timely manner.
• Serve as back-up and provide assistance to other Financial Aid Specialists and their programs.
• Model professional decorum and mutual respect in all personal interactions.
• Comply with district policies, procedures and directives, state and federal regulations, orders and statutes and collective bargaining agreements.
• Support and advance the Spokane Colleges strategic plan, and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, life and long term disability insurance benefits are provided as currently administered under Public Employees Benefits Board
• WA State Retirement Plan
• vacation and sick leave begin to accrue at the rate of one (1) day per month, upon employment.
• This position is designated a bargaining unit position and union membership is not a condition of employment.
• Leave accruals and usage are governed by the WFSE collective bargaining agreement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree