Coordinator of Processing - Financial Aid

Job Summary

The Office of Financial Aid at CU Boulder welcomes applications for the Coordinator of Processing position! The position is part of Student Financial Services within the Enrollment Management division where we play a key role in helping students achieve their educational goals. We are committed to helping students pay for college through innovative programs to support access and graduation, and we empower students to make healthy financial decisions. This full-time position reports to the Assistant Director of Processing and is responsible for managing the Processing team responsible for day-to-day post-awarding processes. General duties include supervising staff, withdrawal processing, loan processing, Pell grant reporting, customer service, awarding aid to students, and other duties as assigned. This position maintains a thorough and current working knowledge of all Title IV federal, State of Colorado, and institutional rules, regulations, and procedures to ensure accurate release of information and program compliance. CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Office of Financial Aid is committed to helping students pay for college by building innovative programs to support access and graduation, empowering students to make healthy financial decisions, investing in the development of our staff, and engaging lawmakers and partners to improve aid policy! We coordinate over $425M in grants, scholarships, work-study and loans for over 20,000 students each year. Our staff consists of 38 full-time professional employees and 50-60 student employees.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Withdrawal Processing

• Perform Return to Title IV calculations and make appropriate adjustments to student aid.
• Ensure all processes/setup related to Return of Title IV are compliant and meet all regulatory deadlines.
• Responsible for managing and monitoring the unofficial withdrawal process.
• Provide support and guidance to counseling staff who are meeting with students regarding withdrawing from the university.
• Provide counseling to students who have withdrawn from the university or who need general assistance with processing their aid.
• Compile and provide necessary documentation on Return to Title IV and Verification of Attendance calculations for annual external audit.

Post-Award Processing Duties

• Review late disbursement of aid reports and disburse aid accordingly.
• Make adjustments to student aid and execute late awarding projects.
• Assist team with loan processing for the Federal Direct Loan Program and for Private Loans.
• Provide support and guidance to counseling staff who are meeting with students regarding adjustments to aid or loan processing issues.
• Ensure Pell reports are reviewed and adjustments are performed in a timely manner.
• Manage Title IV grant programs including overpayment, awarding, and reconciliation.
• Ensure the accuracy of awards and fund disbursements based on eligibility and awarding criteria.
• Review and manually process awards and aid disbursements outside of systematic limitations.
• Monitor, update, and maintain records via university systems and processing via government agency systems (e.g. COD).
• Review, evaluate, and process applications and related documents and send corrected application records when necessary.
• Adjust awards as necessary to reflect student’s enrollment and eligibility.

Supervisor/Leadership

• Supervise, train, motivate, evaluate, and provide leadership to the Processing Team.
• Ensure that the work assigned to the team is completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ensure direct reports maintain compliance with state and federal regulations and University guidelines and that staff are trained to perform all the duties assigned to the team.
• Serve as subject matter expert for processes such as Alternative and Direct Loan programs, Pell programs, late aid disbursement, Escheatment, Return to Title IV, and Transfer monitoring as well as supporting other processes in the processing area.
• Lead team meeting for direct reports as well as one-on-one’s with each team member.
• Participate in Processing team meetings and supervisor meetings.
• Assist in the evaluation of current processes and practices and identify gaps in services.
• Assist in the development and implementation of processing-related trainings for all staff.
• Assist or lead projects that are related to the office strategic plan or other campus initiatives.

Team Management

• Manage document processing tasks and workflows.
• Produce reports/lists of work to be assigned and coordinate with processing team to effectively delegate tasks.
• Assist team with loan processing for the Federal Direct Loan Program and for Private Loans.
• Ensure that the work assigned to the team and documents requiring special processing are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ensure that the team provides excellent support related to processing duties to internal and external customers.
• Effectively manage the Processing channel/ticket system by ensuring the team is trained to accurately answer questions and assist staff with problem solving.
• Must continually assess the level of customer service provided and proactively identify and address issues that may impede quality service.
• Assist the other processing team with verification and other duties as needed.

Procedure Documentation

• Develop and maintain written policies and procedures in all areas of responsibility; review and update as necessary (at least annually).
• Train Office of Financial Aid staff and students as policy or procedural changes are implemented.

Professional Development

• Participates in training seminars, conferences, committee meetings, etc. for professional development in the areas of Title IV financial aid.
• Attend staff meetings, retreats and other meetings as assigned.
• Collaborate with your supervisor to determine areas for professional growth and identify and request appropriate training opportunities.
• Assist in the development and implementation of Processing related trainings for all staff as needed.

What You Should Know

• Final candidate must successfully pass a background check and cannot be in default on a student loan either upon hire or while employed in this position.
• A fingerprint-based background check may be required for this position.

What We Can Offer

• The annual salary range for this position is $63,500 - $70,000.

Benefits

At the , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the program.

Be Statements

Be collaborative. Be supportive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
• At least three years of progressively responsible financial aid experience in a higher education setting.
• Supervisory or team lead experience with the ability to supervise and lead staff by defining goals and objectives, prioritizing, and meeting deadlines. Working knowledge of Federal Title IV financial aid programs and regulations.

What You Will Need

• Experience using a student information system and Microsoft Office applications.
• A strong commitment to providing an extraordinary student experience.
• Strong attention to detail and strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to gain confidence and trust of others through honesty, authenticity, and acceptance of responsibility.
• Ability to exemplify excellence by creating a welcoming environment that maximizes the success of all students, staff, and faculty.
• Ability to create new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Ability to build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Ability to communicate key and critical information in a timely fashion.
• Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, institutional rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Four or more years of financial aid experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience completing Return to Title IV calculations.
• Experience with federal financial aid data systems including NSLDS, FAA Access, and COD.
• Thorough knowledge of State of Colorado financial aid regulations.
• Experience and/or knowledge of the PeopleSoft Campus Solutions product and document imaging systems.