Financial Aid Processing Coordinator, Financial Aid, 54702

Hiring Department

Office of Financial Aid

Job Description

BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY
Responsible for managing and coordinating processes and procedures related to processing federal, state, and institutional aid, while also providing excellent customer service and guidance to financial aid applicants and their families throughout the financial aid application process. Assists in working, troubleshooting, and improving processing reports vital to standard financial aid office operations under the direct supervision of the Assistant Director. The Coordinator must have excellent process-improvement and documentation skills, and have the ability to work effectively as part of a team to meet the needs of a diverse student population.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

• Provides accurate and responsive advising throughout the financial aid process to prospective, new, and current students and their families to ensure exceptional customer service to a diverse community of students.
• Specializes in maintaining current knowledge and understanding of federal program requirements (such as Pell, R2T4, Direct Loans) and compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations. Updates leadership on policy and regulatory changes and provides solutions and plans for implementing changes to ensure continued compliance.
• Prepares and compiles reports, as requested.
• Works collaboratively with internal and external partners to manage programs, such as R2T4, scholarships, etc. and ensures compliance.
• Works to ensure policies and procedures meet the University’s strategic enrollment and student retention goals.
• Assists with the analysis of data, processing of reports, and coordinating improvements to mass packaging, application review, scholarship processing, and federal work-study procedures.
• Exercises great attention to detail when completing assignments.
• Maintains knowledge of policies of other departments (Registrar, Cashiers, Human Resources, Academic Units, etc.) and understands the impact of them on a student’s financial aid eligibility.
• Maintains student confidentiality in accordance with FERPA regulations.
• Completes assigned duties with a high degree of accuracy to ensure compliance while experiencing multiple interruptions.
• Prepares presentations on policy, regulatory, and procedural updates for staff and assists in training on updates and new processes.
• Seeks opportunities to gain knowledge and implement more effective and efficient processes.
• Other duties as assigned by the Assistant Director and/or Associate Director.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Administer and coordinate one or more major federal, state, and/or institutional aid programs
May be responsible for coordinating and maintaining financial aid records for a specific or multiple aid programs
May be required to advise students, prospective students, and parents regarding financial aid
May need to recommend policy and operating procedures for financial aid administration to Financial Aid Leadership
Prepare reports reflecting status of various financial aid programs
Make financial need determinations and award aid
Provide processing and functional support to various financial aid programs, including (but not limited to) state, institutional, and federal
Attend professional meetings both virtually and in-person
Participate on various financial aid and institutional committees

Minimum Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least 2 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in academic, financial aid counseling, and/or accounts receivable preferred.

Full Time/Part Time

Full-time, benefit eligible

Salary

Up to $18.50 per hour. Commensurate with experience, education, and internal equity.

Application Deadline

Open until filled, review of applications to begin immediately.

Application Instructions

Applicants must combine all application materials (cover letter, resume, and list of five references with contact information) into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a resume attachment.

Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).

If you are experiencing technical problems, please call (800) 488-5288.

Note, you must provide a description of job duties for each Work Experience entry on your application. Please carefully review the application instructions section of our Careers page prior to submitting your materials.

Comments

After an initial probationary period, this position may be considered for flexible work arrangements (e.g. remote work). This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy shall not be interpreted in such a manner as to violate the legal rights of religious organizations or the recruiting rights of military organizations associated with the Armed Forces or the Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America. For more information, call the Vice Chancellor - Human Resources at 816-235-1621.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties and functions of this job. If you believe you may have difficulty performing any of the duties or functions of this job, please contact the Office of Affirmative Action at (816) 235-1323.

EEO IS THE LAW

To read more about Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) please use the following links:

• EEO is the Law English Version
• EEO is the Law Spanish Version
• EEO is the Law Chinese Version

UMKC Statement on Diversity

Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to the UMKC mission as an urban-serving institution. Kansas City is a particularly diverse city, including African, African American, Asian, German, Irish, Italian, Latino, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Native American and Slavic communities. Such ethnic diversity, in addition to our thriving neighborhoods of the Westside, Northeast Kansas City and the Eastside, fosters creativity, connection and innovation, which is showcased across the region. Major attractions such as the Annual Ethnic Enrichment Festival, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Filipino Cultural Center, the American Jazz Museum, Guadalupe Centers and Mattie Rhodes and Kansas City Irish Fest are a small sample of the many ways our diverse city enriches us.

For the reasons enumerated above, UMKC’s strategic plan prioritizes our commitment to multiculturalism, globalism, diversity and inclusion. The university’s values call upon its faculty, staff, students and community to position themselves as global citizens who seek out, embrace and celebrate the many benefits of diversity. UMKC received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award in 2019 in recognition of our continued commitment to equity and inclusion. Such commitment is demonstrated across teaching, service and research. We welcome applicants to share in our commitment to these core values and know that you will quickly understand the beauty of calling Kansas City your home.

Please visit these pages to learn more about UMKC’s engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion .

Roos Advocate for Community Change

The Division of Diversity and Inclusion

Annual Report

Multicultural Student Affairs

Benefit Eligibility

Why UMKC?

We offer full benefits that start day one, generous paid time off, paid winter break, and continuing education benefits. Visit our Total Rewards page to learn more.

Also, explore the Total Rewards website to learn more about the rewards package we offer to acknowledge our employees as the university's most important r esource.