Job Announcement List Title:
Graduate Financial Aid Counselor

Post Date
1/9/2020

Expiration Date
2/8/2020

Details:
POSITION: GRADUATE FINANCIAL AID COUNSELOR

POSITION REPORTS TO: Director of Financial Aid

MISSION: Provide support to the daily operations of the Financial Aid Office. Provide expertise in the areas of specialization, accomplishing the work in those areas in a proficient and timely manner.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Graduate Packaging Specialist and Financial Aid Counselor (50%)
Objective: To engage with students regarding their eligibility for federal and institutional aid and the necessary application procedures. To receive and review student aid application material, using federal and institutional guidelines, assisting students in completion of application file and preparing each file for awarding and sending the official offer of financial aid.

Responsibilities Include:

Take ownership over a specific population of students providing students and their families with individualized counseling in all aspects of the financial aid process, including verification, alternative financing, and responsible debt management.
Provide regular outreach and follow-up to students on outstanding items such as incomplete or missing loan applications, financial aid forms, and other documents required for packaging.
Determine financial aid eligibility of students based on institutional, state, and federal regulations; prepare detailed financial aid packages and award letters and certify student loan applications.
Perform regular file reviews to ensure compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulations; make adjustments to student aid packages and adjust funds based on changes to students enrollment statuses.
Review all pertinent internal and external data and reports to ensure aid is being processed timely and accurately, including, but not limited to registration reports, ISIRs, and transfer credit evaluations.
Provide Exit Counseling to graduating and withdrawn students.
Calculate R2T4s for withdrawn students and return funds as needed through COD; communicate with Student Accounts regarding funding adjustments.
Exercise discretion and demonstrate strong professional judgment when making decisions in special or complex circumstances; seek assistance from the Director and, when appropriate, provide recommendations to best resolve these cases.
Remain current on all institutional, state, and federal regulations and best practices; participate in regular training and professional development on best practices to ensure compliance.
Participate in visit events such as Campus Previews, Registration Days and New Student Orientation preparing and presenting Financial Aid information to students and parents.

File Processing Specialist (5%)
Objective: Serve as secondary File Processing Specialist, ensuring all SAR and ISIR files are reviewed and processed in a timely manner according to all institutional, state, and federal regulations and best practices.

Responsibilities Include:

Import and review all ISIRs on a daily basis, notifying appropriate Financial Aid personnel of pertinent changes to student records.
Stay up to date on ISIR processing regulations and best practices, providing expert knowledge of the Department of Education ISIR Guide and EDE Technical Reference.

Outside Loan Coordinator (5%)
Objective: To ensure coordination of funds between Multnomah University students and private lenders.

Responsibilities Include:

Certify Alternative Loans in ElmOne and other outside loan servicers and update student awards accordingly.
Coordinate email communication following disbursements.

Federal Grant and Loan Specialist (20%)
Objective: Serve as primary coordinator of the Federal Direct Loan and Pell Grant programs.

Responsibilities Include:

Provide counseling to loan applicants and maintain required records.
Ensure students have completed all necessary steps to receive Stafford and PLUS loans.
Submit loan and grant certifications to secure and schedule loan and grant disbursements.
Check continued student eligibility before releasing funds.
Review loan eligibility and revise awards as needed for academic standing increases.
Examine Satisfactory Academic Progress for all populations, notify students of status changes as needed, including year-end GPA evaluations for academic scholarship renewal eligibility.
Coordinate the receipt of loan funds and subsequent disbursements with Student Accounts.
Troubleshoot loan software problems with COD, CPS and PowerFAIDS.
Work with other staff members to import/export loan certifications to COD for Direct Loan processing.
Process credit checks for Parent PLUS loan borrowers via COD.
Certify and disburse private loans for students who request and are approved.
Maintain awareness of applicable changes to federal loan protocols, cash management processing and interest rate changes.
Certify and disburse Oregon Opportunity Grant funds, monitoring eligibility prior to award and disbursement.
Read Dear Colleague Letters, participate in content specific webinars, engage all levels of the FSA Coach and Federal Student Aid Handbook to ensure compliance with regulations.

Communication Coordinator (10%)
Objective: To assist the Department by managing all student communications and contingent office processes.

Responsibilities Include:

Manage Student Communication Plan, ensuring team is properly trained and operating according to expectations for student communication.
Review and revise all student communications each award year and as needed. Including all PowerFAIDS emails, letters, forms, etc.
Coordinate with other departments for various student communication needs (slides, mass emails, publications, etc.)
Review and maintain Financial Aid pages on MU external website.

Project Manager (10%)
Objective: To assist the Director with student updates and reporting compliance.

Responsibilities Include:

Run Anticipated Aid rosters for Student Accounts.
Review loan eligibility and revise awards as needed for academic standing increases.
Pull reports from PowerFAIDS and/or Reporting Central as requested by the Director.
Assist with the Default Management process

COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND WORK HABITS
Objective: Maintain a Christ-like testimony in all aspects of the job.

Communicate openly and clearly in a Christ honoring and congenial manner, both within the department and to those outside the department.
Represent Multnomah well in dress and actions.
Show discernment in the use of time.
Communicate regularly and openly with Supervisor/Director.
Encourage an atmosphere of positivity, unity and collaboration among the Admissions department as well as other university departments, demonstrating support for the institutional mission and vision.
Attend and actively participate in all staff meetings.


Qualifications:
Job-Specific Requirements

Baccalaureate degree required, or 3 years related experience.
Prior experience working with PowerFAIDS preferred.
Strong written communication skills required to provide concise and high-quality counseling to students remotely.
Effective time management skills and the ability to self-direct and manage dynamic re-prioritization of tasks to best serve student needs.
Ability to classify and analyze complex data, apply understanding to financial aid eligibility criteria.
Willingness to study and develop understanding of federal regulations as they relate to financial aid in general.
Develop working knowledge of federal tax regulations as they relate to financial aid.
Demonstrated initiative and mature work habits (including appropriate use of institutional time and resources for personal internet and phone usage per the Director's discretion)
Willingness to cross-train with other financial aid staff and function in a teamwork environment
Cannot be in default on a federal student loan or in “owes repayment of a federal grant” status.
Must be able to acquire and maintain access to all Dept. of Education resource sites such as NSLDS, CPS and COD.

General Employment Requirements

Because we believe that professionally qualified, committed Christian personnel are key to the operation of a truly Christian college and seminary and that not only teachers, but all employees, by the pattern of their lives, serve as role models to our students, the job descriptions for all employment positions at Multnomah University contain the following statements relating to required personal qualities:
Employees will have received Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior, John 1:12.
Employees will be in basic agreement with the institution's doctrinal statement.
Employees will believe the Bible is God's Word and standard for faith and daily living, II Timothy 3:16-17.
Employees will be Christian role models in attitude, speech, and actions toward others. This includes being committed to God's Biblical standards for morality and sexual conduct, I Timothy 4:12; Luke 6:40; Col. 3:17; Titus 2:7-8; 1 Thessalonians 2:10 and 5:22.
Employees will be actively involved in a local church.


Employer:
Multnomah Univeristy
Contact:
Naomi Perri

Address:
8435 NE Glisan St

Work Phone:
503.251.5337

Email:
nperry@multnomah.edu

Website:
https://www.multnomah.edu/about/info/employment/