Senior Financial Aid Advisor

Job Summary

As a part of the CU Anschutz Financial Aid & Scholarships team, the Senior Financial Aid Advisor provides high-level guidance to health professions students and families on all aspects of educational funding. This position independently delivers comprehensive advising through in-person, virtual, phone, and email interactions, helping students navigate application processes, meet documentation requirements, understand complex financial aid regulations, and make informed decisions about financing their education.

In addition to advising, the position contributes to recruitment, retention, and outreach efforts and manages key work study program operations, acting as the liaison to the CU Denver campus for reconciliation issues and supports students and campus supervisors with trainings and materials. The Senior Financial Aid Advisor also partners with assigned professional programs, offering regulatory guidance, responding to complex inquiries, and ensuring consistent application of financial aid policies and processes.

This role requires strong communication, analytical skills, and the ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced, student-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

Student Advising - 50%

• Conduct in-person, virtual, phone, and email advising sessions.
• Provide guidance on FAFSA, verification, SAP, cost of attendance, loans, and aid options.
• Respond to student inquiries within service-level expectations.
• Maintain clear, empathetic, accurate communication using team-approved messaging.

Processing & Documentation Review - 5%

• Review verification documents, resolve conflicting information.
• Process appeals (SAP, budget increases, dependency overrides).
• Track and follow up on incomplete files.
• Process general requests (housing letters, NHSC, needs analysis).
• Assist with processing related projects as needed.

Outreach/Presentations - 10%

• Deliver presentations or outreach activities to internal and external audiences.
• Coordinate logistics for outreach events or presentations.
• Adapt presentation content and delivery style based on audience needs.
• Report outreach activity as requested.

Work-Study Program Coordination - 20%

• Oversee the Anschutz work-study processes.
• Serve as the primary liaison to CU Denver Student Employment for resolving issues.
• Serve as the Anschutz campus primary trainer.
• Develop and maintain Anschutz work-study resources.
• Support accurate student payment processing by assisting with reconciliation.

Professional Program Support - 10%

• Serve as the designated administrative contact for assigned professional programs.
• Act as a liaison between Financial Aid and professional program leadership.
• Participate in and contribute to program-level meetings as a financial aid consultant.
• Translate program-specific updates into operational guidance for internal staff.