Financial Aid Counselor, Financial Aid at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Job Description:

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Job Description SummaryThe Wake Forest Student Financial Aid Office is seeking a financial aid counselor to join our team.
The mission of Student Financial Aid is to provide the financial resources needed for enrollment by a socio-economically, ethnically, and geographically diverse student body. We are committed to helping students with an appetite for rigorous work and a dynamic community, as well as the ability to intellectually challenge our teacher-scholars and each other. We work to make it financially possible for students who are committed to philanthropy, service, friendliness, honor, and living Pro Humanitate to enroll at Wake Forest.
Wake Forest seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce to maintain the excellence of the University, and to offer students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.


Reporting to the Associate Director, this position is responsible for providing proactive counseling and advising to undergraduate and graduate level students in the College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Divinity. The Financial Aid Counselor assists with the administration of federal, state, and/or institutional aid programs and evaluates financial aid applications to determine student eligibility. The Counselor collects data and keeps accurate records to ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures, and regulations.
Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Serve as the primary point of financial aid contact for current and prospective students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Divinity


• Responsible for counseling, need analysis, and packaging a section of the undergraduate alphabet.


• Counsel and advise students about financial aid eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, and indebtedness.


• Engage with Online Program Managers (OPM) and student-facing Graduate/Divinity School partners to assist students.


• Provide proactive and timely responses to questions, inquiries, or requests from students, OPM partners, and other Wake Forest colleagues regarding financial aid programs and eligibility.


• Monitor completeness of aid applications, record receipt of documents, and determine when financial aid applications are complete and ready for processing.


• Analyze and process financial aid applications, including file review, need analysis, and federal verification, C-codes, and ISIR reject resolutions.


• Package institutional, federal, state, and private aid in accordance with established procedures.


• Ensure aid notifications are sent to students within appropriate timeframes, reviews communications yearly for clarity and compliance.


• Monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and SAP appeals for the Graduate/Divinity School populations.


• Assists Associate Director with cost of attendance development for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and The School of Divinity COAs.


• Calculates the Return of Title IV Funds amounts for withdrawing Graduate and Divinity students; adjusts institutional aid in accordance with institutional policy; sends notification of R2T4 calculation and final aid package to withdrawn students.


• Originates loans; monitors disbursements; performs monthly loan reconciliation for the Graduate and Divinity Schools.


• Counsel students about the importance of financial wellness and assist with developing basic financial management skills.


• Assist with rotating coverage of the front desk as needed.


• Other duties as assigned.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree required.


• Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid programs and of federal and state policies and regulations governing the various financial aid programs, to be compliant in awarding and advising students.


• Ability to practice effective communication skills both orally and in writing, strong interpersonal skills.


• Ability to analyze and interpret policy and procedural guidelines.


• Ability to work independently and complete complex tasks by prescribed deadlines.


• Understanding of and ability to implement FERPA requirements.


• Proficiency in Microsoft suite of office products.


• Proficiency in Google applications.


• Strong numeric reasoning ability.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Financial aid experience in a higher education setting.


• Experience with financial systems (PowerFAIDS, Workday, FSA Partner Connect, COD, NSLDS).

Accountabilities:

• Responsible for own work.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary work primarily involves sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned.

Environmental Conditions:

• No environmental conditions

Note:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by the employee's supervisor.

To help provide a safe learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final candidates being considered for employment.

Wake Forest seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce and encourages qualified candidates across all group demographics to apply.

Wake Forest University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in employment for individuals with disabilities.

Additional Job Description
Time Type RequirementFull timeNote to Applicant:This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Wa
ke Forest seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce while promoting an inclusive work environment committed to excellence in the spirit of Pro Humanitate. In adherence with applicable laws and as provided by University policies, the University prohibits discrimination in its employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and veteran status and encourages qualified candidates across all group demographics to apply. Apply Now