Financial Aid Coordinator
About the Job
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position: Financial Aid Coordinator
Academic Title: Student Services Coordinator /associate, no prefix or senior
Multi-year project (1 – 2 year project)
Unit: UW-Extension, Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning,
Location: 5602 Research Park Boulevard, Suite 300, Madison, WI 53719
Revised/reviewed: April 2015
ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
The University of Wisconsin System consists of 15 public institutions: 2 doctoral universities, 11 comprehensive universities, a system of 13 freshman-sophomore Colleges, and statewide Extension. The UW System serves a total of 160,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs.
UW-EXTENSION
The University of Wisconsin-Extension is a statewide organization through which prospective learners can access university resources and engage in lifelong learning, wherever they live and work. Fundamental to this mission are UW-Extensions partnerships with the 26 UW campuses, the county and tribal governments, and other public and private organizations.
CONTINUING EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND E-LEARNING
The Continuing Education, Outreach, and E-Learning division (CEOEL) coordinates planning of Extension-funded outreach and continuing education programming conducted by the UW campuses, manages the delivery of online education with collaborating campuses, provides leadership for a System-wide student application and UW HELP, and oversees the School for Workers.
FINANCIAL AID OFFICE
The Financial Aid Office at the UWEX division of CEOEL provides a wide spectrum of third party financial aid services for partnering institutions in the UW System. The Financial Aid Office is charged with creating flexible, dynamic and innovative systems and processes to meet student funding and institutional processing needs; with particular emphasis on the UW Flexible Option portfolio of direct assessment programs and participation in the U.S. Department of Education 2014 Experimental Sites Initiative. Efforts are in progress to transition financial aid operations for Flexible Option programs from the partnering campuses to CEOEL. As systems are implemented, financial aid operations are characterized by significant coordination with the Flexible Option partner institutions.
The Financial Aid Office operates in an accelerated financial aid cycle with at least twelve rolling academic year start dates per calendar year. Execution of financial aid functions may take place as needed during non-traditional work hours such evenings and weekends. The primary programs within the purview of the Financial Aid Office are administered as direct assessment programs with nonterm calendars and modules.
Financial Aid Coordinator SummaryThe Financial Aid Coordinator performs a variety of duties related to financial aid including, but not limited to, both student-facing efforts and back office processing as assigned by the Director of Financial Aid.
The Financial Aid Coordinator will be primarily tasked with back office nonterm financial aid administration operations such as packaging, origination, disbursement, repackaging, disbursement returns, monitoring of satisfactory academic progress, Return to Title IV calculations, reporting, etc. As additional systems are implemented additional duties may be assigned such as advising/counseling, document collection and review, verification, and others. Duties may be reassigned based on increases in student population and staff.
Specific Responsibilities
Determine eligibility and award federal and state financial aid packages
Maintain knowledge of packaging profiles, origination requirements and disbursement rules culminating in disbursement of funds according to varying timelines throughout the calendar year
Coordinate with internal departments in CEOEL and external departments at partnering institutions to execute University and financial aid policies and procedures
Testing and troubleshooting of institutional financial aid systems and data integrations in collaboration with the Financial Aid Programmer/Analyst
Work with Department of Education and private customer service centers and systems to troubleshoot financial aid processing issues
Provide customer service and information to internal stakeholders (UWEX and/or partnering institutions)
Coordinate with partner institutions to complete monthly and annual federal funds reconciliation
Create and maintain written documentation for processes and procedures
Maintain awareness and knowledge of Department of Education systems and functionality such as COD, NSLDS, FAA Access, etc. as well as other agencies, including the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board.
Complete Return to Title IV calculations
Prepare and send exit loan counseling information for student loan borrowers
Protect the privacy of student information under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Advise students and family members regarding financial aid, including but not limited to, eligibility, applying, procedures and information resources.
Review and correct federal aid applications including verification; comment code, C code and reject code resolution; and professional judgment changes.
Seek and engage in professional development opportunities
Work flexible hours as needed including evenings and weekends.
Minimum Qualifications:
A bachelor degree and 3 years of experience in a financial aid setting with back office processing duties; or equivalency.
Working knowledge and experience with Department of Education systems such as the National Student Loan Data System, Common Origination and Disbursement system, FAA Access to CPS Online, etc.
Working knowledge of federal, state and private funding sources and their policies and regulations.
Familiarity with customary institutional financial aid processing operations
Experience with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook and Access
Experience with PeopleSoft or other student information system financial aid modules
Preferred Qualifications:
Demonstrated experience with EDExpress software
Demonstrated experience with nonterm financial aid administration
Familiarity with Federal Student Aid requirements for direct assessment programs
Familiarity with the U.S. Department of Education 2014 Experimental Sites Initiative
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Excellent collaboration and coordination skills.
Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervisory intervention
Ability to exercise judgment and decision making guided by policy and procedures.
Ability to independently troubleshoot and problem solve
Ability to handle ambiguity in an innovative, start-up environment
Commitment to high quality service to both students and UW System partners
Strong ability to multitask across varying simultaneous tasks and systems
Ability to learn and execute new systems, policies and procedures with short lead times
Excellent attention to detail
Enthusiasm in undertaking new ways in which financial aid might be administered
Position Description Clarification
This position description represents a general outline of job duties, expectations, responsibilities and qualifications. It is not intended to be comprehensive in nature. In addition, this position is likely to evolve over time and therefore the position description may not fully reflect the precise nature of the position at a future point in time.
Ensure Consideration
Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled. For best consideration, please apply by May 15, 2015.
Application Procedure
A complete application will include the following:
A letter of interest addressing the applicant qualifications and experience as they relate to the responsibilities of the position.
A professional resume.
Three professional references including email address and phone numbers with at least one being a current or past supervisor.
Please direct requests for information to:
Kurt Rose, Human Resources kurt.rose@uwex.edu
PLEASE SUBMIT APPLICATION MATERIALS to Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning Human Resources online using the URLs below. Once you are in the Candidate Gateway, please make sure to click on the Advanced Search link and enter 10418 into the Job Opening ID field.
Not a current UW Employee? Before you get started with the online application process, we recommend you preview the frequently asked questions (FAQs) by selecting the copying and pasting the URL below into your browser.https://helpdesk.wisc.edu/images/group61/21900/TAMFAQ_CandidateGateway.pdf
After reading the FAQs, please copy and paste the following URL into your browser:https://www.careers.wisconsin.edu/psc/careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?SiteId=30 &.
Click on the Advanced Search link.
Enter Job opening ID: 10418
Current UW Employee? Please copy and paste the following URL into your browser: http://hrs.wisconsin.edu
After signing in please click on Self Service/Recruiting Activities/Careers. Click on Advanced search link. Enter Job opening ID: 10418
Special Notes
A criminal records review will be conducted for final candidates. In compliance with the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the University does not discriminate on the basis of arrest or conviction record. Convictions and pending charges will be considered only if they are substantially related to the circumstances of this position. Employment is contingent on establishment of identity and verification of employment eligibility as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
The University will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identities of “final candidates” must be revealed upon request. According to the Attorney General, “final candidates” under Wisconsin law means the five candidates who are considered most qualified for the position. See Wis. Stat. Sec. 19.36(7)(a). The form to request confidentiality is available athttp://www.uwex.edu/jobs/documents/notice.pdf
The University of Wisconsin-Extension is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and actively seeks and encourages applications from women, minorities and persons with disabilities. It is our policy to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment.