Financial Aid Advisor - Scholarships

Financial Aid Advisor - Scholarships

Full-time Support Staff

Sugar Grove Campus

Hybrid Option : Option : Yes

Join our dynamic team at Waubonsee Community College, where your career can flourish. We are committed to being an exceptional employer, offering a comprehensive benefits package with generous time off, low-cost medical, dental, and vision plans, and a secure pension plan through SURS. You'll also enjoy 14 paid holidays, including winter and Thanksgiving breaks. Be part of a transformative institution, dedicated to making a positive impact in our community and the lives of our students. Your future starts here - join us today!

Waubonsee Community College is committed to hiring and retaining exceptional faculty and staff who are committed to the college's culture of collaboration, professional growth and student success.

We are seeking a Financial Aid Advisor to support Financial Education and Outreach Services, which focus on both Financial Aid and Financial Education literacy and advising. Reporting to the Financial Education & Outreach Coordinator, the Scholarships & Student Support Financial Aid Advisor serves as the primary contact and administrator for scholarships, HOUSE (housing insecurity outreach), and basic needs support, as well as providing support and backup to student support fund programs. The role serves as the primary liaison for the Illinois House Act and other special aid initiatives, ensuring regulatory compliance, accurate reconciliation, and exceptional service to students and families.

Serve as the HOUSE Liaison for the Institution in fulfillment of Public Acts 102-1045 and 102-0083; will also lead the coordination of the HOUSE Care Team.

Chair internal scholarship search committees and coordinate cross-departmental teams to meet deadlines and goals.

Lead targeted selection processes (e.g., PTK, Lincoln Laureate, ICCTA) and collaborate with Marketing to publicize award recipients.

Represents Financial Aid on external partnerships and community initiatives related to the Illinois House Act and housing insecurities at the request of the Financial Aid Director.

Supports HOUSE and Financial Aid Outreach Support initiatives, including workshops, seminars, classroom presentations, and one-on-one sessions to help students understand financial aid, scholarships, and student support resources.

Direct the full life-cycle of all foundation, institutional, and private, from application design and marketing to awarding, reconciliation, and year-end audit.

Reconcile all scholarship disbursements monthly and at fiscal year-end; initiate corrections to ensure compliance with state, federal, and institutional regulations.

Perform course audits to ensure that aid is only processed for classes that are required for a student's degree.

Provide high-level counseling to students and parents, review all aid documentation, and adjust awards per policy or student request.

Review student and parent documentation to determine financial aid eligibility and ensure timely, accurate processing of aid applications.

Maintains Scholarship databases, scholarship webpage, and announcements.

Assist with preparing required reports and responding to audits from federal and state agencies; ensure compliance with all applicable financial aid regulations.

Stay current on federal and state regulations; update HOUSE SOP and related policy and procedure manuals accordingly.

Prepare audit materials, run and refine Argos / Banner reports, and contribute to recruitment, admission, and retention initiatives.

Assists with the collection and evaluation of feedback from financial aid outreach & HOUSE initiatives to assess program impact and improve student support efforts.

Additional expectations :

Maintain periodic office hours at branch campuses.

Attend professional workshops to remain current in the field.

Serve on institutional committees.

Perform other duties as assigned by the Financial Aid Leadership team.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field required.

One year of related employment experience, including student outreach and workshop design, student coaching, or customer service.

Knowledge of federal and state financial aid programs is preferred.

Comfortable presenting to varying-sized audiences.

MS Office skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Good human relations, writing, and communication skills.

Ability to work closely and confidentially with students.

Good organizational skills.

The ability to work independently and creatively.

Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and offsite events.

Bilingual Spanish / English desired.

Please attach the following documents when applying :

• Cover Letter-Yes
• Resume-Yes
• References-Yes (Can be provided at interview)
• Transcripts-Yes (Can be provided at interview)

Position Details

req2018

Grant Funded : No

Compensation Range : 24.64 - 29.69

Compensation Type : Hourly

Compensation : The pay for this position will be determined by your experience, education, and qualifications.

Work Schedule : Varies 8 : 00 am-4 : 30 pm; one evening per week until 7 : 00 pm

Work Hours : 40 hours / week

Testing : Yes

Targeted Hire Date : 10 / 20 / 2025

Benefits : Click to See Benefits Page

Special Instructions : Please attach all required documents at the time of application.

EOE, including disability and veteran