00001547- Financial Aid Technical Specialist

This position supports activities related to the effective and efficient delivery of student financial aid resources and services, including quality assurance, troubleshooting, and error resolution. This individual will complete all the steps necessary to ensure that federal, state, and institutional financial aid is awarded, originated, and disbursed in a timely manner, and in compliance with federal and state regulations and institutional policies and procedures. Additionally, this position is responsible to track, resolve, and provide follow-up for financial aid-related questions and concerns. Based on needs within the office, various team members take the lead on certain programs, while all team members will have the ability to assist and back up the lead person. Finally, this role also supports financial aid student service functions including face-to-face meetings, orientations, financial aid presentations and workshops, phone calls, email, and text campaigns.

Requisition ID:
Position Number:  00001547
Department: Financial Aid
Employee Group: Professional, Management and Administration (PMA)
Schedule: 40 hours/52 Weeks
Compensation: AP4 - $50,005 Annually
Benefits: Full Time
Reports to: Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations
Posting Opens: 
Posting Closes: 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manage financial aid processes related to non-term clock hour programs, specifically financial aid awarding, refunds, satisfactory academic progress evaluation, and return of Title IV funds (R2T4) calculations.
• Responsible for the processing of return of Title IV funds (R2T4).
• Adjusts aid based on GRCC’s Attendance policy.
• Work in cooperation with the Student Financial Service’s Office to facilitate the refund process to ensure that all aid eligibility criteria are met at the time of disbursement.
• Monitor student accounts related to repeated and developmental education coursework, and adjust student awards as needed.
• If chosen to be lead person on certain State Aid programs, be responsible for that program funded through the State of Michigan’s Student Scholarships and Grants Office and monitor recipients to ensure eligibility and compliance with state requirements.
• Develop and implement processes for ensuring that students establish eligibility for Futures for Frontliners, Reconnect, and other State programs. This includes monitoring continuous enrollment, minimum GPA, coding students correctly in PeopleSoft, reporting the data to MiSSG, and reporting graduation data to MiSSG.
• Work in cooperation with the GRCC Foundation for the accurate awarding of GRCC Foundation Scholarships, including, but not limited to, reporting to the Foundation regularly on the utilization of scholarships, identifying issues that prevent awarding, reporting any issues regarding student eligibility, assisting with data requests from the GRCC Foundation, and providing billing statements at least once per quarter and a final year end statement.
• Monitor the process to ensure that outside resources are recorded correctly on student award accounts to ensure accurate awarding of other types of aid, including Federal and State grants and scholarships and student loans.
• Provide accurate interpretation of financial aid regulations, policy recommendations, and procedure documentation for the Financial Aid Office. This includes reviewing all updated guidance from the State and Federal governments (including but not limited to email communication, manuals, webinars and other resources) and making appropriate updates to GRCC documentation and processes.
• Assist with packaging of federal Direct and alternative student loans, certification of loan applications, loan origination, transmittal of electronic loan data files to external agencies, processing of entrance and exit counseling, ensuring loan applications are completed, and communication to borrowers.
• In cooperation with Student Records, complete requests for educational records submitted by students and appropriate agencies.
• Directly assist with any audits of financial aid programs, including the annual Single Audit and any State or Federal program reviews.
• Assist with monthly reconciliation of student loan disbursements and year end close out functions.
• Assist with all other financial aid awards, including packaging and repackaging of Pell, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and Federal Work Study (FWS) awards.
• Use Federal and State systems to process financial aid, including NSLDS, COD, FAA Access, Mi- SSG, and other systems.
• Assist with file review, verification, special circumstances, and dependency override functions.
• Participate in the testing and implementation of new and modified financial aid functionality in the PeopleSoft Campus Wide Information System, in particular as it relates to non-term based programs, R2T4, over awards, attendance monitoring, and refund disbursements. Develop related policy and procedure documentation.
• Actively support and participate in the Student Service Excellence Model.
• Serve on various committees as appropriate for the work being performed.
• Attend professional development conferences, seminars, workshops, and webinars to stay abreast of current regulations, trends, and best practices in student financial aid.
• Participate in prospective, new, returning and departing student outreach initiatives, including orientation, financial literacy programming, financial aid presentations and workshops.
• Provide financial aid information and assistance to students in person, phone, text, chat, and email.
• Assist the Executive Director of Financial Aid, Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations, and Functional Analysts with special projects and other duties as assigned.
• Regular attendance during normal scheduled hours is required. Being present is essential for serving customers and performing the essential functions of this position.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Education Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of 2 years of financial aid experience.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience utilizing financial aid-related web systems (such as SAIG, COD, NSLDS, FAA Access, Mi-SSG, etc.) preferred.
• Experience with higher education data systems, preferably PeopleSoft.

Skills

• A strong understanding of accounting principles, analytical skills, and statistical knowledge strongly preferred.
• A high level of attention to detail and working with complex processes.
• Demonstrated technology skills, including proficiency with MS Office products and financial aid web systems including the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), the Common Origination and Disbursement website (COD), National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and Financial Aid Administrator Access (FAA Access).
• Working knowledge of data systems related to higher education.
• Must demonstrate high levels of customer service and interpersonal skills, as well as strong attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously with a high level of accuracy.

Physical Demands

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Long periods at a computer.

Mental Demands

• Ability to plan and work independently and as a team member.
• Ability to follow detailed processes.
• Must be punctual with a good attendance record.
• Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, which includes evenings and weekends as needed.

Working Conditions

• GRCC will comply with any mandated health and safety requirements. Compliance information is available on our policies website.
• Office is shared by multiple GRCC staff members, primarily Financial Aid employees.