Financial Aid Specialist

Community College of Philadelphia; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Financial Aid Specialist to join their team. This role involves providing exceptional support to students navigating the financial aid process, ensuring they receive the necessary guidance and resources. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication and customer service skills, along with a solid understanding of financial aid regulations. You'll work closely with diverse student populations and collaborate with various departments to resolve issues effectively. If you're passionate about helping students succeed and thrive in a dynamic educational environment, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

College-paid medical insurance

Tuition remission

403(b) retirement plan

Flexible spending accounts

Paid vacation

Partial remote work schedule

Paid holidays

Personal time off

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with excellent communication skills.
• Knowledge of financial aid regulations and customer service experience.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students on financial aid processes and eligibility.
• Assist in applying for loans and scholarships, resolving issues.
• Collaborate with various offices to resolve financial aid problems.

Skills

Communication Skills

Customer Service Skills

Financial Aid Regulations Knowledge

Interpersonal Skills

Judgment and Decision Making

Multitasking

Positive Attitude

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

Ellucian Banner

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Interested candidates should complete an online application.

• Cover Letter of interest and resume required.
• Name and contact information of 3 references required.
• Employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of background checks in accordance with PA Child Protective Services Law.
• Must be legally eligible to work in the U.S.

Position Information

Position Title: Financial Aid Specialist

Requisition Number: SCA00756

General Description

The Financial Aid Specialist is a Financial Aid team member assigned to the College’s Campus. This position reports to the Manager of Financial Aid Operations. This position coordinates the intake process for students who need financial aid counseling and provides expertise while assisting front counter staff in responding to students with questions related to financial aid to ensure students receive the highest level of customer service and support. This position collaborates with the Student Tuition Services Office, Office of Records and Registration, Office of Dean of Students and various other offices to research and resolve financial aid payment problems, bookstore credits, holds and other matters affecting student aid. The Financial Aid Specialist counsels students and parents on financial aid; reviews, verifies and awards financial aid packages; represents the College at on-campus and off-campus events, and assists in the supervision of the Office’s federal work-study students.

This posting is for two positions – one position is currently located at our Main Campus and the other is located at our Northeast Regional Center. Please note that work locations are subject to change based on the operational needs of the College.

Specific Responsibilities

• Counsel prospective students, continuing students, parents and families regarding the financial aid application process and eligibility for Federal and State aid, and assist them with the on-line process of completing a FAFSA application.
• Assist students in applying for Federal and private loans and scholarships, understanding and completing the institutional payment plan, and resolve rejected aid applications.
• Communicate with students and families via written, voice, and electronic media in order to relay information about student’s eligibility or to request further documentation to determine eligibility.
• Track documentation received by students utilizing the document management process; create files for new students and continuing students; appropriately file, at Main Campus, documents received at Regional Centers and merge documents for students that possess duplicate files.
• Update student’s aid in Banner, add student loans to student’s aid package; correspond with Coordinator, Student Loan Program to ensure student is receiving appropriate amount requested.
• Verify information on the Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR) and compare with the information on the student’s or parent’s Federal tax return.
• Collaborate with outside offices, research and resolve financial aid payment problems, including those identified by Student Tuition Services office and Office of Student Records and Registration.
• Resolve Student Tuition Services Office holds and explain resolution to students.
• Work with advisors and counselors to make recommendations to students who were dropped for poor scholarship; correspond with Records and Registration to resolve enrollment status issues and to ensure that student has completed required testing.
• Conduct workshops and presentations for new and continuing students.
• Generate and reconcile reports.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Any and all degrees must be from a recognized institutional accreditor.
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills in all media (phone, face to face, and email).
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial aid regulations required.
• Experience working with people from culturally diverse and economic backgrounds.
• Ability to use independent judgment in making administrative/procedural decisions with minimal supervision.
• Strong customer services and collaboration skills required.
• Commitment to the mission of an urban community college required.
• Must be able to foster a positive and productive work environment, with ability to help lead and motivate staff, and model exceptional service to internal and external customers.
• Ability to demonstrate a positive attitude towards daily challenges and ability to process high volumes of work with accuracy required.
• Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous priorities and meet deadlines required.
• Demonstrated proficiency using MS Word and Excel, and Internet applications; experience with Ellucian Banner highly desirable.
• Access to reliable transportation is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) year of financial aid work experience preferred.
• Experience in, and appreciation for, a collective bargaining environment is preferred.

Work Location

Work Location Main Campus, NERC, CATC, NWRC

Benefits Summary

“Success Starts Here” at Community College of Philadelphia. We recognize that our success as a college and the success of our students starts with our employees. Our employees are vital to our success. Our total compensation package includes a comprehensive offer of benefits that are unrivaled by most.

Full-time faculty and staff benefits include:

• College-paid medical, dental, drug, life and disability insurance
• Tuition remission (for classes at the college)
• Forgivable tuition loan (for classes at any accredited academic institution)
• 403(b) retirement plan with 10% College contribution with employee contribution 5%
• Flexible spending accounts
• Paid vacation, holiday and personal time
• Partial remote work schedule for remote work eligible positions

Additional College benefits:

• Winter break: 1 week around the third week in December and New Years
• Spring Break: 1 week in March
• Summer Hours: 4-day work week (closed on Fridays) from the 2nd week in May through the 3rd week in August