Financial Aid Specialist

Pierpont Community & Technical College•Fairmont, WV

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for counseling and advising students and parents on the Financial Aid process. The Financial Aid Specialist will help students complete FAFSA, determine eligibility of Federal Student Aid for individual programs, and make awards to students. The Specialist will also make adjustments to awards during the year. Work is performed under the supervision of the Director of Financial Aid.

Requirements

Self-directed, with good organizational skills
Ability to act independently as well as part of a team
Must possess excellent customer service skills and be adaptable to changing work environment
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office with emphasis on working with spreadsheet data
Must possess good oral and written communication skills
Must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
Maintain confidentiality
Demonstrated willingness and ability to act ethically and socially responsible
Exceptional customer service orientation
Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
Must be able to communicate sensitive and/or complex information in a confidential and straightforward manner
Must possess a high level of accuracy, self-motivation, strong attention to detail, and the ability to handle a heavy workload.

Nice To Haves

Bachelors preferred.

Responsibilities

Assists with analyzing current practices and processes, helping to develop recommendations for new policies, practices, and procedures.
Responsible for the daily/weekly/monthly receipt and disbursement processing in the student information accounting system, student loan system, and the state's accounting system, serving as liaison to all offices and parties on day-to-day issues.
Responsible for creating various reports to ensure accurate scholarship financial records are maintained. Assists in preparing academic progress and verification reports and aids with maintaining files and update information for all assigned funds.
Administers various loan/grant programs, inputting awards into system, identifying and solving over-award conflicts, resolving academic progress conflicts, reconciling funds disbursed with the state, preventing and resolving program conflicts, ensuring the repayment of funds for which students are no longer eligible.
Imports and exports all records through the Dept. of Education portal.
Provides assistance with the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other requirements needed for the application, acceptance, and disbursement of financial aid.
Receives and reviews documents from students and parents, checking each document for proper completion and accuracy.
May update or provide information to update the financial aid web page and confirms accuracy of information through periodic reviews.
Assists with the coordination and preparation of outgoing mailings to students, including award letters, tracking letters, and other types of correspondence critical to the operation of the financial aid office.
Answers incoming calls, providing information requested or transferring callers to appropriate staff.
Assists with other general clerical duties, typing letters, greeting visitors, entering data, pulling reports.
Acts as backup to other positions within the unit and may be required to perform others' duties.
Performs related duties as assigned or as directed.