Financial Aid Specialist

requirements, resolve eligibility issues, and maintain funding needed for continued enrollment and academic progress. The Financial Aid Specialist administers assigned financial aid functions in accordance with federal, state, and institutional regulations and Hampton University policies and procedures. The position reports to the Director of Enrollment Management/Registrar and works in close functional partnership with the Hampton University Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Student Accounts, Enrollment Management, Student Success, and other institutional offices to provide accurate, timely, compliant, and student-centered service. Examples of Duties Student Advising, Counseling & Service • Provide individualized financial aid counseling to prospective, admitted, continuing, re-admitted, and graduating online students through phone, email, virtual appointments, and other approved communication channels. • Explain cost of attendance, estimated financial responsibility, grants, scholarships, federal student loans, state aid, institutional aid, outside resources, and other funding options. • Assist students with required financial aid forms and federal loan requirements, including entrance and exit counseling and Master Promissory Notes. • Provide proactive outreach to students with incomplete files, unresolved eligibility issues, outstanding requirements, or financial barriers that may affect registration, persistence, or completion. Financial Aid Processing & File Management • Process assigned federal, state, institutional, and external aid in accordance with applicable regulations, policies, procedures, and authorization levels. • Review FAFSA and ISIR data; identify and assist with resolution of rejected records, comment codes, C-flags, conflicting information, corrections, verification requirements, and other eligibility issues. • Package, revise, and adjust financial aid awards based on eligibility, enrollment status or intensity, cost of attendance, outside resources, and other applicable factors; monitor awards to help prevent over awards. • Process OSHER funding, VTAG, scholarships, grants, federal Direct Loans, and other assigned funding sources in accordance with University procedures. • Maintain complete and timely student files, processing queues, checklists, and documentation. Specialist-Level Compliance & Case Resolution • Monitor and support Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) processes and communicate requirements, outcomes, and next steps to students. • Review the financial aid impact of adds, drops, withdrawals, nonattendance, changes in enrollment intensity, repeated coursework, and other enrollment changes. • Assist with Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4), post-withdrawal, professional judgment, and special/unusual circumstance processes as assigned and within delegated authority. • Analyze routine and moderately complex financial aid cases, resolve issues within established procedures, and escalate matters requiring higher-level review. • Identify conflicting information, suspected fraud, falsified documentation, or other compliance concerns and escalate them through established University procedures. • Maintain accurate, audit-ready records and support audits, program reviews, reconciliation activities, and corrective follow-up as requested. Online, Graduate & Nontraditional Student Support • Support financial aid needs across online certificate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs and accurately communicate differences in aid eligibility among student and program types. • Understand and explain financial aid considerations for graduate and doctoral students, including federal loan eligibility, annual and aggregate borrowing limits, outside resources, and program-level cost considerations. • Support students enrolled in accelerated, multiple-term, summer, and other nontraditional academic calendars used by HamptonU Global. • Monitor financial aid readiness in relation to registration and term-start deadlines and coordinate timely intervention for students at risk of losing enrollment because of unresolved financial aid requirements. Systems, Data Management & Quality Control • Use Ellucian Banner and other approved financial aid systems to review, process, document, and update student financial aid records. • Use Slate CRM and related systems to support accurate communication, case tracking, outreach, and student follow-up. • Work assigned reports, queues, exception lists, and student populations on a daily or scheduled basis; identify data discrepancies and coordinate resolution with the appropriate University office. • Assist with data validation, reporting, quality-control reviews, and trend identification related to financial aid readiness, processing, and student service. Financial Literacy, Collaboration & Professional Development • Provide financial literacy education and resources related to responsible borrowing, repayment obligations, budgeting, financial planning, and student loan responsibilities. • Support financial aid orientations, webinars, virtual workshops, FAQs, consumer information, and other educational resources for online students. • Collaborate with Financial Aid and Scholarships, Student Accounts, Enrollment Management, Registration, Student Success, and academic partners to resolve student issues and support enrollment continuity. • Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations and participate in relevant professional development, including VASFAA and NASFAA activities as appropriate. • Perform other job-related duties as assigned to support operational needs, student success initiatives, and institutional priorities. Performance Expectations & Key Metrics • OSHER Grant Processing: 95% of complete assigned applications processed within 3–5 business days and, where