Senior Information Officer, Customer Service (Financial Aid)

University of Ottawa; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 68,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Ottawa is hiring for a Student Financial Aid Services role at the Main Campus to guide students through aid programs, review eligibility, and ensure compliant case management. You will respond to inquiries, perform documentation reviews, and coordinate with departments to support timely aid processing.

The position requires bilingual French and English, strong customer service, and solid Excel and MS 365 skills, with a focus on accuracy and professional discretion under deadlines.

Qualifications

• Postsecondary education in a related discipline or equivalent mix of education and work experience.
• Minimum 2 years experience in client service or financial aid administration.
• Bilingualism in French and English required at advanced levels.
• Proven customer service and ability to be a knowledgeable resource.
• Strong administrative writing and presenting skills.
• Solid understanding of postsecondary programs and academic regulations.
• Proficient Excel skills and MS 365 suite proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Provide information to students and clients about financial aid, deadlines, and scholarships.
• Review eligibility and process financial aid files per guidelines.
• Apply applicable regulations to ensure compliance.
• Maintain reference materials and update databases.
• Serve as liaison with government authorities and internal departments.
• Deliver information sessions to students and stakeholders.
• Address routine concerns and escalate complex issues when needed.
• Process institutional financial assistance and document handling.
• Support team operations and onboarding of staff.

Skills

Customer service

Administrative writing

Presentation skills

Analytical abilities

Interpersonal skills

Bilingualism (French & English)

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Postsecondary education in a related discipline

Tools

Excel

Microsoft 365 (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Talisma

uOcampus

AI resources

Job description

Job Posting Details

Job Type: Employee

Anticipated Duration in Months (for contracts and temporary assignments): 12

Job Family: Student and Campus Support

# of Open Positions: 1

Faculty/Service - Department: Student Affairs, Financial Aid and Awards Services

Campus: Main Campus

Union Affiliation: SSUO

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD): 2026/09/10

Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD): 2026/09/21

Hours per week: 35

Salary Grade: SSUO Grade 08

Salary Range: $68,149.00 - $86,083.00

About Student Affairs:

Student Affairs is at the very heart of the student experience at the University of Ottawa. We recruit the very best future students, support them throughout their university years and leave them well-prepared for fulfilling careers and future studies. Our team of more than 600 dedicated staff provides the services that keep students happy, well and thriving as they pursue their ambitions. We help them apply and enrol for courses, we oversee 11 residences and an award-winning Dining Hall, we organize fun events, we provide extensive recreation program opportunities and varsity sports activities, we run an innovative career development and experiential learning program and much more! There’s nothing more rewarding than helping future generations reach their full potential at a world-class university. With our wide variety of career opportunities and professional development pathways, we’re sure that you’ll enjoy the experience as much as our students do.

Position purpose:

The position supports student success by delivering guidance and client services related to financial assistance programs, reviewing eligibility, and ensuring fair, accurate, and compliant case‑management. The role exercises sound judgment in handling highly confidential personal and financial information, navigating complex student circumstances, and resolving sensitive issues with professionalism, discretion, and a client-centered approach. The position contributes to service excellence by providing information to students, staff, and stakeholders on policies, procedures, and funding options, supporting staff knowledge development, and collaborating with faculties and service units to enhance processes, strengthen service delivery, and uphold regulatory and institutional standards.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Provides clear and courteous information to students, parents, and prospective clients in person, by phone, and in writing regarding financial aid programs, eligibility requirements, documentation, deadlines, and scholarship opportunities.
• Reviews student financial information and supporting documentation to assess eligibility for financial assistance programs according to established guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Applies federal, provincial, ministerial, and University of Ottawa regulations and procedures to process financial aid files accurately and ensure compliance with program requirements.
• Maintains reference materials and updates internal databases as required.
• Serves as a point of contact for students, government loan authorities, internal departments, and external institutions by providing accurate information related to enrolment confirmation, student status, and financial aid processes.
• Provides information sessions and guidance to students, parents, and internal stakeholders on financial aid policies, procedures, and application requirements.
• Responds to client concerns and complaints, assesses the nature of issues, and resolves routine matters while referring complex or sensitive situations to the supervisor when required.
• Processes institutional financial assistance within delegated procedures (e.g., emergency support or food coupons), ensuring proper documentation and accurate record keeping.
• Supports team operations by sharing knowledge with colleagues and assisting in the onboarding of new staff and student employees as needed.
• Coordinates the collection and submission of required documentation with faculties and service units to support timely processing of financial aid files.

What you will bring:

• Postsecondary education in a related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in client service, financial aid administration, or a similar environment, with knowledge of financial aid programs, government regulations or administrative procedures related to student funding.
• Bilingualism: French and English (spoken and written), to be considered for this position, candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.
• Proven customer service experience and the ability to act as a knowledgeable resource person for colleagues and partners.
• Strong administrative writing skills.
• Proficient ability to deliver presentations to diverse audiences.
• Solid understanding of postsecondary programs, academic regulations and the implications of academic standing on eligibility of financial assistance.
• Intermediate to advanced Excel skills and proficiency in multiple systems such as Microsoft 365: Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, Talisma, uOcampus, AI resources.
• Ability to work in multiple ministerial and provincial academic confirmation of enrollment systems.
• Strong analytical abilities, problem-solving skills and the capacity to properly interpret and apply complex regulations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgement, tact, diplomacy and the ability to work under pressure with strict deadlines.

Key Competencies at uOttawa:

• Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
• Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self‑starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
• Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
• Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence.

The University of Ottawa is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [e-mail] to communicate the accommodation need.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above;

If this is a front‑line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid‑19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid‑19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.

Start by filtering by Full/Part‑time Then filter by Job Type: Academic Term for Part‑Time Professor positions Academic Regular for Full‑Time Professor positions For Canada Research Chair positions, filter the Academic Regular results by the Job Profile filter for “CRC” Admin Regular or Admin Term for all administrative and support positions, including management and senior leadership roles Student for TA/RA positions and other part‑time positions available to students.

Then filter by Job Category or by Faculty/Service IF you are currently an active employee of the University of Ottawa, please apply using your worker profile in Workday and NOT through this external site.

The University of Ottawa is the largest bilingual (English‑French) university in the world. Located at the heart of Canada’s capital, we have ready access to the great institutions of our country. Our advances in social sciences, health, engineering, science and the humanities make uOttawa a unique place to learn, grow and excel.

The University of Ottawa aspires to employing a staff that fully represents the diversity of Canada's population. As a result, it is committed to employment equity principles and aims to provide an inclusive and barrier‑free workplace.

The University of Ottawa offers a generous pay and benefits package that includes a competitive salary, a defined benefit pension plan, group insurance coverage and an employee and family assistance program.

Explore Our Benefits