Financial Aid Specialist

The Financial Aid Specialist position is an exempt, full-time administrative position, reporting to the Director of Financial Aid. The Financial Aid Specialist manages the PowerFAIDS financial aid management system and coordinates activities with the integrated campus software – Jenzabar. The position will coordinate scholarships with the Advancement Office and other duties as assigned by the Director. The Financial Aid Specialist must be familiar with all federal, state and institutional aid programs.  

Major Responsibilities/Duties

The primary responsibilities of this position include: Serve as the technical expert for the financial aid application to increase system usability and enhance usability within the office; coordination of scholarship awards with the Office of Advancement, department chairs and donors; reviewing financial aid applications through completion; and meeting with students and their families on all aspects of financial aid.

Exemplary duties and responsibilities of the Financial Aid Specialist include, but are not limited to:
●    Collaborate with colleges’ staff to facilitate the financial aid process.
●    Assist in managing and overseeing the creation of financial aid system settings and features. 
●    Act as project leader for the financial aid application, participating with other functional specialists and technical staff for planning and execution of upgrades and enhancements.
●    Act as project leader throughout the yearly parameter rollover process in PowerFAIDS.
●    Attend trainings, webinars, conferences for PowerFAIDS.
●    Monitoring and approving completed upgrades and development requests before moving into production. Develop and execute necessary test plans and coordinating end user acceptance.
●    Consult with functional staff and end users to determine business, functional, and technical requirements for the financial aid system.
●    Document the financial aid system set up and requirements and inform and train the staff.
●    Assistance and maintenance of scholarship policies and procedures.
●    Verification, corrections, special circumstances, reviewing awards, and other awarding needs as they arise.
●    Counsels and builds relationship with prospective and current students and families by assisting with the financial aid application procedure and need analysis through multiple modalities (text, phone, in-person, email, and mail).
●    Provides counseling and advising to prospective and current students and parents on the availability, process and types of financial aid.
●    Coordinates the creation and preparation of financial aid forms and annual publications, specifically in conjunction with first year and transfer recruitment.
●    Certifying alternative and PLUS loans for Ripon College students and communication with borrowers.
●    Presentation of financial aid information to high school audiences and to various new student recruitment related functions (e.g. Open Houses, special groups, registration, orientation, etc.).
●    Maintains a working knowledge of financial need analysis and award systems.
●    Maintains a working knowledge of financial aid regulations. 
●    Responsible for daily file loads and review of files from EdConnect to PowerFaids.
●    Process Exit Counseling following federal guidelines.
●    Attend professional meetings and training in order to stay current with appropriate laws, regulations, and practices.
●    Other duties as assigned by the Director of Financial Aid including cross training in all areas of office responsibility.
●    Maintains confidentiality and security in regard to all information and records.
●    Maintains a positive work environment by cooperating in a professional manner with the College community.
●    Instill a continuous improvement philosophy within the financial aid community.  Provide training and assistance as needed.

Qualifications

●    Technical and functional knowledge of the PowerFAIDS/Jenzabar applications in a higher education environment.
●    Extensive problem-solving experience working with all aspects of the technical system including troubleshooting and determining best alternatives for implementing new procedures.
●    Proven track record in gathering business requirements, providing change control management, and managing user expectations.
●    Experience working and communicating with various levels both within and outside an organization including senior management, technical IT staff, and end-users.
●    Experience developing strong customer relations and managing customer expectations.
●    Experience at working both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
●    Strong written and oral communication skills.

 Education/Experience

●    A bachelor’s degree with financial aid experience at the college level is preferred.  Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational and communication skills are essential.  Extensive knowledge of computer applications and systems (e.g. PowerFaids, Jenzabar, Google Products) is important, as well as willingness to learn and train on new systems.

Special Skills Required

Must possess excellent interpersonal, organizational, and management skills. Requires demonstrated computer, data-entry, and word-processing skills (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Products and E-Mail). Evidence of public relations experience is required. Individuals who have exceptional talent and motivation in the face of adversity, such as societal, economic or academic disadvantages, and individuals with a demonstrated commitment to applying and including diverse backgrounds and perspectives to learning, scholarship, and leadership are encouraged to apply.

Supervision

This position, reporting to the Director of Financial Aid, requires limited supervision and training; largely self-supervised. Candidate must be able to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines along with working independently and as a team player.

How to Apply

For full consideration, please provide a letter of interest, resume, and three references to Linda Kinziger by applying online. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. 

Ripon College is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and adheres to nondiscriminatory policies in employment and student enrollment in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.