Temporary Financial Aid Specialist

Dickinson; Carlisle, Northern (Cumberland County, KY); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA is seeking a Financial Aid Specialist to review aid applications, determine eligibility, and prepare offers using PowerFAIDS. The role supports Senior Associate and Director-level work and collaborates across departments to ensure enrollment goals are met.

The ideal candidate will have an Associate degree (Bachelor's preferred), experience with federal/state aid and CSS Profile, and strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience with financial aid packaging.
• Knowledge of FAFSA and CSS Profile.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication; organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Review financial aid applications and package to meet enrollment goals.
• Verify eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid; reconcile FAFSA and CSS Profile.
• Ensure compliance with policies; participate in trainings and webinars.
• Review and process Federal Direct Loans and private loans.
• Meet with students virtually to answer questions about aid.
• Assist in preparing and cleaning up financial aid reporting.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Financial aid packaging

Communication skills

Time management

Education

Associate's degree

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

PowerFAIDS

Job description

This is a temporary, full-time position for a one-year term, with a possibility of extension. SummaryThe Financial Aid Specialist will be responsible for reviewing institutional and federal financial aid applications, determining financial aid eligibility, and creating financial aid offers, using Dickinson’s financial aid system, PowerFAIDS. This person will be responsible for Senior Associate and Director level work. Serves as a professional resource for staff/system given knowledge and expertise in PowerFAIDS. May conduct Q/A sessions as learn new system. Based on past experience, may contribute insights to practices and new system. This role also entails supporting the Loan Specialist with Federal Direct Loan and private/alternative loan certification. This individual will ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional financial aid policies. Essential Functions* Review financial aid applications, resolve conflicting information, and package prospective and returning student financial aid to ensure affordability while meeting the college's enrollment, retention, and financial goals.* Verify student eligibility for institutional, federal, and state financial aid by reconciliation of differences between the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and CSS profile and confirming eligibility after thorough verification of documents including parent and student tax return, W-2 forms and other required verification worksheets.* Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies, and participation in training opportunities and webinars to stay current on regulation changes.* Review and process Federal Direct Loan and private/alternative loan application as needed. Other Duties and Responsibilities* Resolve over awards.* Meet virtually with students regarding financial aid questions.* Assist in clean up reports.* Other duties as determined or assigned. Supervisory Responsibilities* Not responsible for supervising others. Requirements* Associate's degree, required.* Bachelor's degree, preferred* Prior experience with financial aid packaging in PowerFAIDS* Demonstrated knowledge of financial aid application process* Prior experience with College's Board CSS Profile and institutional methodology* Ability to comply with all federal, state, and institutional policies* Ability to work independently, take initiative, and follow through on tasks with minimal supervision* Strong written and verbal communication skills, organization and time-management skills* Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines, professional judgement, discretion, and a collaborative approach to working across departments, strong partnerships, with a service orientation and genuine interest in institutional mission Work Experience* 3-5 years Independence of Action* Results are defined and existing practices are used as guidelines to determine specific work methods and carries out work activities independently; supervisor/manager is available to resolve problems. Equipment Used* Standard office equipment Physical/Environmental Demands* Office environment* No specific or unusual physical demands