Financial Aid Advisor

The Financial Aid Advisor; under the direction of the immediate supervisor supports the Enrollment Management divisions mission to recruit and retain students through the leveraging of student financial aid. Provides comprehensive financial aid advising to the diverse array of both undergraduate and graduate students. Serves as the primary contact for students and families by providing customer service via in person and online counseling sessions phone email and multiple outreach events (including but not limited to all Admissions recruitment events University Orientation and traveling to various high schools to provide FAFSA completion). Utilizes professional judgment on a dailybasis to determine financial aid eligibility and renewal for the most at risk student populations while adhering to federal state and university policies and procedures.

Advising

• Advise current and prospective students/families from all campus careers and special enrollment groups on the availability of financial aid applications resources and options (approximately 80 of student pop..
• Educates financial aid recipients on the financial aid process policies and regulations that may result in adverse decisions.
• Routinely exercises sensitivity and professional judgment relative to confidential student and family financial matters.
• Works closely with the Office of the Bursar on a dailybasis to resolve outstanding balances and minimize university collections and deregistration numbers.
• Serve as a liaison to the Office of Admissions Territory Managers. As part of the Universitys recruitment initiatives and strategic goals take referrals as well as provide referrals to a designated set of Admissions Counselors providing a teamapproach to all prospective students/families.
• Refers students to appropriate BGSU and nonBGSU support offices and/or organizations as needed to support student success and retention.
• Utilizes current and emerging technology and available data to complete essential financial aid duties processes and communications with students to support and foster retention persistence and success (e.g. CSS/MyBGSU Queries OnBase AskSFA U.S. Dept of Ed websites COD FPP NSLDS etc.
• Frontline customer service for answering inquiries regarding financial aid via phone AskSFA virtual appointments and in person appointments.

Processing

• Responsible for coordinating the daily processing of one of the professional judgement programs and workflow. Duties include spearheading communications with students who have either appealed or have been identified based on FAFSA data. In addition duties include assisting to maintain the web application checklists and queries for the SFA Office.
• Utilizes professional judgment and serves as part of a committee responsible for the referral collection of documentation review of applications and decisionmaking to award and/or renew financial aid eligibility as it relates to Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals (SAP) Dependency Appeals (DAP) and Special Consideration Applications (SCAP).
• Collaborates with academic advisors Firelands staff and members of the Learning Commons to establish baseline program standards and make referrals for academically atrisk students.
• Responsible for reviewing applications and serving as a liaison to the Office of Residence Life Housing Appeals Committee (HAP).
• Responsible for reporting students on the Admissions CRM system as it relates to the students intentions to attend BGSU.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of federal and state financial aid regulations and adhere to those regulations to ensure the university stays in financial aid compliance.

Outreach

• Participates in all SFA outreach activities on campus. This includes but is not limited to BGSU recruitment events (Preview Days Presidents Day Falcon Fridays) and University Orientation as well as all financial aid sponsored workshops and training events for both student faculty and staff. Participation may include providing presentations representing SFA at a booth and oneonone counseling sessions with families.
• Participates in off campus outreach activities such as high school night presentations and FAFSA completion events. Participation may include providing presentations and/or assisting families with their FAFSA and answering financial aid and BGSU specific questions.
• Serves as primary contact for the specific groups of students (e.g. International Programs and Education Abroad Office eCampus students and staff). Provides presentations and financial aid information to Education Abroad students on behalf of SFA; including creating and maintaining any written materials that can be used as a resource.

Additional Duties

• Maintain current and accurate policies and procedures for all duties as assigned.
• Participate in FSA NASFAA MASFAA OASFAA and other financial aid professional training opportunities on a regularbasis to stay informed and current on the most recent federal and state regulations.

• Other duties as assigned.

The following Degree is required:

• Bachelors degree required. Degree must be conferred at time of application.

The following Degree is preferrred:

• Degree in education counseling communications psychology or sociology is preferred.

The following Experience is required:

• 1 year working in customer service or an administrative office as primary contact for customer interactions
  • 2 years of experience as a GA or student employee is equal to 1 year of professional experience

The following Experience is preferred:

• Experience working in an administrative office of a higher education institution with direct student contact preferred.

The following License is required:

• Must have and maintain a valid drivers license and comply with the Universitys vehicle use policy.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Must maintain an indepth knowledge of federal state and other agency laws and regulations that govern student financial aid programs (training provided)
• Must maintain an extensive working knowledge of SFAs policies and business procedures/practices as well as maintain a reasonable understanding of selected policies procedures and practices from offices that interact most closely with SFA
• Understanding of the functions of an institution of higher education including recruitment/retention academic and student affairs
• Excellent public speaking skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Active listening skills
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• High quality compassionate and caring studentcentered counseling skills
• Ability to interact professionally with diverse individuals including students faculty staff alumni and representatives of external agencies
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality of information as required by federal law
• Must be able to accommodate flexible work schedule to attend various outreach activities (on occasion evening and weekend work is required)
• Knowledge of computer applications including but not limited to: Microsoft Office Microsoft Outlook People Soft/CSS an ability to learn and adopt other technologies and comfort level to use computer database word processing spreadsheet programs and webbased applications
• Work in a team environment
• Motivated and willing to make decisions that will positively affect recruitment & retention

Bowling Green State University is an Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer. We are committed to ensuring an equal employment opportunity for all applicants and encourage applications from all regardless of sex race veteranstatus disability age gender identity genetic information religion or sexual orientation compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Bowling Green State University please callor email.