Financial Aid Counselor

University Support Services, LLC; Ivins (UT); On-site; USD 38,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocky Vista University is seeking a Financial Aid Counselor to guide students through the entire financial aid lifecycle, from initial application and loan packaging to enrollment adjustments and repayment planning. This role emphasizes compliance with federal and private loan regulations and ongoing financial literacy for students and families.

The Counselor serves as a trusted advisor, assisting with eligibility, borrowing responsibilities, and long-term financial planning, while coordinating

Qualifications

• Minimum 2+ years in financial aid, higher education, banking, or loan counseling.
• Experience with federal and private loan processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with financial aid systems such as PowerFAIDS, Jenzabar, Banner, or similar platforms.
• Equivalent mix of education and related work experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Counsel prospective, current, and graduating students on all aspects of federal and private loan programs, including eligibility and disbursements.
• Provide individualized credit counseling to help students understand credit scores and repayment implications.
• Deliver private loan counseling and explain terms, lender requirements, and repayment responsibilities.
• Support budgeting and debt management education for students to promote responsible borrowing.
• Coordinate with Admissions, Registrar, Bursar, and Student Affairs to align aid with enrollment and billing.

Tools

PowerFAIDS

Jenzabar

Banner

Job description

The Financial Aid Counselor provides direct financial aid counseling and support to students enrolled at Rocky Vista University. This role is responsible for guiding students through the entire financial aid lifecycle—from initial application and loan packaging to enrollment adjustments, ongoing financial literacy, and repayment preparation—ensuring compliance with federal and private loan regulations.

As part of the student journey, the Counselor acts as a trusted advisor to students and families, helping them understand eligibility requirements, borrowing responsibilities, creditworthiness, and long-term financial planning. The Counselor plays a pivotal role in debt management, credit counseling, and private loan counseling, equipping students with the tools to make informed borrowing decisions, budget effectively, and prepare for successful repayment after graduation

.
This position reports to the Associate Director, Financial Ai

onsStudent Counseling & Advisem

• entCounsel prospective, current, and graduating students on all aspects of federal and private loan programs, including eligibility, application processes, disbursements, and renewal requiremen
• ts.Provide individualized credit counseling to help students understand credit scores, creditworthiness, and their impact on loan approval and repayme
• nt.Deliver private loan counseling, ensuring students fully understand loan terms, lender requirements, and repayment responsibiliti
• es.Provide debt management counseling, helping students and graduates understand responsible borrowing, repayment options, and long-term financial impa
• ct.Guide students through entrance and exit loan counseling, ensuring compliance with federal requiremen
• ts.Counsel students on budgeting, credit management, and meeting financial obligations to the University and their lende
• rs.Act as a primary point of contact for assigned caseload of active and prospective students, providing proactive outreach and timely respons
• es.Respond to all student inquiries within 24–48 hours, escalating complex cases to leadership or appropriate departments as need

ed.Application Processing & Aid Packag

• ingReview and evaluate financial aid applications, including ISIRs, to determine eligibility and resolve conflicting informati
• on.Package federal and private loans in accordance with DOE regulations and lender requiremen
• ts.Process budget adjustments, cost of attendance recalculations, and aid revisions for students with curriculum or enrollment chang
• es.Certify private loan eligibility and ensure compliance with lender and federal requiremen
• ionDevelop and deliver financial literacy education for students through one-on-one sessions, group workshops, and presentatio
• ns.Present at orientations, webinars, and class meetings to support student awareness of financial aid processes and responsibiliti
• es.Provide ongoing outreach throughout the student journey, ensuring students understand financial aid at pre-matriculation, enrollment, mid-program, and graduation mileston
• es.Monitor and track loan counseling completion, ensuring timely compliance with federal and lender requiremen
• ncePartner with Admissions, Registrar, Bursar, and Student Affairs to ensure seamless integration of aid with enrollment, billing, and student servic
• es.Maintain strict compliance with federal regulations, FERPA, Title IV, and lender polici
• es.Evaluate unusual or extenuating circumstances submitted by students for professional judgment consideration and prepare recommendations for leadersh
• ip.Attend training seminars and stay up to date on changes in financial aid regulations, loan servicing, and best practic

es.Operational Support & Report

• ingMonitor daily, weekly, and monthly financial aid reports to ensure accuracy of disbursements, enrollment status, and loan eligibili
• ty.Assist in audit preparation by ensuring files and student communications are accurate, documented, and accessib
• le.Provide administrative support for office-wide initiatives, including communication campaigns and compliance reporti
• ng.Serve as a liaison to loan servicers and lenders to support students’ aid and repayment experien
• ce.Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Associate Director of Financial

AidOther Dut

• iesProvide coverage for core functions as needed to ensure uninterrupted service to studen
• ts.Perform other duties and special projects assigned by leadersh

ip.
This description is not intended to be all-inclusive. This position may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the department/institut

ion.
Qualifica

tions
Edu

ferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and A

• erred.Equivalent combination of education and related work experience may be consi
• erienceTwo (2) or more years of experience in financial aid, higher education, banking, or loan counseling re
• quired.Experience with federal and private loan processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance pre
• ferred.Familiarity with financial aid systems such as PowerFAIDS, Jenzabar, Banner, or similar platforms pre

uded.
Knowledge, Skills, and A

• erred.Equivalent combination of education and related work experience may be consi
• erienceTwo (2) or more years of experience in financial aid, higher education, banking, or loan counseling re
• quired.Experience with federal and private loan processing, packaging, and regulatory compliance pre
• ferred.Familiarity with financial aid systems such as PowerFAIDS, Jenzabar, Banner, or similar platforms pre

udgment.
Physical Demands and Working C

• onditionsWork is primarily performed in an office environment with standard office e
• quipment.Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods, occasionally lift up to 20 pounds, and perform repetitive
• motions.Occasional travel between campuses may be