Job Description

The Financial Aid Advisor serves as the first point of contact for visitors to the Office of Financial Aid and provides excellent customer service, while efficiently handling a variety of administrative responsibilities. The position performs a variety of complex duties involved in providing financial aid services and recommending available alternatives for students; process and verifying student financial aid loan applications; developing and awarding student financial aid packages per prescribed policies, procedures, regulations, and guidelines; exercising professional judgment to determine whether adjustments should be made regarding student eligibility; investigate, analyze information, and solve problems with students, staff, and/or faculty. Positions assigned to this classification perform office-related and customer-assisting services that include complex and varied task and requires a high degree of independent judgment.

• This position is exempt.
• This position reports to the Assistant Director of Financial Aid.
• The starting salary for this position is $45,691 depending on experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide continuous financial aid assistance and counseling services daily to students, parents, university staff, and other constituents regarding financial aid policy and processes through email, telephone, in-person, presentations, and social media.
• Assist and advise students applying for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs; research available options and sources; discuss various eligibility criteria and explain ineligibility as necessary; interpret and explain the College’s financial aid policies and procedures.
• Provide students with proper applications, documents, forms, and reading materials; order brochures, applications, and forms as necessary; assist students in filling out and reviewing applications and supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Analyze and verify financial data and evaluate student and parent ability to pay for education; evaluate and verify financial aid applications to determine eligibility requirements including parent and student income and assets, household size, untaxed income, investments, and business assets and debts.
• Prepare and award well-balanced financial aid packages based upon determined needs; disperse award notification; advise students on terms, conditions, requirements, and limitations of awards; resolve data conflicts and over-awards as necessary.
• Visit secondary schools, community colleges, and community groups to promote and explain the University's financial aid program.
• Represent the Office of Financial Aid to one or more college departments and offices.
• Maintain financial aid student records and other records by reviewing and updating pertinent data via remote computer terminal; review and prepare computer inputs under prescribed guidelines.
• Participate in a full range of reporting duties; assist in compiling, analyzing, and maintaining data for the maintenance of various records and the preparation of various reports.
• Maintain current knowledge and learn new state and federal laws, rules, and regulations about financial aid; attend seminars, conferences, workshops, and other training sessions; participate in the development of new/revised procedures to accommodate changes that will positively affect efficiency and quality of services provided.
• Coordinate and oversee one or more administrative programs and/or service areas as assigned.
• Monitor, review, and maintain private loan reports; determine student eligibility and award grants according to established parameters; report all applicant eligibility and payments.
• Oversee the student loan program; develop procedures to facilitate the student loan application and disbursement process; prepare and send loan application response letters.
• Conduct presentations, workshops, and orientations to inform high school students, the community, and various groups of financial aid program requirements and deadlines.
• Interact with federal, state, scholarship, social services, and related agencies and financial institutions to facilitate the student eligibility process.
• Respond to inquiries, research, and resolve problems related to transactions handled by the unit; serve as a liaison with other constituencies in the resolution of day-to-day administrative and operational issues.
• Train and serve as an operational resource to other staff and/or students, as appropriate; may supervise student employees or lower-level staff.
• Provide borrowers with information concerning the income potential of occupations relevant to their course of study, counseling at various stages of enrollment, interactive tools to manage debt, repayment options, information relevant to the prevention and management of defaults, as well as resources to enhance the information.
• Utilize professional judgment to adjust a student’s eligibility based on documented mitigating circumstances per federal statutes; may refer complex eligibility situations to the Director.
• Provide support to students experiencing family, personal or economic crises, which may influence school performance; work with special needs populations to identify unique needs and coordinate appropriate services.
• Monitor and evaluate satisfactory academic progress, or academic eligibility, of students. Review and approve/deny student appeals relating to academic progress.
• Functional support for the Student Information Management Systems, CAMS Enterprise
• Other duties as assigned.

Other skills important to this position:

• Strong oral and written communication
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to work well with potential applicants, advisors, etc.
• Must have the ability to relate well with a diverse student population and other constituencies, particularly of the Southwestern US and Northern Mexico Border region
• Ability to maintain a high energy level and enthusiasm for Burrell College
• Ability to respond to difficult situations calmly and with credibility.
• Respect for and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to occasionally travel throughout the year, including weekends and evenings.
• Must have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the laws, regulations, and guidelines related to student financial assistance, as well as a good understanding of the technical support required for the efficient operation of the programs of the office

Minimum Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• One to three years of related experiences
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in medical college financial aid administration
• Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Title IV verification experience is highly preferred.
• Experience with CAMS

Note: Applicants must currently be authorized to lawfully work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however, a review of resumes is scheduled to begin immediately. Salary is commensurate with experience. EOE.

Applications should be submitted by electronic submission via the Burrell College Work Opportunities website.

https://burrell.edu/administrative-services/human-resources/work-opportunities/

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is an equal-opportunity employer
and values diversity in our faculty and staff as an important aspect of the educational process.
BCOM encourages individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences to apply.

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