Company: Northwestern Michigan College
Job Location: Traverse City, Michigan
Category: Financial Aid
Type: Full-Time
The position processes federal, state, and institutional financial aid in compliance with all federal, state, donor, and institutional guidelines, and in a manner consistent with the College's mission, values, and goals. Performs independent analytical decision-making by accessing, interpreting, and applying federal and state regulations and institutional policies. Develops relationships with internal and external partners to administer aid.
This position is responsible for the management of an aid program, including system development and annual aid year set up, determining eligibility, awarding, adjusting, ensuring accurate disbursement of funds, reporting and reconciling to federal, state, private providers and internal (Business Office/Foundation/etc.) sources, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, donor agreements, and institutional policies:
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or an Associate’s Degree with 2 years of experience in Financial Aid (Required)
- Minimum of two years’ experience in a complex business environment (Required)
- Customer service experience in a professional setting (Required)
- Demonstrated experience using Banner enterprise system (or other database system) (Required)
- Experience applying laws and regulations (Required)
- Valid, unrestricted Driver's License or ability to obtain by start date (Required)
- Experience reconciling and balancing financial accounts (Preferred)
- Prior experience working with Financial aid (at least 2-5 years) (Preferred)
Essential Responsibilities
- (Critical) Analyzes and verifies financial aid data to determine student eligibility and financial need utilizing the Federal and state database systems and the banner system for different aid programs.
- (Critical) Advises and counsels students and parents regarding eligibility requirements, application procedures, withdrawal impact, transfer, and available financial aid programs. Needs to understand all forms of financial aid (as well as VA and other sponsored payments), including details of eligibility and rules for renewal (academic progress), and order of payment with multiple funds.
- (Critical) Processes financial aid applications in accordance with applicable guidelines and regulations, and determines and awards complex financial aid packages, involving grant, loan, work study, scholarships, etc.
- (Critical) Manage annual set up of Banner, Scholarship Universe, and other systems used in administration of financial aid to accommodate annual (or more frequent) changes in federal, state, and institutional rules and policies. Take lead in system evaluation and implement new systems if warranted.
- (Critical) Participates fully in NMC’s one-stop for Enrollment Services. Communicates and maintains quality working relationships with a diverse student, parent, faculty/staff, and community population, offering information and professional guidance on Financial aid, Admissions, Student Accounts, and Records and Registration. Cross- train and inform staff from all Enrollment Services departments. Also, work closely with Advising, Student Success, and faculty to support student success and accurate reporting.
- (Critical) Manage, award and reconcile the processing of federal work study in accordance with federal regulations. Communicate and coordinate with the various office managers, payroll and human resources.
- (Critical) Utilize professional judgment (subjective) in the calculation and processing of Special Circumstance and Dependency Override petitions in accordance with federal regulations: determine legitimacy of student appeal, including documentation; calculate updated income and asset information, and update FAFSA.
- (Critical) Develop and maintain relationships and processes with university partners to coordinate payment of state, federal and institutional aid through consortium agreements.
- (Critical) Develop relationships, processes and train academic areas for awarding scholarships.
- (Critical) Develop and maintain relationship and processes for NMC Foundation to communicate with donors and in awarding and reconciling foundation funds.
- (Critical) Work with Student Success and Records & Registration to monitor attendance and enrollment changes and adjust aid as appropriate.
- (Critical) Calculate, apply and notify students of Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress and academic progress rules for State aid and scholarships. Work with Student Success to ensure students are supported on a financial aid plan.
- (Critical) Certify through the Banner system as well as sending, receiving, and loading electronic files into NMC's system in compliance with Federal and State Regulations. Resolve any disbursement/reimbursement issues with the Department of Education and State so funds can be released to NMC.
- (Critical) Develop and maintain alternative loan programs and lender relationships in compliance with various private lender policies to provide students with additional options for financing their education.
- (Critical) Utilize outside software like Scholarnet, NSLDS, COD, TD Client, MISSG (Michigan aid) , and various federal secured sites.
- (Critical) Collects, evaluates and processes financial aid documents in compliance with Federal and State regulations.
- (Critical) Reconcile aid programs monthly and annually; Externally with the United States Department of Education, State of Michigan and Scholarnet with NMC's system; and internally Banner Financial Aid to Accounts Receivable.
- (Critical) Provide data and documentation for annual audit.
- (Critical) Complete yearly renewal and management of aid programs to include Banner setup based on new federal regulations, policies, and procedures.
- (Critical) Research and test all aspects of each financial aid system release (average 4 a year) by reading the release guides, and user guides.
- (Critical) Constantly monitor automated processes, reporting any issues to the Help Desk. Work closely with ITS programmers to ensure accurate and efficient processing.
- (Critical) Constantly stays abreast of federal and state changes to laws and regulations (FSA Electronic Announcements and Dear Colleague Letters; State Gov Delivery announcements, trainings, webinars, and meetings provided by federal, state, and financial aid associations. Apply the correct laws to the correct aid year, while awarding in two different aid years, which often requires digging in to research multiple levels of laws and regulations to apply to specific student situations.
- (Very Important) Participates in the development of the financial aid communications by reviewing, and/or revising brochures, manuals, handouts, website and other financial aid informational material, and reviewing and revising financial aid forms. Responsible for maintaining updated, accurate policy and procedures as well as task instructions.
- (Very Important) Assist with default prevention activities such as entrance and exit counseling.
- (Very Important) Responds effectively to requests for information, composing clear correspondence, through a variety of communication methods including email, phone, and in person. Refers staff, students, parents, faculty, and others to appropriate information sources.
- (Important) Conducts financial aid workshops and presentations both on and off campus, including some evening and weekend presentations for students, parents and community members.
- (Important) Attends and participates in NMC and department meetings and events as needed and assigned.
- (Minor Importance) Carry out relevant public relations efforts, serving as a department and NMC representative in work activities with high schools, third parties and other community representatives.