Financial Aid Specialist II

Grand Canyon Education, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. seeks a detailed Financial Aid Specialist to manage federal aid programs, scholarships and alternative loans. You will verify eligibility, audit documents and ensure FERPA confidentiality while supporting students and departments.

Responsibilities include data entry, processing disbursements, and staying current on regulations through workshops and training. Strong collaboration and accuracy are essential in a fast-paced higher education environment.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with Title IV federal student financial aid programs.
• Ability to interpret and clarify federal, state and University regulations and policies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently within a team environment.
• Accurate, thorough and very detail oriented.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment meeting quality and quantity requirements within timelines.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite and willingness to perform data input.
• Sound judgment and critical thinking skills in complex matters.
• Good organizational ability and strategy.
• Ability to deal professionally with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Review and process federal financial aid, scholarships, and alternative loans.
• Verify information for completeness and eligibility.
• Audit financial aid documents for compliance with regulations and policies.
• Input data into databases accurately and efficiently.
• Determine eligibility for alternative loans.
• Review student appeals and assist with holds and communication with departments.
• Process all payments and disbursements for financial aid.
• Ensure confidentiality under FERPA and protect student information.
• Attend trainings to stay current on regulations and programs.
• Assist with training new Financial Aid Specialists.

Skills

Title IV knowledge

Regulatory interpretation

Team collaboration

Detail oriented

MS Office proficiency

Data entry

Critical thinking

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Three years' financial aid counseling/advising/processing experience (preferred)

Tools

CampusVue

Banner

Job description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

Include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Reviews and processes various forms of financial aid including Federal financial aid (Title IV), scholarships and alternative loans.
• Verifies information on student financial aid applications for completeness, accuracy and eligibility for financial aid.
• Audits required financial aid documents including Master Promissory notes, Entrance Counseling, etc. to confirm compliance with local, state and federal regulations and policies.
• Accurately inputs data, information, changes, corrections and new awards into database(s).
• Determines and certifies eligibility for alternative loans generating significant resources for students and revenue for the University.
• Reviews/evaluates student appeals of financial aid award determinations and intercedes for students with participating departments.
• Performs research on approval status of all financial aid.
• Reviews and/or flag student accounts for holds, collections, etc.
• Processes vocational rehabilitation and JTPA authorization forms.
• Processes all payments and disbursements for financial aid funds accurately and efficiently.
• Ensures confidentiality by monitoring for FERPA regulation by monitoring the students' consent flags to share information with parents.
• Ensures confidentiality of students' and/or parents' financial information.
• Attends professional workshops, meetings and training sessions to assure adequate professional development and to keep current on state grants and scholarships, federal programs, veterans' programs, scholarships and federal, state and University regulations related to financial aid.
• Exercises professional judgment and initiative to make recommendations for continual process improvement within the Office of Financial Aid.
• May assist with training new Financial Aid Specialists.
• May assist with presenting college financial aid information to outside groups.

Supervisory Responsibilities

QUALIFICATIONS

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to successfully perform the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Familiarity with Title IV federal student financial aid programs, scholarships, private programs, grants and other post-secondary financial aid fund availability.
• Ability to accurately interpret and clarify federal, state and University regulations and policies as related to financial aid.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally within a team environment, and to work independently when necessary; establishes and maintains effective working relationships.
• Accurate, thorough and very detail oriented.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high volume environment meeting quality and quantity requirements within timelines.
• Proficient with computer software and systems including MS Office Suite and willingness to perform data input.
• Sound judgment and critical thinking skills particularly as pertaining to more complex matters. The effects of errors in judgment can be detrimental to students and damage the reputation of the University with regard to student enrollment and financial aid.
• Good organizational ability and strategy.
• Ability to deal professionally and appropriately with diverse populations.

Education And/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution is preferred.
• Three years' financial aid counseling/advising/processing work experience, preferably within the GCU community.
• Work experience with CampusVue or other financial aid software systems/database(s) (such as Banner) is preferred.
• Must be willing to work over time when needed.
• Must be able to pass pre-employment background investigation
• Cannot be delinquent or in default on a federal student loan as verified in your credit report. If in a rehabilitation program, your credit report must reflect that you are current, not delinquent, on your payments.

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.

The following physical demands are estimated by the amount of time spent. Usually, the amount of time spent will be estimated on a daily basis, but depending on the position could be estimated on a weekly basis or a monthly basis.

Constantly: 60%+ or 5-8 hrs/shift Occasionally: 10%-25% or 1-2 hrs/shift Frequently: 25%-60% or 4-5 hrs/shift Rarely: Less than 10% or less than 2 hrs/shift

• Work is characterized as more than 50% sedentary performed primarily at a desk in an office environment.
• Work constantly involves repetitive motion, using a computer QWERTY keyboard inputting data, preparing reports on a computer or laptop; constantly involves the use of hands, wrists, fingers, shoulders, neck and forearms for keyboarding and movement of a mouse.
• Work constantly involves the use of a computer monitor to view, review, read, research, identify data, compare data, identify errors, reconcile information.
• Work constantly involves close up work with the computer monitor to review, track and respond to correspondence.
• Work constantly involves communicating with staff, and rarely students, via telephone, email, instant messaging, or similar means.
• Occasionally involves the ability to move about the office and/or office complex.
• Occasionally involves lifting and/or carrying or moving boxes of up to 30 pounds from one location to another on campus or to deliver to other locations off campus.
• Constantly requires mental acuity for planning, organizing, assessing information; multi-tasking; meeting deadlines; using sound judgment; formulating recommendations; and problem solving; performing mathematical calculations; prolonged concentration and focus while viewing data on a computer monitor.