Financial Aid Advisor

FINANCIAL AID ADVISOR

Full-time employment Compensation negotiable based on experience. About us Don't just get a job, have a career that makes a difference in the world every day! Great Lakes Institute of Technology located in Erie, PA is making a difference in our community through educating tomorrow's workforce. We are professional, agile, supportive and our goal is to create a student-centered environment by empowering individuals with the knowledge, practical skills, and experience necessary to reach career and life goals. Our institution is committed to providing quality education and training standards through a program of continuous assessment and improvement. Do you want your career to matter? Do you love the idea of making a positive difference in the lives of others? This is a great opportunity for a highly motivated individual with Financial Aid experience to be a part of the great changes and growth happening at Great Lakes. If you enjoy helping others to achieve their career goals in pursuit of improving their lives, we invite you to apply to join our team of dedicated professionals. Position Summary Provide advice and guidance to students, prospective students, parents, staff and the community regarding financial aid programs, application procedures, budget development, debt management and the effective use of student financial resources available for education. Perform standard financial aid duties such as need analysis, packaging, verification, loan counseling, and compliance monitoring. Assist DFA with management of federal, state, institutional, and other aid programs. Support financial aid department with training and compliance assistance, helping to ensure all campuses maintain an acceptable level of compliance, uniformity, and quality regarding the eligibility and packaging of student financial aid awards. Position requires the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends. Essential Functions Advise a variety of individuals regarding financial aid and academic eligibility, financial aid status, availability of funding, completing and submitting financial aid applications, financial aid processing and procedures, financial and educational planning, alternative sources of funding and agencies available for assistance in addressing personal, academic or financial concerns. Perform need analysis, packaging and awarding of federal, state, and institutional financial aid. Maintain knowledge of federal tax return and verification guidelines in order to accurately review FAFSA applications and the verification of FAFSA data and verification documents as required. Assist students and parents through the process of verification, fulfilling SAR C-Code requirements, requesting professional judgement or dependency overrides, resolving data conflicts and over awards. Conduct pre-loan advising sessions and exit counseling. Assist in the coordination and management of private, state, institutional, and other outside financial aid programs, including the authorization of disbursements, submittal of program applications, fulfillment of reporting requirements, and reconciliation. Interact with appropriate outside agencies to facilitate funding of OVR, WIOA, TAA and other outside funding. Help to review financial aid packaging and awards for qualified applicants in accordance with all federal, state, and institutional policies, procedures, and applicable laws. Assist with providing supervision, training, and delegation of work to financial aid staff as needed. Share information as appropriate, promote the development of ideas for improved service and efficiency, provide leadership, and encourage teamwork. Maintain knowledge of current financial aid regulations and considerable judgment in applying them to specific cases. Participate in the development and implementation of institutional financial aid policies and procedures that will positively impact efficiency and quality of service provided. Certify private and alternative loan awards. Maintain student financial aid records, including electronic records, in accordance with FERPA, regulatory requirements, and Institutional policies and procedures. Manage the daily task of requesting and importing files from EdConnect into CampusNexus, including but not limited to ISIR data, loan counseling and MPN acknowledgements, PLUS loan application results, and payments to servicers. Help to ensure all campuses maintain an acceptable level of compliance, consistency, and quality regarding the counseling and packaging of student financial aid awards. Assist the DFA and Academics department to help oversee students' enrollment and ensure Satisfactory Academic Progress is maintained. Assist with preparing for and participating in program reviews and audits. Report to ED's Office of Inspector General any suspected cases of fraud, abuse, or misrepresentation in connection with federal student aid funds. Complete other miscellaneous tasks as requested.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Possess excellent communication skills to counsel students who may be hostile or frustrated. Display empathy and positive regard for others in written, verbal and non-verbal communications. Work effectively with colleagues and students by practicing punctuality, respect for deadlines, collaborative problem solving, and honest communication. Build trusting relationships by acting with integrity, courtesy, and responsibility, even in the face of stress or demanding workplace conditions. Maintain proficiency as needed and approved by attending trainings, reading job-related materials, and meeting with others in area of responsibility. Dress appropriately for a workplace with frequent customer service interaction and community outreach. Meet all required standards of confidentiality and safety. Maintain work areas in a clean and orderly manner. Supervision Report to and work under the general supervision of the Director of Financial aid. Work is performed independently in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies, rules, regulations, procedures and interpretations. This position has responsibility to assign tasks, provide priorities, train, and monitor financial aid advisors. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree (preferred) and four years related experience; or any satisfactory combination of experience and training which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the above duties. Broad knowledge of federal financial aid programs and recordkeeping requirements. Knowledge of higher education processes, supervisory and personnel practices, communication techniques and computer software. General knowledge of accounting practices, data processing and computer applications. Able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Able to work independently to meet deadlines, able to work some evenings as needed. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. If you need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, please contact our Human Resources department.

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Education:

Bachelor's (Preferred) Ability to

Commute:

Erie, PA 16509 (Required)

Work Location:

In person