Student Financial Services Specialist

The Student Financial Services Specialist is a shared position supporting the Student Accounts office and the Financial Aid office in support of Adler’s US-based program delivered in Chicago and online.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience in higher education preferred.
• Candidates with Ellucian Colleague experience preferred.
• Candidates with VA and/or sponsorship billing experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Customer-service orientation and excellent communication skills
• Experience with handling cash and other forms of point-of-sale payments
• Strong mathematical and accounting background; attention to detail required
• Experience with financial aid function is a plus.
• Knowledge of Federal Regulations on student loans
• Successful experience as a member of collaborative teams
• Self-starter capable of working in a fast-paced, demanding environment
• Ability to consistently identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations based on observations
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and visioning acumen
• Ability to proactively identify challenges and barriers to stated objectives
• Demonstration of Emotional Intelligence and professional maturity
• Proficient and functional knowledge of MS Office (Work, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Student Accounts

Billing (15%)

• Conducts billing for Vancouver students who receive U.S. financial aid, yet attend university in Canada, reviewing every student bill in detail to the University’s cost of attendance, generating billing announcements, and conducting the delinquent billing review process.
• Administers and processes 3rd party billing invoices for students that will have their tuition paid by a sponsor including the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, or Marines.
• Works with Student Affairs to identify students needing a UPASS waiver, reviews UPASS charges during billing and maintains records surrounding vendors, such as CTA, and other third parties
• Processes UPASS Waiver documents while working with Student Affairs to identify students being billed for UPass but not requiring one. Review UPASS charges

Customer Service (15%)

• Responds to student emails, phones calls, and walk-in requests, while also ensuring other Student Accounts team members respond in a timely fashion.
• Creates payment plans for students who need to pace payments, calculates and issues late payments to students who do not pay on the payment plan in a timely fashion

Refunds and Payments (10%)

• Participates in the weekly student refund process to ensure refunds are processed accurately
• Allocates deposits to students’ accounts upon collection and applying said deposit to student account once student is enrolled

Other Duties as Assigned (10%)

• Prepares the TL11A Canadian Tax Form to certify eligibility for claiming tuition fees of a student attending a university outside Canada and to show the maximum amount a student can transfer to a designated individual
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Cross trains and administers tasks/duties of Assistant Bursar and/or Bursar as needed and acts as back up support for certain accounting functions to achieve internal controls over those processes.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Financial Aid (50%)

• Respond to email, phone and in-person questions pertaining to financial aid from prospective, incoming, current and graduated students, communicating complex financial information in a clear, timely and professional manner.
• Counsel students on all matters related to application, eligibility, affordability and awards, responding to a high volume and variety of requests.
• Analyze account information to respond to inquiries related to financial aid eligibility, processing and disbursement; including responding to requests for additional student loans.
• Resolve issues by clarifying problem, researching answers, providing alternative solutions and escalating as needed.
• Update and maintain financial aid records in SIS, sharepoint and data warehouse software.
• Other duties as assigned.

Salary Range: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00

Work Environment (Physical Demands):

The usual and customary methods of performing the jobs functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.

Universal Core Behaviors:

Commitment to Adler’s Mission

• Acts with personal integrity, honesty, compassion. and integrity in all professional responsibilities.
• Aligns professional actions with Adler’s commitment to community-rooted education, research, and impact.
• Contributes to a culture that advances health, well-being, and community connection — locally and globally.
• Respects and values colleagues and community partners.

Accountability and Excellence

• Demonstrates results-oriented focus and commitment to quality.
• Consistently meets deadlines and delivers work of high professional standard.
• Prioritizes service and responsiveness.
• Seeks opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and resource use.
• Takes ownership of performance, seeks feedback, and accepts responsibility for actions.

Communication

• Communicates with respect, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Demonstrates active listening and comprehension.
• Expresses ideas clearly and effectively in both oral and written forms.
• Keeps colleagues informed in a timely and transparent manner.

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Actively contributes to and engages with colleagues, partners, and communities.
• Builds relationships rooted in respect, empathy, and trust.
• Demonstrates curiosity, courage, and integrity in guiding work and decisions.
• Makes thoughtful, informed decisions that balance short-term needs with long-term impact.
• Works cooperatively with colleagues to achieve collective goals.

Adaptability and Lifelong Learning

• Approaches challenges with proactive problem-solving.
• Commits to lifelong learning by continuously developing skills, knowledge, and effectiveness.
• Supports and adapts to evolving needs in the work environment.

Partnership with Supervisors

• Engages supervisors as partners in achieving goals.
• Fosters open, respectful communication to maintain alignment and clarity.
• Seeks guidance and feedback when appropriate while demonstrating initiative and accountability.

Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the policy of Adler University that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protection. The University does not discriminate against any individual for employment because of age, religion, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status (including unfavorable discharge from the military), or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.