Counselor, Athletic Financial Aid Compliance

Youngstown State University

Manages all aspects of financial aid for student-athletes, including evaluating applications, determining eligibility for aid, and awarding scholarships within NCAA and institutional guidelines. Coordinates scholarship agreements and renewal processes and maintains accurate financial records. Serves as a key liaison between athletics, compliance, financial aid offices, and student-athletes, providing counseling, walk-in hours, workshops, and support for urgent financial aid situations. Oversees scholarship projections, reporting, and strategic planning to support roster management and recruiting goals.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Counsels student-athletes and parents concerning financial aid, athletic scholarships, financial aid planning, debt management, federal methodology, student problem resolution and federal Title IV refund policy and subsequent financial consequences of doing complete withdrawal from classes.

Serves as a primary liaison between the financial aid office, athletics department, and student-athletes. Assists supervisors, colleagues, and Penguin Service Center staff when required.

Assists student-athletes and/or parents in completing federal financial aid application (FAFSA), completing verification, and adjusting income or other pertinent data on the FAFSA. Manages Pell Grant coordination with athletic aid to maximize student-athlete benefits.

Maintains accurate records of athletic financial aid awards and adjustments. Calculates and awards athletic scholarships within NCAA and Institutional equivalency limits and roster limit restrictions. Processes mid-year financial aid adjustments due to eligibility changes, transfers, or medical hardships. Coordinates single-year and/or multi-year scholarship agreements and renewal processes. Coordinates with admissions office on prospective student-athlete financial aid projections.

Collaborates with outside entities and university constituents on billing, payments, refunds, payment plans, and account reconciliation.

Collaborates with compliance staff to certify aid packages and monitor equivalency limits for sports with scholarship caps and to ensure all financial aid practices comply with NCAA Division I rules, especially Bylaw 15 (Financial Aid).

Stays current on NCAA legislation and institutional policies affecting financial aid and participates in audits and institutional reviews related to athletics aid. Assists in the development and implementation of financial aid policies specific to athletics. Provides training to athletics department staff on financial aid policies and procedures. Assists in development of office policy and procedure analysis as needed. Assists in developing office guidelines for professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, and loans, if needed.

Analyzes cost-effectiveness of financial aid strategies and recommend improvements.

Generates detailed financial aid utilization reports for sport-by-sport budget analysis and assist in annual budget planning and allocation of scholarship resources.

Utilizes NCAA compliance software for reporting and monitoring purposes.

Evaluates and processes student requests for professional judgment according to established criteria; ensures appropriate documentation is obtained to support professional judgment decisions for audit and regulatory purposes.

Provides financial aid information to students regarding all aspects of financial aid, including Pell Grants, Federal Direct Loans, and special programs; provides estimate of financial aid eligibility when outstanding balances are owed, in writing, to Office of University Bursar and to students in order to permit registration of classes; analyzes students' financial needs to determine eligibility for financial aid.

Conducts outreach activities including off-campus presentations such as high school financial aid nights as well as University programs; represents office as required.

Conducts mandated verifications of Institutional Student Information Records in accordance with US Department of Education guidelines, State guidelines, and University policy. Assesses adequacy of documentation provided by students and resolves conflicting information. Tracks files and follows-up with additional requests or phone calls when necessary.

Other Functions and Responsibilities:

Hosts regular student-athlete walk-in hours.

Assists with training new hires.

Performs other duties as assigned and/or required that are within the level of responsibility for this classification at the discretion of the supervisor.

Equipment Operated: Computer and all other standard office equipment.

Work Schedule: Typically, Monday through Friday.

Supervision Exercised: May exercise supervision over student employees.

Reports to: Manager, Scholarships and Special Programs

Required Certifications, Training, and/or Licensures: None

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of: University policies and procedures*; office practices and procedures; department/division goals and objectives*; department/division policies and procedures*; workplace safety practices and procedures*; English grammar and spelling; records management; office management; project management; NCAA Division I financial aid regulations (Bylaw 15); Institutional scholarship policies and procedures; Federal financial aid regulations and compliance requirements.

Skill in: Use of office equipment; typing, data entry; computer operation; use of computer software and other programs applicable to the assigned department/division*; excellent communication and customer service skills; effective organizational skills with attention to detail.

Ability to: Maintain an even temperament in stressful situations and communicates effectively on an individual and group basis; deal with problems involving several variables within familiar context; define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; determine material and equipment needs; calculate fractions, decimals, and percentages; compile and prepare reports; use proper research methods to gather data; understand a variety of written and/or verbal communications; prepare accurate documentation; maintain records according to established procedures; travel to and gain access to work site; effectively interact with personnel and public to answer routine questions; train or instruct others; move quickly and effectively from one tasks to another; work independently and in a team environment; develop and maintain effective working relationships.; must be able to maintain even temperament in stressful situations and have ability to communicate on individual and group basis.

(*) Developed after employment.

Minimum Qualifications:

At least a bachelor's degree in business, student personnel, or another related field; and six months or more of experience in an office environment providing financial assistance, counseling, aid assessment, or related experience (college internship or co-op experiences included).

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree in business, student personnel, or another related field. One or more years of financial aid experience. Knowledge of personal income tax and counseling experience. Knowledge of federal financial aid programs and supporting regulations. Experience in NCAA compliance office. Comprehensive understanding of NCAA Division I financial aid regulations (Bylaw 15). Experience with athletic department budget management.

Physical Requirements:

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Labor physical demands strength ratings, this position will perform light work.

About Youngstown State University

An Institution of Opportunity: Youngstown State University inspires individuals, enhances futures, and enriches lives. As a student-centered university, Youngstown State University’s mission is to provide innovative lifelong learning opportunities that will inspire individuals, enhance futures and enrich lives. YSU inspires individuals by cultivating a curiosity for life-long learning; enhances the futures of our students by empowering them to discover, disseminate and apply their knowledge; and enriches the region by fostering collaboration and the advancement of civic, scientific, and technological development. YSU’s culture of enrichment flourishes in our intellectually diverse, accessible, and quality education. Youngstown State University is where students thrive in their educational and career pursuits, where scholarship creates innovative solutions, and where community engagement is a cornerstone of collaboration that collectively contribute to the sustainable prosperity of the region and beyond. We—the faculty, staff, administrators, and students of Youngstown State University—hold the following values essential to achieving the mission and realizing the vision. Centrality of Students – We put students first, fostering their holistic and lifelong success. Excellence and Innovation – We bring academic excellence and innovation to learning and life for all stakeholders. Integrity and Human Dignity – We root all behaviors, decisions and actions in the achievement of integrity, mutual respect, and collegiality. Collaboration and Public Engagement – We embrace collaboration and create innovative partnerships to foster sustainability and enrich our university, our culture, and region. Please use the following link to learn more about YSU: https://ysu.edu/about-ysu