Financial Aid Counselor II - Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid

Job Details

General Notes

Must be eligible to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer. This position is scheduled to end on December 31, 2024, with continuation in successive years possible beyond December 31, 2024 depending on funding, workload, and job performance.

Purpose

The Financial Aid Counselor II position is responsible for ensuring compliance with federal, state, and university regulations throughout assigned processes.

The FAC II possess a level of knowledge that allows them to assist with setting procedures, monitoring various reports, and ensuring completion of projects as assigned by their direct supervisor and upper management.

Responsibilities

Run daily and weekly reports and automated processes required to remain Title IV compliant in regard to state, federal, and institutional funds.

Assist with financial aid processing, including monitoring output, verifying applicant eligibility and resolving eligibility issues.

Review and resolve financial aid files. Award state, university, and federal financial aid funds to students as needed. Work as a member of a designated team within the Office of Financial Aid, including specialized tasks as assigned.

Maintain and provide content support for specialized activities within assigned team. Maintain policies and procedures manual and provide assistance to the section supervisor as needed.

Design, prepare, and maintain forms, reports, and files. Maintain important dates on the Operational Calendar as it relates to Title IV activities.

Assist Team Manager and / or Assistant Director in completing timely tasks within specified deadlines. Assist with developing and updating written informational materials regarding the policies and procedures involved in applying for financial aid.

Assist with developing and updating presentations for financial aid workshops.

Recalculate student eligibility based on corrections made by the student or the financial aid office.Communicate with aid applicants to clarify discrepant information, as needed.

Resolve conflictingdata as identified by the US Department of Education.Award aid to students not handled by automated packaging due to changes in eligibility.

Manage complex escalations within assigned team, including direct counseling of students and requesting of information by phone or email.

Review information provided for conflict and completeness. Have a high level of understanding of the financial aid process and professionalism to accurately and understandably present and request information and documentation.

Interact with other University departments, state and federal agencies, and industry partners. Serve as liaison for department to other parts of the university;

exchange information and coordinate activities, as needed. Provide training to staff on information required based on assigned team.

Attend professional development and training meetings. Assist students during orientation and registration as requested.

Evaluate unsatisfactory academic progress appeals as needed. Assist supervisors as directed. Perform other related duties incidental to the work described for a Financial Aid Counselor.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree. Combination of at least two years’ experience in student financial aid, student personnel administration, student services, or related experience.

Must be organized, detail-oriented, and customer-focused. Must have superior communication and time-management skills and a professional demeanor.

Must be capable of multi-tasking in a high-stress environment. Should be willing to work evenings and weekends during peak processing periods.

Must be able to prioritize work assignments to complete work within required time periods. Must divest of any stock or ownership interest in student loan lender before start of employment.

Shares in publicly traded mutual fund or similar investment vehicle are exempt. For more info, read the UT Austin Policy on Individual Conflicts of Interest.

As a condition of hire and continued employment, must be in good standing on all federal student loans and must grant permission for the office to access NSLDS to verify such standing.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s Degree. Extremely detail oriented. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to handle stressful situations with composure.

Knowledge of and proficiency with software including MS Word and Excel. Ideal candidate will be able to set priorities and manage multiple projects.

Knowledge of state and federal financial aid programs typically acquired from two or more years of experience working in the Office of Financial Aid or more than two years working in the financial aid industry.

Ability to remain productive in a fast-paced, shared space environment with frequent interruptions. Ability to make presentations to individuals and groups of various sizes.

Demonstrated public speaking skills.

Salary Range

$47,694

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• This position is 100% remote

Required Materials

• Resume / CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications.

Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section;

you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.

Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs.

If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply.

This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume.

In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.

that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility :

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers.

Staff who are promotion / transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility :

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks :

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.