One Stop Counselor - Rochester

About the Job

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship and does not offer a STEM OPT training program. This position works in-person in Rochester, MN.

As a professional member of the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR), the One Stop Counselor position requires in-depth understanding of academic records, registration, financial aid and student financial billing to support students’ recruitment, retention and graduation, as well as counsel on financial wellness. This individual provides student advising on complex issues and problems regarding student financial matters; handles challenging behaviors and difficult situations that can surface when speaking with students and parents about academic success and financial matters; conducts critical analysis and professional judgment on financial aid/and waivers; utilizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and possesses excellent communications skills and attention to detail.

The UMR One Stop office is supported through the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMTC) campus One Stop with supervision by UMR’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Counseling: 75%

• Counsel, advise, investigate, problem-solve and resolve issues regarding financial aid, student accounts from prospective, current and former students, parents, faculty, staff and other third parties and the public.
• Work with students in all programs located on the Rochester campus (undergraduate, partner and graduate programs) to deliver a holistic counseling experience relative to: course enrollment information,, financial aid, billing and payment in order to provide a continuous focus on academic success and degree progress, financial wellness, student retention and graduation rates.
• Advise on in-depth financial aid questions ensuring adherence to all regulatory compliance concerning financial aid applications, financial aid eligibility, disbursement and refunds, cost of attendance budget components, different aid types, loan comparisons, special circumstances and estimated family contributions for tuition and fees.
• Analyze the award opportunities to determine what additional aid can be granted pending appeal approvals.
• Conducts one-on-one financial literacy and financial wellness counseling meetings for students and parents. Student advising meetings are individualized and require pre-meeting research, and post-meeting follow up.
• Interpret University, state, and federal policies and procedures; exercise professional judgment authority to implement changes and make exceptions to policies with limited supervisory approval.
• Serve as liaison between student veterans, service members, and their dependents and the Twin Cities University Veterans Services office regarding military educational benefits.

Leadership: 25%

• Continually look for ways to improve services to students by internally or cross-functionally developing new initiatives or success measures that will contribute to retention, graduation, student satisfaction, and other student success measures.
• Collaborate with college advising and student services offices across the campus to promote improved student services.
• Serve as an accessible and knowledgeable coach, mentor and leader for all UMR staff and student employees to assist with examining unusually complex situations.
• Provide counsel to the management team, interpreting business issues and providing suggestions for or leading efforts to implement and improve One Stop.
• Actively contribute to annual strategic planning for the unit.
• Collaboratively oversee student workers and the job responsibilities assigned to them
• Assist with maintenance of UMR’s intranet
• Develop knowledge and proficiency in supporting software: PeopleSoft, APLUS, APAS, COD, NSLDS, Parchment, Perceptive Content and Google suite of applications.
• Support all One Stop contact (i.e., drop-in, Zoom, email and phone)
• Develop curriculum and serve as presenter for UMR outreach events.
• Serve on various projects and initiatives that have One Stop involvement. Examples include Student Orientation and Registration planning,, the systemwide One Stop website and other strategic initiatives.
• Using a high-level and solution-oriented financial aid and student record policy knowledge, assist students with in depth counseling and provide recommendations to resolve complex financial barriers to persist at UMR.

Days and Schedule Monday through Friday, typically from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends for recruitment events; schedule flexibility available. Regular presence on campus is required; limited off-site/remote flexibility available.