Financial Aid Coordinator

Jackson College; Jackson (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Jackson College is seeking a Financial Aid Specialist to guide students through the financial aid process from application to award determination and disbursement. The role handles inquiries from students, families, and staff, and supports CEP by traveling to correctional facilities to assist with financial aid duties.

The position requires strong interpersonal skills, accuracy in document processing, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative college environment.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team and manage competing priorities.
• Familiarity with financial aid software including Colleague, AIDE and SoftDocs is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Financial aid counseling and advising.
• Manage incoming mail and provide training to student workers.
• Assist in processing and documenting financial aid files.
• Coordinate verification documents and professional judgment as needed.
• Cross-train in federal and state aid programs.
• Travel to correctional facilities to support CEP program.

Skills

Financial aid counseling

Customer service

Communication

Team collaboration

Microsoft Word

Excel

Attention to detail

Education

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Colleague

AIDE

SoftDocs

Job description

Summary

The Financial Aid Specialist plays a vital role in working with students/families. This role assists students through the financial aid process from initial application to final determination of eligibility and disbursement of funds. This position responds to student, parent, and College staff inquiries regarding the financial aid process. Assist in responding to phone calls and the ACD line. Assist with walk-in visits from students and/or parents. Crostrain in all other financial aid processes. This position also supports the Corrections Education Program (CEP), therefore this position requires travel to the correctional facilities to assist with financial aid duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Other duties may be assigned.

• Financial Aid Counseling and Advising
• Manage and monitor processing of all incoming internal and external mail. Provide materials and training for student workers, center staff and other student services team members to better assist students and prospects with financial aid needs.
• Assist in managing the workload for the financial aid student employee.
• Collect financial aid documents from students and review them for accuracy and request additional documentation as necessary.
• Assist in updating Colleague regarding student status and adjust awards on AIDE as needed.
• Assist with financial aid historical student records. Assist with financial aid scanning and retrieval within SoftDocs.
• Manage and maintain the financial aid e-mail account and fax machine.
• Answer the financial aid ACD telephone line.
• Create and maintain communication flows to prospect/applicants to encourage application and assisting through the admission process. Serve as a liaison for the CEP program and travel as needed to correctional facilities to support the CEP program; as such will need to pass a Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) clearance.
• Program Management and Coordination
• Award Scholarships (JCF, private donors, athletics, institutional, TRiO, etc.), Employee Waivers, Sponsorships, Gift Cards, and Foster Youth program
• Processing of Verification documentation and other related documents for Professional Judgment.
• Cross training in all aspects of Federal and State financial aid programs.
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures, and systems to streamline the delivery of financial aid resources to eligible students.
• Cross training in Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Return of Title IV funding.
• Assist with other tasks in the financial aid office and in Student Services, as needed.
• Responsible for understanding, supporting and actively demonstrating the College’s beliefs, values, mission and vision and being in agreement to be evaluated by same.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

CONTACTS AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS

Internal: Frequent contact with CEP staff, student development, business office, and information technology staff in information sharing/gathering and problem-solving capacity. Regular contact and collaborative work with other staff, faculty, and administration members.

External: Frequent contact with students and parents often in stressful situations. Regular contact with the public and prospective students in a service providing capacity. Some contact may be required with the U.S. Department of Education Federal Pell Grant Program. Some work may be required with in the correctional facilities for Second Chance Pell.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty and responsibility. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Associate degree required, Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) preferred; or six months to one year of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required

• Associate Degree
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and effectively manage competing priorities.
• Knowledge of office software including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of six months to one year of experience working in financial aid, student services, higher education, or a related field preferred.

Other Skills and Abilities

Ability to organize complex technical information and data. Ability to deal effectively with students and the public. Ability to work extensively with Colleague and with personal computers. Ability to assume decision-making responsibilities with minimum supervision.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively with groups of customers or employees of organizations.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, and diagram or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and color vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

“This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required and shall not be construed as declaring the specific duties and responsibilities. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign direct, and control the work of employees under his or her supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.”

Supplemental Information

The College reserves the right to request proof of degree or certification at a later date if these documents are required as part of the qualifications for the position.

Final candidates will be subject to a criminal background as part of the employment process.

If selected you will be required to complete the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Employment Eligibility Verification form I-9 and provide documentation verifying identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Jackson College is NOT able to support Visa applications for employment at the college. Applicants must already be eligible to work in the United States to be considered.

Applicants with disabilities may request accommodation to complete the application and interview process. Please notify Human Resources at least three (3) working days prior to the date of need.

A copy of Jackson College’s Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report is available on the JC Campus Safety & Security website. The security report contains crime statistics for the previous three years for all of our campus locations and the annual fire safety report, which contains statistics for any reported fires in campus housing units and fire safety systems in these buildings. Additionally, the report contains policies, available resources and information concerning personal safety, fire safety and reporting procedures for both crimes and fires.

Applicants have rights under Federal employment laws. Jackson College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively supports workforce diversity.