Senior Financial Aid Counselor

Westcliff University•Irvine, CA

About The Position

What if I told you it is possible to find a Company that lived to educate, inspire and empower others while creating a family atmosphere that truly appreciates and respects their team? Would you apply? What if I threw in strong Company values, outstanding benefits, and the opportunity for you to make a tangible impact and feel appreciated? See below for a feel of what the Company culture is (REALLY) like. Hint: it's amazing. At Western State College of Law, we are constantly striving to be the best while valuing each of our team members as human beings and succeeding together! Western State College of Law is a leader in innovative global education. We are respected for our transformative, technologically advanced programs and initiatives with a focus on excellence, social responsibility, and diversity. Our tagline – “Educate. Inspire, Empower.” – is a summary of our Mission Statement. As it suggests, the main focus of our University is to strive to enhance the opportunities of our students and employees to enjoy success through empowerment, as a result of their education and hard work. With diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our core values, we promote a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusiveness regardless of, but not limited to, race, gender, sexual orientation, family status, religion, ethnicity, national origin, physical disability, veteran status, or age. By joining our team, you’ll be playing a significant role in our growth, having an opportunity to put your personal touch on Westcliff’s progress as we grow and succeed together! The Senior Financial Aid Counselor will work closely with students, staff, administrators, and faculty across the campus. Under the leadership of the Director of Financial Aid, law school key relationships include, at a minimum, working with the Registrar, Assistant Director of Student Accounts, Senior Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, and the Admission Team.

Requirements

Must have excellent technical skills to work with PowerFAIDS, MS Word, MS Excel spreadsheets, and Google sheets
Must have excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills
Must have excellent oral and written communication skills
Must have customer service skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse groups of people while handling high volume and multiple tasks
Must be able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree or any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and ability.
EXPERIENCE: A minimum of 4-5 years of financial aid experience required. Experience and proficiency with using PowerFAIDS a MUST, plus proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google suite.

Responsibilities

Coordinate the Federal Direct and Alternative Loan Programs
Coordinate the processing of the Federal Direct Loan Programs through Common Origination and Disbursement (COD)
Process/package Federal loans including Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS
Process all error queries for Federal loan programs
Reconcile Federal loan disbursements with Student Accounts
Request missing documents, including MPN’s or counseling requirements
Ensure Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements have been met
Ensure student loans are within federal loan limits or complete reaffirmation paperwork
Make adjustments on loans as required
Follow up on disbursement errors
Review files for possible budget and award adjustments (over-awards)
Run and review appropriate reports to ensure all aid is posted to Student Accounts
Process certification requests and disbursements for private loans
Authorize disbursements to Student Accounts for registration
Assist with processing new and continuing student scholarships
Revise and adjust scholarships as needed
Seek appropriate approval when needed
Act in the capacity of and/or collaborate with the School Certifying Official and coordinate Veterans awards, including the Yellow Ribbon Program
Certify enrollment
Create College Financing Plan (CFP) and review with each Veteran
Provide in depth financial aid counseling to students as needed
Answer questions about any program in a student's financial aid package, in person, Zoom, or by email with students
Respond to telephone calls and email messages from students
Ability to handle large volumes of work and accurately track numerous details
Ability to work with high level of accuracy in a fast-paced environment with numerous interruptions
Review relevant professional publications, and take action as appropriate to remain informed of legislative and other changes affecting financial aid programs and administration
Create and administer oral presentations at student orientations as needed
Represent the Financial Aid Office at the New Student Orientation and prospective student events
Other duties assigned by supervisor.