Grants & Loans Specialist
Chapman University
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Job summary
Chapman University in California seeks a Grants & Loans Specialist to oversee annual and endowed scholarships, federal and state grants, and loan programs within the Financial Aid Office. You will act as the primary expert on grants and loans and help ensure accurate awarding and compliance.
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Financial Aid, you will evaluate internal practices, coordinate with University Advancement, and support enrollment and student financial literacy
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education/experience.
- Two years of financial aid administration with knowledge of federal/state laws.
- Experience with Pell Grant, SEOG, Cal Grant, and Direct Loan programs.
- Ability to interpret and apply Financial Aid rules.
- Clear, accurate communication of complex procedures to Chapman community.
- Strong interpersonal skills for campus meetings and reporting needs.
- Strong organizational skills to prioritize deadlines.
- Strong analytical skills for research and process improvement.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office.
- Maintain confidentiality and FERPA compliance.
- Judgment in routine to critical matters.
- Apply regulations and coordinate with Compliance Specialist.
- Bookkeeping skills to reconcile grants, scholarships, and loans.
- Ability to work independently and as a team.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a grants and loans expert for the Financial Aid Office.
- Track and process annual and endowed scholarships and special programs.
- Support federal and state grant and loan programs.
- Coordinate with Financial Services, University Advancement, and Financial Aid to award scholarships.
- Review eligibility and awarding criteria for all scholarships.
- Update student financial aid offers with appropriate awards.
- Provide reports to University Advancement on awards.
- Establish financial aid item types for new scholarships.
- Be the central contact for annual and endowed scholarships.
- Monitor awarding and billing for special grant programs.
- Maintain awarding protocols and work with Financial Aid Counselors.
- Maintain MOUs and related documents.
- Act as central contact for Office of Admission and others.
- Collaborate on awarding/reporting for state/federal programs.
- Coordinate SEOG awarding.
- Serve as loan expert in tracking/processing loans.
- Coordinate on-campus entrance counseling and financial literacy programs.
- Process and monitor student, parent, and private loans.
- Determine eligibility and quality control loan awards.
- Set yearly disbursement dates with management.
- Complete reconciliation for loan programs.
- Research and resolve complex problems; maintain loan statistics.
- Evaluate internal practices and propose improvements.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Grants & Loans Specialist
Regular
SA92124
full-time 40 hours weekly
Exempt
$70,304 - $72,000
Chapman University is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this position. This range takes into account a variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Salary offers are determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience, as well as internal equity and other internal factors. The anticipated pay range is not a promise of a particular wage.
The Grants & Loans Specialist reports to the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Financial Aid and serves as the primary grants and scholarships expert for in the Financial Aid Office tracking and processing annual and endowed scholarships, special programs, as well as federal and state grant programs. Provides expertise in processing federal and private loans. Proactively evaluate internal practices, procedures and policies and recommend changes or enhancements based on current and proposed regulations. Perform other duties as assigned or requested.
Serve as a grants and loans expert for the Financial Aid Office tracking and processing annual and endowed scholarships, special programs, as well as federal and state grant and loans programs.
- Coordinate with Financial Services, University Advancement, and Financial Aid colleagues to award annual and endowed scholarships in a timely manner
- Review eligibility and awarding criteria for all annual and endowed scholarships
- Update student financial aid offers with appropriate awards.
- Provide reports and information to University Advancement regarding students awarded
- Establish financial aid item types consistent with new annual and endowed scholarships
- Central point of contact for University Advancement for annual and endowed scholarships
- Monitor the awarding and bills of students awarded in one of the university’s special grant programs throughout the academic year
- Maintain awarding protocols for all special programs and work with Financial Aid Counselors to determine best practices for awarding
- Maintain documentation of MOUs and other relevant documents for special programs
- Central point of contact for Office of Admission and others for special programs
- Work with Financial Aid Counselors to determine best practices for awarding and reporting
- Provide key support for reconciliation of state and federal programs
- Coordinate SEOG awarding process
- Serve as a loan expert in the Financial Aid Office tracking and processing all loans and loan-related issues, coordinating on-campus entrance counseling while implementing and maintaining a campus-wide financial literacy program.
- Process and monitor all student, parent and private loans in accordance with applicable federal, state laws and regulations, institutional policies
- Determine student eligibility for loans and quality control award loans to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state regulations
- With management team, establish yearly disbursement dates based on academic calendar
- Complete reconciliation for all loan programs
- Assist in researching and resolving highly complex problems and maintaining statistics related to loans, student indebtedness, default and default prevention
- Evaluate internal practices, procedures and policies and recommend changes or enhancements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education/experience
- A minimum of two years financial aid administration experience with strong current knowledge of federal and state financial aid laws and regulations.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Pell Grant, SEOG, Cal Grant, and Direct Loan programs
- Demonstrated skill in interpreting and applying Financial Aid rules and regulations
- Proven ability to communicate clearly and accurately complex procedures and eligibility rules to Chapman community
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to meet with campus constituents as well as meet the reporting request needs of these constituents
- Strong organizational skills to prioritize projects and deadlines
- Strong analytical skills to research information and resolve complex problems, as well as assess processes and provide recommendation for improvement
- Computer skills in the use of Microsoft Office Suite applications
- Ability to demonstrate tact and diplomacy and maintain a high level of confidentiality and strict adherence to FERPA as well as the ability to determine if requests from internal constituents are consistent with FERPA
- Demonstrated ability to make appropriate decisions and sound judgments on routine to critical matters
- Ability to understand and apply relevant regulations, policies and procedures in a responsible manner and to work with the Compliance Specialist to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations
- Bookkeeping skills to be able to reconcile grant and scholarships programs as well as loan programs and conduct quality control of data
- Ability to work independently and be a team player when needed
- Financial aid administration experience in a private non-profit institution
- Previous experience in annual and endowed scholarship awarding and stewardship
At Chapman University, we believe collaboration thrives through in-person engagement. This position is fully on campus, and employees work alongside colleagues, faculty, students, and staff each day to support our vibrant university community.
Chapman University is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of their protected characteristics. All qualified applicants and employees are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.
Applicants for Staff and Administrator positions must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
The offer of employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion and outcomes of a criminal background screening and returning to the Office of Human Resources a signed original acceptance of the Chapman University Agreement to Arbitrate.
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