Financial Aid Advisor I

Job Title

Financial Aid Advisor I

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

Scholarships And Financial Aid

Proposed Minimum Salary

$21.64 hourly

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

What We Want

Scholarships & Financial Aid is seeking a Financial Aid Advisor I to advise and counsel student and their families on aid eligibility. The position also will conduct one-on-one appointments in regard to student special circumstances, satisfactory academic progress and cost of attendance changes. We are looking for a detail-oriented individual who is passionate about providing excellent customer service while assisting students and families with their financial needs. The Financial Aid Advisor assists in facilitating workshops and on occasion may give presentations on and off campus to groups regarding financial aid and scholarships. If this description appeals to you, we invite you to apply to be considered for this opportunity.

What You Need to Know

Salary Range: $21.64/ hour

Cover Letter & Resume: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended

Other Requirements:

• Occasional Travel.
• May be asked to work weekends, holidays, and outside regular business hours during peak periods.
• Must comply with Texas A&M System Policy 07.02 Texas Higher Education Fair Lending Practices.
• Must be in good standing on all Federal Student Loans. The U.S. Dept. of Education will not grant access to student loan data for any individual who is in default status. Access to such information is a necessity for this position. Must be able to rectify default status within three months of employment. Good standing must be maintained for continued employment.

Who We Are

The mission of Scholarships & Financial Aid is to provide students and their families with the financial information, resources, and support needed to attend Texas A&M University. We offer a wide range of financial assistance programs, including grants, student loans, work-study employment, military education benefits, athletic aid coordination, and short-term and emergency tuition loans. Our office administers aid and military education benefits for students at Texas A&M’s College Station, Galveston, McAllen, School of Law, and Health Science Center campuses—disbursing over $1 billion in financial assistance during the last academic year.

Why Texas A&M University?

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration. Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you. Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes.

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D, flexible spending accounts, and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatically enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time
• Professional Development: All employees have access to free LinkedIn Learning training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more
• Educational release time and tuition assistance for completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee
• Living Well, a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

50%: Advising

• Under close supervision, uses discretion and independent judgment to advise and counsel students on financial aid.
• Learns how to collaborate with on campus representatives regarding students financial aid concerns.
• Learns how to and assists with reviews of student files and makes adjustments as needed.
• Learns the student financial aid appeal process and shadows team members.
• Learns how to and awards, revises and/or approves the awarding of financial aid through the specific controls of program policy and guidelines.

20%: Financial Aid Knowledge & Team Support

• Learns, interprets, and maintains knowledge of current federal, state, and institutional policies, procedures, and regulations pertaining to financial aid.
• Learns how staff interact with and transition students from prospective to currently enrolled students.
• Ensures that processing activities adhere to established policies and procedures.

20%: Awarding

• Manages the awarding and processing of financial aid for student populations requiring manual review.
• Reviews and processes enrollment and awarding reports for specialized groups, including Health Science Center students, U5 (fifth-year seniors), spring-only transfer students, and summer transfer students.
• Monitors the Non- Degree Seeking report and Waive report removing aid if ineligible.
• Responds to student inquiries escalated from Aggie One Stop (AOS).

10%: General

• Participates in and assists in the planning and execution of events for departmental initiatives (e.g. financial aid awareness programs, Aggieland Saturday, outreach efforts).
• Learns how to and responds to varied questions that may require researching and consolidating data regarding financial aid.
• Attends local, state, and national workshops, and conferences.
• May assist with presentations.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Experience:

• No experience required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• None

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to meet deadlines and maintain a high level of accuracy, professionalism, and customer service.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Ability to work individually or as a team in a dynamic organization.
• Good interpersonal communication skills.
• Must be literate in the English language and able to comprehend, give and follow both written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to organize and make decisions.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to use tact, diplomacy, and judgment in dealing with all customers.
• Attention to detail.

Required Licenses and Certifications:

• None

Other Requirements:

• Occasional Travel.
• Must be able to work weekends, holidays, and outside regular business hours.
• Must comply with Texas A&M System Policy 07.02 Texas Higher Education Fair Lending Practices.
• Must be in good standing on all Federal Student Loans. The U.S. Dept. of Education will not grant access to student loan data for any individual who is in default status. Access to such information is a necessity for this position. Must be able to rectify default status within three months of employment. Good standing must be maintained for continued employment.

Physical Requirements:

• None

Machines and Equipment Used:

• Computer

Other Requirements:

• Occasional Travel.
• May be asked to work weekends, holidays, and outside regular business hours during peak periods.
• Must comply with Texas A&M System Policy 07.02 Texas Higher Education Fair Lending Practices.
• Must be in good standing on all Federal Student Loans. The U.S. Dept. of Education will not grant access to student loan data for any individual who is in default status. Access to such information is a necessity for this position. Must be able to rectify default status within three months of employment. Good standing must be maintained for continued employment.
• This position is security sensitive
• This position requires compliance with state and federal laws/codes and Texas A&M University System/TAMU policies, regulations, rules and procedures
• All tasks and job responsibilities must be performed safely without injury to self or others in compliance with System and University safety requirements

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.