Sr Financial Aid Specialist

Independence Community College•Independence, KS

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Independence Community College (ICC) is a small, rural, residential community college in southeast Kansas offering a wide variety of academic programs while promoting culture enrichment and economic development in our surrounding communities. Through our programs, we are committed and qualified to provide academic experience that prepares students with the practical skills and knowledge to lead in the global 21st century workforce. ICC is dedicated to continuous quality improvement through the Standard Pathway accreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Independence Community College is seeking a Financial Aid Specialist to assist in packaging and administering all financial aid awards, including Federal Student aid, institutional aid, Foundation aid, Kansas state aid, and institutional scholarships. The Financial Aid Specialist is responsible for maintaining in-depth knowledge of Title IV financial aid regulations to ensure the accurate and timely administration of FAFSA verification processing and other financial aid-related processes.

Requirements

Associate’s degree required
Through knowledge of administering rules and regulations governing federal and state aid.
Knowledge of higher education financial aid services and programs.
Ability to perform with a high level of proficiency in a college student information system (e.g., Colleague or Banner), Windows, and Microsoft Office.
Ability to interact professionally and respectfully with students, parents, faculty, and co-workers in high stress situations.
Ability to serve internal and external stakeholders with a high level of customer service skills, to include understanding the value of and initiating appropriate responses to inquiries whether in the office, online or via telephone.
Evidence of strong counseling skills to assist students who have unique needs or exceptional circumstances or need alternative sources of financial support.
High level of ability to provide accurate and timely information regarding the status of a student’s award.
Knowledge of and sensitivity to the needs and expectations of community college students, faculty, and staff, and community groups.
High level of ability to organize workflow and work tasks with attention to detail.
Ability to work with a diverse student population.
Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and interpersonal relationships throughout the college and the community.
Time management, ability to cope with multiple interruptions and work under pressure of deadlines.
Must be able to handle confidential information with tact and discretion.
Excellent office skills, including computer experience necessary to complete job requirements.
Ability to learn a thorough understanding of tax returns in the context of validating student aid reports.
Must have a positive, collaborative work philosophy that is compatible with the mission of ICC.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, student affairs or a related field, preferred.
Three years’ experience in administering federal, state, and institutional aid and scholarships, preferred.
One year’s experience in an educational setting, preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage and process the Financial Aid Operations of Packaging, Awarding and Disbursement of Title IV (Federal Financial Aid).
Ensure compliance with the National Student Loan Data Service (NSLDS), Common Origination and Disbursement (COD), and other Department of Education Federal Regulations.
Process and manage student work-study, student inquiries, computer data setup and retrieval, and federal and state reports.
Reconciliation of accounts including those of Title IV programs (Grants, Loans, and Federal Work Study).
Oversee the maintenance of financial aid public web content, and literature.
Manage and process all institutional scholarships.
Ensure the reconciliation of scholarship accounts and update and maintain student tracking reports for individual scholarship accounts.
Process and correct financial aid documents electronically to meet federal regulations.
Verify and secure documentation for all Federal Student Aid recipients.
Package aid and process award letters for all potential students, including all possible financial aid allowed at ICC.
Assist in the process for origination and disbursements through U.S. Department of Education in line with ICC and federal requirements.
Submit documentation to the Business Office for disbursement of funds.
Monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) based on ICC policies and Federal regulations.
Verify and secure documentation for all students who are employed through the Federal Work Study and ICC Student Labor programs.
Place student employees in jobs both on and off campus, while abiding by Department of Education regulations and college procedure.
Maintain and submit payroll documentation for Federal Work Study and ICC Student Labor programs.
Calculate and certify Federal Stafford loans to meet federal regulations.
Calculate and certify Federal Parent PLUS loans to meet federal regulations.
Train and work with personnel on the use of Banner.
Facilitate the resolution of difficult and /or unusual situations related to student financial aid issues.
Counsel students and/or parents regarding the full scope of available financial resources for attending ICC.
Participate and represent the Office of Financial and Scholarships in various committees, professional training, industry conferences and conventions.
All other duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Financial Aid.