Assistant Director of Financial Aid

Job Summary:

To counsel students on the policies, procedures and eligibility requirements for all types of financial aid. Will be responsible for the processing of Federal, State and Alternative Loan applications, which includes daily correspondence with the Lenders and Guarantee Agencies.

Job Duties to include but not limited to the following: 

• Counsel students regarding the different types of financial aid available and assist the Administrative Assistants with phone calls and walk-in traffic.
• Designs and implements office policies by establishing standards and procedures; measuring results against standards; making necessary adjustments.
• Maintains office services by organizing office operations and procedures; assigning and monitoring clerical functions.
• Must maintain knowledge on all Legislative updates provided by all agencies including attendance of Workshops provided by different agencies.  The financial aid workshops help to keep the staff fine tuned and in touch with the ever changing world of student financial aid.
• A complete working knowledge of the Financial Aid Awarding program, which includes determining loan  eligibility and preventing the over awarding of funds, monitoring annual maximums and total eligibility for undergraduate study/graduate study.
• Must determine, among other items, whether the student is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the school;  whether the student is making satisfactory academic progress; whether the student shows "need" for his or her loan; and knowledge of Loan Counseling whether it be Entrance or Exit; and knowledge of Consolidation information.
• Application Processing of Federal (Stafford, Plus and Private (Alternative) Loans using various systems such as Colleague and ELM for applications. To include the transmitting of applications and receiving the acknowledgement reports per electronic transmission.
• Correspondence with past, present, and future students and their lenders depending upon the nature of the situation (length of correspondence extends to keeping all of the students' files for five years).
• Notification of any changes in address, name, enrollment status, grade level, amount of disbursement, and disbursement dates to all lenders and guarantee agencies.. To include Preclaims Assistance Reports - Reports received from the lenders requesting assistance in contacting a student that may be in default.

Education & Experience:

• High School Diploma required.  Bachelor's degree preferred. 
• 2 years of financial aid or related experience required, with additional years of related experience preferred.  
• Prior customer service experience preferred. 
• Ellucian Colleague experience preferred

Knowledge of:

• Principles of effective public relations with student, parents, lenders and guarantee agencies
• Applicable federal laws, rules and regulations regarding the Federal Family Education Loan Program
• Record keeping and reporting procedures
• Modern office methods and equipment, including data processing applications

Ability to:

• Understand, interpret and apply laws, rules and regulations as they apply to financial aid and the Federal Family Education Loan Program.
• Interpret and apply University policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.