Financial Aid Advisor

The Financial Aid Advisor provides comprehensive financial aid advising and consultation to students, families, and community stakeholders through multi-channel service delivery. The position supports enrollment, retention, and completion by delivering targeted outreach, reducing financial barriers, and promoting informed decision-making regarding the FAFSA process, financial aid eligibility, cost of attendance, debt management, and financial planning. The Financial Aid Advisor reviews, verifies, and evaluates financial aid applications and supporting documentation to determine eligibility for financial aid programs while interpreting and applying federal, state, and institutional regulations to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timely administration of financial aid. The position serves as a subject matter expert, resolves complex financial aid matters, and collaborates with internal departments and external partners to support student success and the effective administration of financial aid programs. The work schedule for this position is flexible and may include working evenings and weekends. Reviews, verifies, and evaluates financial aid applications and supporting documentation to determine student eligibility for federal, state, institutional, and external financial aid programs. Resolves discrepancies, processes FAFSA corrections, evaluates verification requirements, interprets Institutional Student Information Records (ISIR), maintains confidential student records in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations Advises and counsels prospective and current students, families, faculty, staff, and the public regarding financial aid eligibility requirements, FAFSA procedures, funding options, scholarship opportunities, cost of attendance, responsible borrowing, loan repayment, Pell Grant lifetime eligibility, enrollment impacts, financial aid responsibilities, and available financial aid resources Responds to student and community inquiries through multiple communication channels, including in person, email, phone, text, chat, and other virtual platforms, by interpreting and applying federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations Assists students in navigating federal and institutional financial aid systems and completing financial aid forms, including studentaid.gov, NSLDS, MyPima, Ellucian Banner, Student Forms, and Scholarship Universe. Provides guidance to help students successfully complete financial aid requirements and maintain compliance with College policies and procedures Conducts needs analysis and federal verification of student and parent application data to determine eligibility for financial aid programs. Reviews and evaluates domestic, territorial, tribal, and international tax documentation and other financial records to satisfy Title IV verification requirements and complete specialized financial aid analyses, including Tribal Financial Need Analysis (FNA), when applicable Develops and delivers financial aid outreach and recruitment initiatives that promote awareness of available aid programs, support FAFSA completion, and reduce financial barriers to enrollment; prepares and maintains related outreach materials and resources Provides guidance and resolution for complex financial aid cases by analyzing regulatory requirements, researching applicable policies, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, and determining appropriate courses of action while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements Collaborates with internal departments and external partners to coordinate financial aid services, ensure the consistent application of federal, state, and institutional regulations, maintain data integrity, and support student success Serves as a subject matter expert for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs and regulations. Interprets and applies Title IV requirements, citizenship and eligible noncitizen eligibility Student Aid Index (SAI), Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), Return to Title IV (R2T4), Counts in Program of Study (CPoS), and related program requirements to resolve complex student financial aid matters Researches, analyzes, and summarizes data and prepares a variety of reports. Conducts policy and regulation interpretation, data analysis, and file reviews to identify process improvement opportunities, support regulatory compliance, and enhance operational effectiveness Assists department leadership in the implementation and maintenance of financial aid processing procedures. Utilizes federal and institutional financial aid systems to review, update, and maintain student financial aid records, ensure data integrity, and support the accurate and compliant administration of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor Associate’s degree in Business, Administration, or a closely related field of study and Three to five years of related Financial Aid, Compliance, Higher Education, experience or An equivalent combination of certification, education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above Preferred: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Certification Bachelor’s degree in related field of study and One to three years of related Financial Aid, Compliance, Higher Education, experience Additional Information: Must complete annual conduct and conflict of interest acknowledgements required to maintain authorization for access to Federal Student Aid systems, including the FAFSA Processing System (FPS), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and the U.S. Department of Education Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system. Knowledge of regulatory compliance principles and practices Knowledge of administrative procedures and practices Knowledge of internal and external customer service principles and practices Knowledge of principles and methods for promoting programs and services Skill in analyzing data and drawing conclusions Skill in organization, coordination, and management Skill in problem-solving Skill in public speaking Ability to apply analytical and critical thinking skills as well as draw conclusions and prepare accurate reports of results Ability to apply effective and accurate data entry and typing skills Skill in effective communication (both written and oral) Skill in positive, productive, and flexible customer service Ability to develop and maintain effective and positive working relationships #J-18808-Ljbffr