Senior Financial Aid Advisor
University of Denver

Job Info

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Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the University of Denver (DU) embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that defines our region and our history. We are a private institution built on exploration through research and collaboration among educators, students, and local and global communities. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students.

About the Enrollment Division
The Enrollment Division, which consists of Undergraduate Admission, International Student Admission and Financial Aid, works enroll, and cultivate an optimal mix of vibrant and intellectually motivated students who will enrich the composition of our learning community and lead meaningful lives. Recognizing education as a means of individual and societal transformation, our vision is to inspire, guide, and support students who will positively impact their communities. We are guided by these values: intentional and informed decisions; integrity; diversity, equity, and inclusion; collaboration; fiscal responsibility; pioneering spirit; clear and thoughtful communication; and exceptional quality service.

Position Summary
The Senior Financial Aid Advisor (FAA) develops a thorough knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid topics to determine aid eligibility. The Senior FAA primarily conducts file reviews to ensure aid is awarded in compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations and policies and resolves discrepancies in a timely and effective manner. File review includes an intensive focus on completing the verification process, reviewing applications for conflicting information, and preparing files for packaging.

Additional tasks include resolving FAFSA comment codes and rejects, ensuring data integrity and the completion of application processing by identifying and solving problems, repackaging aid, adjusting costs of attendance, correcting over awards, and monitoring students on satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Further, the Senior FAA provides professional advising service, which includes a thorough explanation of need analysis and steps required to complete financial aid application process.

Essential Functions

Determine financial aid eligibility:

• Assesses a family's ability to pay for education expenses by evaluating income and assets reported on the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and financial documents.
• Functions as an expert in need analysis, both federal and institutional methodologies, and explains complex financial aid calculations and the results and rationale behind financial aid awarding in a simple and easy to understand manner.
• Responsible for reviewing current financial circumstances of DU families and determining if they qualify for various appeals.
• Serves as initial reviewer for special circumstance appeals and makes well-reasoned recommendations for action.
• Evaluate and identify issues and problem-solve student applicant data conflicts:
• Problem solves for aid applicants, resolves FAFSA comment codes and rejects, verifies, and reviews files, revises aid awards, adjusts student budgets, corrects over awards, monitors students on satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
• Assists other advisors in processing and resolving data issues.

Provide professional advising services:

• Maintains a thorough knowledge of financial aid topics including costs of attendance, federal and institutional need analysis, award packaging, financial aid options, outside scholarships and other resources, payment and financing options, loan applications and certifications, billing, disbursement, aid applications, withdrawals, re-admits, timelines/deadlines, policies, and procedures.
• Manages highly sensitive financial and personal issues; therefore, must exhibit independent judgment, tact, and diplomacy, maintain strict confidentiality, and adhere to FERPA and HEA data sharing regulations.
• Works with students and families as well as DU community members on the financial aid application process, eligibility, need analysis, awards, disbursement, federal/state institutional policies procedures. Helps students to craft a financial plan to make DU affordable.
• Creates and updates email templates to ensure accurate and effective communications to students and families.
• Supports students with the financial aid process through various channels, including in person, email, and phones. Also, assists with customer service overflow, including document management.

Develop Professionally:

• Actively maintains knowledge of state and federal regulations and internal policies and procedures to ensure accurate and efficient interpretation of information and to ensure program compliance. Handles numerous complex tasks with attention to detail in a fast-paced environment. Works as a team member with the other advisors to deliver high quality service to students and their families.
• Provides updates and other pertinent information on financial aid regulatory and compliance issues.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency with standard MS Office software applications
• General knowledge of Ellucian Banner and/or similar financial aid software
• Expertise in conflict resolution
• Capability to review and process a high volume of financial aid files in an efficient and effective manner
• Skilled in written communication and speaking to effectively present information and respond to questions from students, university colleagues and the public over the telephone, in writing and in person.
• Expertise in providing superb customer service to students and families who are trying to navigate the admission process.
• Skilled in organization and time management, including the ability to juggle a wide variety of tasks and effectively prioritize responsibilities.
• Ability to maintain a high level of professional behavior
• Ability to operate with mutual respect and trust, inclusiveness, teamwork, change and growth
• Ability to work independently ability and work well within a team
• Ability to consistently provide open communication
• Detail oriented, including process-oriented thinking and ability to pay careful attention to detail

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• One (1) to two (2) years of direct financial aid or higher education experience
• Demonstrated strong skills in conflict resolution, verbal and written communication, time management, and human relations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CSS Profile, expertise in federal and institutional need analysis, the ability to interpret and analyze income and assets, and knowledge of professional judgment techniques
• Ability to resolve data integrity issues in and discrepancies within Banner
• Ability to provide fun and energetic presentations
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. This position is not eligible for exclusive telecommuting but may be eligible for remote workdays in line with current university policy.

Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) on June 30, 2022.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 6.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $45,000 - $48,000. Due to the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards (COMPS Order #38), this position will be reclassified from exempt from overtime rules (salary paid) to non-exempt from overtime rules (hourly paid) on January 1, 2023.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate's sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Diversity Statement

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university's complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see non-discrimination-statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.

Advertised: June 16, 2022
Applications close:

This job has expired.