Financial Assistance Counselor

SALARY:

$19.35

POSITION TITLE:

Financial Assistance Counselor

DEPARTMENT:

Financial Assistance Counseling and Outreach

JOB DESCRIPTION:

PRIMARY DUTY:

The Financial Assistance Counselor is primarily responsible for providing advice and counsel to students, families, and the campus community, while administering designated programs and executing procedures in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Assistance. Secondary responsibility is for program coordination, processing, and oversight. A Counselor is expected to develop and maintain a thorough understanding of guidance governing Federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs. The position requires the Counselor to work in a team environment to coordinate efforts in

administering designated programs and educating/training other staff regarding designated programs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Service-related functions

• Provide advice and counsel to students, families, and the campus community, either in-person, by phone, or through written correspondence, including email.
• Utilize available resources to provide information in group and one-on-one settings.
• Serve as liaison for other University departments and various related off-campus agencies
• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of guidance governing Federal, state, and institutional financial assistance programs.
• Exercise professional judgement when appropriate and Federal, state, or institutional guidelines do not seem to adequately address a particular situation.
• Keep updated on financial assistance trends.
• Monitor updates and changes with Banner student information system.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Process-related functions

• Responsible for administration of designated programs and execution of procedures within the Office Scholarship and Financial Assistance.
• Coordinate efforts required to administer designated programs and educate/train other staff regarding designated programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Education: Requires high school diploma or equivalent and some coursework toward bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Two years related customer service or financial guidance experience (Bachelor’s degree considered in lieu of experience).

Skills: Strong interpersonal and group communications skills, ability to multi-task and work closely with others, strong information technology skills.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

This position will work in an office environment from the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. This position will also require occasional evening and weekend hours.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Limited supervision of student employees

EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS USED:

Typical office equipment

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Ability to lift up to 20 pounds

COMMUNITY:

Northwest Missouri State University located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s website at www.maryville.org.

UNIVERSITY:

With an enrollment of more than 8,500 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their university experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 98 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.

For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.