Financial Aid Counselor

Financial Aid Counselor

The Financial Aid Counselor, under the direction of the Associate Director of Financial Aid, will provide financial aid counseling to prospective students, their parents, and to our current students and their parents. This includes providing timely and accurate information about the processes for applying for financial aid at Furman, the timing of our decisions, the resources available to finance the costs of education, the role of borrowing and working, and how the "financial fit" of an institution pertains to choosing to apply to and enrolling at Furman. This position works within Furman's Enrollment Management Department, a holistic "applicant-to-graduate" unit that has the strategic and operational responsibility for meeting the institution's enrollment goals.

Position Responsibilities:

• Research and interpret student financial aid program guidelines including but not limited to those in the Federal Register, student aid handbooks, and training manuals to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and program requirements.
• Meet with students and parents concerning the financial aid process and deadlines for applying for aid according to established procedures, and assist in completing the required forms. Provide friendly and knowledgeable assistance to applicants throughout the process. Advise students and parents of requirements and processes. Give clear and concise directions about awarding to students and how the process of allocating funds to their accounts occurs.
• Assist with the processing of loan files and corrections on a timely basis with accuracy within PowerFAIDS, ELM, and Common Origination Disbursement (COD). Award loans to student accounts and adjust awards as needed. Continue to work as a team member to back up for PowerFAIDS and EDConnect processing when others are not available.
• Counsel students concerning satisfactory academic progress, withdrawals, and enrollment plans when related to all South Carolina state aid.
• Counsel students regarding their grade point average and credit requirements and the effects of any dropped, failed, or withdrawals on their South Carolina state aid eligibility.
• Reconcile state aid programs monthly. Ensure the funds received from the state match the disbursed funds in PowerFAIDS and Workday.
• Operate all financial aid software programs. Perform data entry and processing.
• Review, analyze, and package student awards according to institutional, state, and federal requirements as it pertains to all financial aid funds.
• Understand and articulate the student aid awarding process.
• Advise current and prospective students, parents, and other interested persons about financial aid programs and requirements.
• Conduct financial aid workshops and training sessions.
• Be available to travel and work a flexible schedule as needed to assist in institutional effectiveness.
• Analyze and evaluate the results of need analysis to accurately determine maximum financial need and aid eligibility for students.
• Stay abreast of conditions that affect financial aid eligibility.
• Participate in national, regional, and state conferences on student financial aid programs, practices, and related technology and communicate any information that may be needed by other Furman University departments.

Perform other duties as required:

The intent of this job classification description is to provide a representative summary of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions in this classification and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any position. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically present in this description, and some of those tasks may require night and/or weekend work.

Relationships:

• Continuous contact with members of own work unit and immediate supervisor to exchange factual information and explanation of rules, regulations, practices and/or functions.
• Frequent contact with students, parents, other departments, student workers, and general public to exchange factual information and explanation of rules, regulations, practices and/or functions.

Responsibility for Final Decisions:

• Responsible for own work, and must assume responsibility for errors and corrective action(s).
• May assist or instruct others doing similar work, including student workers.
• Some tasks are well defined and repetitive, following prescribed steps, methods and/or procedures, though much work is upon own initiative and creativity.
• Errors are readily detected in the normal course of work by standard check or crosscheck.
• Work is performed independently on routine work; non-routine issues or questions are referred to and/or handled in consultation with supervisor or Executive Director of Financial Aid as well as the associate director(s) of financial aid.

Reports to/ Supervisor: Reports to the Associate Director of Financial Aid

Required Education, Skills, and Training:

• Bachelor's degree and experience in higher education administration.
• Willingness and availability to work outside of normal business hours when workload requires such.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, including the appropriate use of grammar and mechanics.
• Ability to work as a team with inter-office and intra-office personnel to accomplish office goals and responsibilities.
• Must have excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Experience in common office software, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with social networking a plus.

Work Conditions: Work is performed under usual office conditions.

Education Requirements:

Bachelors (Required)

Certification Requirements:

Job Posting End Date (if date is blank, posting is open ended):