Senior Advisor, Financial Aid

The Enrollment Division at the University of Denver works to attract enroll and graduate an optimal mix of qualified students that will enrich the composition of the University community. The division which consists of Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid seeks to enroll students who will become leaders scholars artists entrepreneurs and public servants uniquely qualified to live in and shape a global society. The Financial Aid Office is dedicated to serving and educating students families colleagues and the community through the financial aid process from pre-enrollment to program completion. We value empathy and integrity knowledgeable and professional staff advocacy and access diversity equity inclusion and belonging clear and consistent communication and compliance. We have primary responsibility for the undergraduate financial aid process and we also serve the graduate student population.

Position Summary

The Senior Financial Aid Advisor (FAA) develops a thorough knowledge of federal state and institutional financial aid topics to determine aid eligibility. The Senior FAA primarily conducts file reviews to ensure aid is awarded in compliance with federal state and institutional regulations and policies and resolves discrepancies in a timely and effective manner. File review includes an intensive focus on completing the verification process reviewing applications for conflicting information and preparing files for packaging.

The Senior Financial Aid Advisor (FAA) ensures aid eligibility by reviewing files for compliance with regulations and resolving discrepancies. Key tasks include the verification process addressing FAFSA issues ensuring data integrity repackaging aid processing federal and private loans document management and providing excellent customer service.

Further the Senior FAA provides professional advising service which includes a thorough explanation of need analysis and steps required to complete financial aid application process.

Essential Functions

Determine financial aid eligibility:

• Assesses a familys ability to pay for education expenses by evaluating income and assets reported on the FAFSA CSS Profile and financial documents. Functions as an expert in need analysis both federal and institutional methodologies and explains complex financial aid calculations and the results and rationale behind financial aid awarding in a simple and easy to understand manner. Responsible for reviewing current financial circumstances of DU families and determining if they qualify for various appeals.
• Serves as initial reviewer for special circumstance appeals and makes well-reasoned recommendations for action.

Evaluate and identify issues and problem-solve student applicant data conflicts:

• Problem solves for aid applicants resolves FAFSA comment codes and rejects verifies and reviews files revises aid awards adjusts student budgets corrects over awards monitors students on satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
• Assists other advisors in processing and resolving data issues.

Manage documents:

• Administer the in-flow of financial aid documents via variety of channels (mail email DocuSign)
  • Exercise attention to detail to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Assist with supervision of senior peer advisor assigned to document processing
• Facilitate communication regarding status of document processing
• Work with communications team to ensure correctness and functionality of document content
• Troubleshoot current and potential issues with documents process with particular emphasis on technical aspects

Provide professional advising services:

• Maintains a thorough knowledge of financial aid topics including costs of attendance federal and institutional need analysis award packaging financial aid options outside scholarships and other resources payment and financing options loan applications and certifications billing disbursement aid applications withdrawals re-admits timelines/deadlines policies and procedures.
• Manages highly sensitive financial and personal issues; therefore must exhibit independent judgment tact and diplomacy maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to FERPA and HEA data sharing regulations.
• Works with students and families as well as DU community members on the financial aid application process eligibility need analysis awards disbursement federal/state institutional policies procedures. Helps students to craft a financial plan to make DU affordable.
• Creates and updates email templates to ensure accurate and effective communications to students and families.
• Supports students with the financial aid process through various channels including in person email and phones. Also assists with customer service overflow including document management.

Develop Professionally:

• Actively maintains knowledge of state and federal regulations and internal policies and procedures to ensure accurate and efficient interpretation of information and to ensure program compliance. Handles numerous complex tasks with attention to detail in a fast-paced environment. Works as a team member with the other advisors to deliver high quality service to students and their families.
• Provides updates and other pertinent information on financial aid regulatory and compliance issues.
  
  

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• General knowledge of Ellucian Banner and/or similar financial aid software
• Expertise in conflict resolution
• Capability to review and process a high volume of financial aid files in an efficient and effective manner
• Skilled in written communication and speaking to effectively present information and respond to questions from students university colleagues and the public over the telephone in writing and in person.
• Expertise in providing superb customer service to students and families who are trying to navigate the admission process.
• Skilled in organization and time management including the ability to juggle a wide variety of tasks and effectively prioritize responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain a high level of professional behavior
• Ability to operate with mutual respect and trust inclusiveness teamwork change and growth
• Ability to work independently ability and work well within a team
• Ability to consistently provide open communication
• Detail oriented including process-oriented thinking and ability to pay careful attention to detail

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree
• One to two years of direct financial aid or higher education experience
• Demonstrated strong skills in conflict resolution verbal and written communication time management and human-relations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CSS Profile expertise in federal and institutional need analysis the ability to interpret and analyze income and assets and knowledge of professional judgment techniques is preferred.
• Ability to resolve data integrity issues in and discrepancies within Banner
• Ability to provide fun and energetic presentations
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills

Working Environment

• Standard office environment
• Noise level is quiet to moderate

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

In accordance with the Universitys flexible work policy this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline

For consideration please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) June 24 2025.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number

The salary grade for the position is 8.

Hourly Range

The hourly range for the position is $25.54 - $30.65.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate departmental budget availability internal salary equity considerations and available market information but not based on a candidates sex or any other protected status.

Benefits

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits including medical dental retirement paid time off tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family or parental status pregnancy or related conditions national origin disability or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color national origin ancestry age religion creed disability sex (including sex stereotypes sex characteristics sexual orientation gender identity and gender expression) marital family and parental status pregnancy genetic information military enlistment or veteran status and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal state or local law regulation or ordinance in any of the Universitys educational programs and activities and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights (POWR) Act; and any other federal state and local laws regulations or ordinances that prohibit discrimination harassment and/or retaliation. For more information please see the University of Denvers NonDiscriminationStatement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.