applicable, before standard aid packaging; error/rework rate =2%. • File Processing: =95% of complete assigned financial aid files reviewed or processed within 7–10 business days, subject to institutional processing dependencies and regulatory requirements. • Packaging & Adjustments: =95% of assigned aid packages and required adjustments completed within established University timelines. • Student Service: =95% of student inquiries acknowledged within one business day; substantive resolution or documented follow-up provided within established service standards. • Financial Readiness: Support a target of =90% financial aid readiness/clearance for assigned students before applicable term-start deadlines, recognizing dependencies outside the position’s direct control. • Quality & Compliance: =98% accuracy/completeness on assigned files during internal quality review; 100% timely correction or escalation of identified compliance exceptions. • Outreach: =95% completion of assigned proactive outreach campaigns for incomplete files, unresolved requirements, registration-risk students, and other designated populations. • Documentation & Data Integrity: =98% accuracy and completeness of required system notes, statuses, and student record updates. • Reporting & Queue Management: 100% of assigned recurring reports, queues, and compliance follow-up completed by established deadlines. • Student Experience: Maintain a target student satisfaction rating of =90% where formal survey data are available. • All other duties as assigned. Typical Qualifications Required • Associate degree from an accredited institution. • Minimum of two years of hands-on higher education financial aid processing experience. • Demonstrated experience with FAFSA/ISIR review, verification, financial aid eligibility, awarding or packaging, and Satisfactory Academic Progress. • Working knowledge of federal student aid regulations and the ability to interpret and apply established financial aid policies and procedures. • Ability to research, document, and resolve student financial aid discrepancies with strong attention to detail and accuracy. • Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and virtual student-service skills. • Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, student populations, and processing queues in a high-volume environment. • Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality, FERPA compliance, ethical practice, and student-centered service. Preferred • Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, higher education, student affairs, or a related field. • Three or more years of progressively responsible higher education financial aid experience. • Experience with Ellucian Banner Financial Aid or a comparable student information/financial aid system. • Experience with graduate and doctoral financial aid, R2T4, professional judgment/special circumstances, state grants including VTAG, and federal Direct Loan processing. • Experience serving online, adult, nontraditional, or accelerated-term students. • Experience with Slate or another higher education CRM. • NASFAA credentials or demonstrated completion of NASFAA, VASFAA, Federal Student Aid, or comparable professional financial aid training. Supplemental Information • Working knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations, state and institutional aid programs, and established financial aid policies and procedures. • Demonstrated ability to process financial aid files accurately, including FAFSA/ISIR review, verification, packaging, SAP, enrollment-related adjustments, and related eligibility requirements. • Ability to analyze student records, identify discrepancies or conflicting information, resolve routine and moderately complex financial aid issues within established procedures, and escalate cases requiring higher-level review or institutional authority. • Strong technical skills with financial aid and student information systems. Experience with Ellucian Banner Financial Aid is strongly preferred; familiarity with COD, NSLDS, FAA Access, Slate, or comparable systems is desirable. • Ability to manage a high-volume caseload, multiple processing queues, competing deadlines, and term-based priorities while maintaining accuracy and documentation standards. • Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and virtual communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial aid requirements clearly to students and families. • Ability to work collaboratively across Financial Aid, Enrollment Management, Registration, Student Accounts, Student Success, and academic units to resolve barriers affecting student enrollment and persistence. • Strong attention to detail, organization, time management, discretion, confidentiality, ethical judgment, and sound professional judgment. Work Expectations & Schedule HamptonU Global operates in a dynamic, student-centered environment serving learners across multiple time zones. Employees are expected to maintain a professional and flexible approach to work scheduling and to provide timely support during assigned operational hours. Positions may require availability outside traditional business hours, including evenings and weekends, based on role responsibilities, peak periods, and student needs. • Adhere to assigned work schedules and coverage requirements. • Maintain responsiveness during designated working hours. • Participate in rotating or adjusted schedules as required. • Support peak periods, critical operational timelines, and student needs. HamptonU Global is committed to fostering a sustainable work environment. Scheduling practices are designed to balance operational demands with employee well-being while ensuring high-quality service delivery. Failure to meet established work schedule expectations or coverage requirements may result in corrective action in accordance with University policies.