Financial Aid Coordinator and Data Specialist

Bennett College; Greensboro (NC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Bennett College in Greensboro, NC seeks a Financial Aid Coordinator and Data Specialist to manage student aid processes, safeguard records, and produce accurate reports for compliance and enrollment. This role combines direct student service with data duties in a primarily office-based setting, with periodic peak-period hours.

You will counsel students and families, review applications, verify FAFSA data, package awards, and generate dashboards linking admissions, aid, and enrollment to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1–3 years in financial aid administration or related data-focused role.
• Proficiency with financial aid or student information systems and standard office/data software (Excel required; SQL or reporting tools a plus).
• Excellent attention to detail and discretion with sensitive student data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students and families on financial aid options and eligibility.
• Review and process financial aid applications, including FAFSA data and verifications.
• Determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
• Package financial aid awards in compliance with regulations and policy.
• Respond to inquiries regarding award status and deadlines.
• Assist with administration of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study.
• Maintain accurate and secure student records across admissions CRM and financial aid systems.
• Develop and maintain dashboards tracking admissions funnel and financial aid processing status.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Excel

Data reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Excel

SQL

PowerFAIDS/Banner

Job description

ABOUT BENNETT COLLEGE:

Founded in 1873, Bennett College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college for women located in Greensboro, North Carolina. As one of only two historically Black colleges for women in the United States, Bennett College has a proud legacy of empowering women through academic excellence, leadership development, civic engagement, and social justice.

ABOUT BENNETT COLLEGE:

Founded in 1873, Bennett College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college for women located in Greensboro, North Carolina. As one of only two historically Black colleges for women in the United States, Bennett College has a proud legacy of empowering women through academic excellence, leadership development, civic engagement, and social justice. Bennett provides a personalized educational experience grounded in innovation, purpose, and service. The College fosters an inclusive and student-centered environment where scholars are challenged to think critically, lead courageously, and create meaningful change in their communities and beyond. Bennett College seeks professionals who are passionate about student success, committed to excellence, and dedicated to advancing the mission of educating and developing women of distinction.

GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Financial Aid Coordinator and Data Specialist supports the financial aid office by managing student financial aid processes while maintaining, analyzing, and reporting on financial aid data. This role combines direct student service with data management responsibilities, ensuring accurate processing of financial aid awards and reliable reporting for institutional and regulatory purposes.

This position is primarily office-based, with periodic evening or weekend hours during peak enrollment and financial aid processing periods (e.g., FAFSA season, orientation, registration).

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Financial Aid Coordination

• Counsel students and families on financial aid options, application procedures, and eligibility requirements.


• Review and process financial aid applications, including FAFSA data, verification documents, and appeals.


• Determine student eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid programs.


• Package financial aid awards in compliance with federal and state regulations and institutional policy.


• Respond to student and family inquiries regarding award status, deadlines, and required documentation.


• Assist with the administration of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs.


• Support satisfactory academic progress (SAP) reviews and appeals processes.

Data Management and Analysis (Admissions and Financial Aid)

• Maintain accurate and secure student records across the admissions CRM (e.g., Slate, Recruit) and financial aid management system (e.g., Banner, PowerFAIDS), ensuring data integrity from inquiry/application through enrollment and aid disbursement.


• Track and report on admissions funnel metrics (inquiries, applications, admits, deposits, yield) alongside financial aid metrics (FAFSA completion rates, award packaging status, verification completion, aid acceptance rates) to identify trends affecting enrollment.


• Build and maintain data feeds/integrations between the admissions CRM, student information system (SIS), and financial aid system to ensure applicant and aid data stay synchronized.


• Perform regular data audits comparing admissions and financial aid records to catch discrepancies (e.g., mismatched applicant IDs, missing FAFSA links, incomplete award data) before they affect student communications or disbursements.


• Analyze the relationship between aid packaging and enrollment yield to support merit and need-based aid strategy discussions with Admissions and Financial Aid leadership.


• Generate ad hoc and recurring reports for enrollment management, including net tuition revenue projections, discount rate analysis, and aid leveraging models.


• Support required federal and state reporting, including FISAP, IPEDS (including admissions and financial aid components), and state grant agency submissions.


• Reconcile applicants and aid data with the registrar’s office and business office to ensure consistency across systems throughout the enrollment lifecycle.


• Develop and maintain dashboards tracking admissions funnel and financial aid processing status for use in enrollment management meetings.


• Identify data discrepancies between admissions and financial aid platforms and collaborate with IT, the registrar, or software vendors (CRM/SIS support) to resolve system or integration issues.

Compliance and Process Improvement

• Stay current on federal Title IV regulations, state aid program requirements, and institutional policy changes.


• Assist in preparing documentation for financial aid audits and program reviews.


• Recommend process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy of aid processing and data reporting.


• Participate in training on regulatory updates and financial aid software systems.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.


• One to three years of experience in financial aid administration, higher education administration, or a related data-focused role - Strong understanding of federal and state financial aid regulations (Title IV preferred).


• Proficiency with financial aid or student information systems and standard office/data software (Excel required; SQL or reporting tools a plus).


• Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage sensitive student data with discretion.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred:

• Experience with financial aid management systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, or PowerFAIDS.


• Experience with an admissions CRM such as Slate or Technologies Recruit


• Familiarity with FISAP, IPEDS, or state aid reporting requirements, including admissions and financial aid components.


• Experience with enrollment management concepts such as discount rate, aid leveraging, or yield analysis.


• Experience building reports or dashboards from institutional data spanning admissions and financial aid.