Financial Aid Advisor I

Job Title Financial Aid Advisor I Agency Texas A&M University Department Scholarships And Financial Aid Proposed Minimum Salary $21.64 hourly Job Location College Station, Texas Job Type Staff Job Description Who We Are The mission of Scholarships & Financial Aid  is to provide students and their families with information and financial resources to attend Texas A&M University, along with support programs that promote higher education and developmental opportunities. We administer scholarships and financial aid, which include the following programs: grants, student loans, student employment, veteran educational benefits, athletic aid coordination, short-term loans, and emergency tuition and fee loans. In addition, our office provides advising on the programs listed above. Our office also assists students in gaining financial literacy knowledge through our Money Education Center. Our office is responsible for processing student aid and veteran educational benefits for College Station, Galveston, all Health Science Center sites and Qatar which totaled approximately $1 billion in financial aid assistance for the prior academic year. What We Want Scholarships & Financial Aid is seeking a Financial Aid Advisor I to counsel and provide student financial aid information to prospective and currently enrolled students and their families as well as donors and other offices on campus. We are looking for a detail-oriented individual who is passionate and enthusiastic about providing excellent customer service while assisting students, families, departments, and donors with their inquiries. What You Need to Know Salary Range : $21.64/hour Cover Letter & Resume: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended Other Requirements: Occasional Travel May be asked to work weekends, holidays, and outside regular business hours during peak periods Must comply with Texas A&M System Policy 07.02 Texas Higher Education Fair Lending Practices Must be in good standing on all Federal Student Loans. The U.S. Dept. of Education will not grant access to student loan data for any individual who is in default status. Access to such information is a necessity for this position. Must be able to rectify default status within three months of employment. Good standing must be maintained for continued employment. Essential Duties/Tasks Advising/Processing Under close supervision, learns to use discretion and independent judgment to advise and counsel students and their families on financial aid and scholarships. Learns how to and assists with reviews of student files and adjusts as needed. Learns the student financial aid/scholarship process and shadows team members. Learns how to award, revise and/or approve the disbursement of financial aid through the specific controls of program policy and guidelines. Learns how to communicate with students and their families via multiple methods (i.e. email, in-person, phone, etc.). Learns to review application data against additional data received and resolve discrepancies or adjust data in Banner/Compass as appropriate. Learns how to collaborate with on campus representatives regarding students’ financial aid concerns. Financial Aid Knowledge & Team Support Learns, interprets, and maintains knowledge of current federal, state, and institutional policies, procedures, and regulations pertaining to financial aid. Learns how staff interact with students and help transition students from prospective to currently enrolled students. Learns how to ensure processing activities adhere to established policies and procedures while using critical thinking skills. Scholarship Awarding Learns to process posts and monitor recruitment scholarships. Learns to coordinate application, selection, review, notification, and tracking of Aggie Transfer scholarships. Learns to serve as liaison to the Brazos Valley Promise program. Learns to coordinate application, selection, review, notification, and tracking of international student scholarships. Learns to coordinate application, selection committee, posting, notification, and tracking of Galveston campus scholarships. Learns to serve as the primary contact as liaison for Galveston, McAllen, Health Science Center, Law, and Admissions Recruitment scholarships. Learns to process, post, and monitor McAllen scholarships. Learns to serve as second for the Regents’ scholarships program and processes Regents on campus housing appeal requests. Learns to coordinate and administers presentations for Team Scholar and the Financial Aid Office. General Participates in and assists in the planning and execution of events for departmental initiatives (e.g. financial aid awareness programs, Aggieland Saturday, New Student Conferences). Learns how to respond to various questions that may require researching and consolidating data regarding financial aid and scholarships. Attends local, state, and national workshops, and conferences. May assist with presentations. Qualifications Required Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience. No experience required. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Ability to meet deadlines and maintain a high level of accuracy, professionalism, and customer service. Working knowledge of Microsoft Office software. Ability to work individually or as a team in a dynamic organization. Good interpersonal communication skills. Must be literate in the English language and able to comprehend, give and follow both written and verbal instructions. Ability to organize and make decisions. Ability to work well under pressure. Ability to use tact, diplomacy, and judgment in dealing with all customers. Attention to detail. Why Texas A&M University?       We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities ass